The Emerging Threats and Opportunities for Implementing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Sustainable Development Goal 7: Policy Insights from sub-Saharan Africa and Malawi
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29015/cerem.833Keywords:
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Climate Finance, Inclusion, Poverty, Sustainable Development.Abstract
Aim: Despite the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce climate change vulnerability and inequality particularly in the Global South, it is probable that the SDGs and NDCs might not achieve their objectives. The aim of this article is to identify how countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) can address their climate change governance and cross-sector coordination challenges in order to reduce climate change vulnerability and augment SDG 7 (universal energy access) implementation.
Design / Research methods: A qualitative content analysis was undertaken using research articles, project reports, a case study and policy briefs exploring the nexus of climate change governance, SDG 7 implementation and SDG 13 implementation in the context of SSA and Malawi.
Conclusions / findings: The study suggests that climate change governance and attaining SDG 7 in the Global South might be improved by harmonising NDC activities so that NDC activities can be aggregated and monitored from a regional perspective similar to the case of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Programmes of Activities (PoAs).
Originality / value of the article: The paper is of value to global policy makers as it shows that increasing climate change ambitions and ratcheting-up in the context of SSA should include increasing the deployment of renewable energy technologies as well as initiating new international institutional arrangements for climate change governance through South-South Climate Change Cooperation modalities.
Keywords: Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), climate finance, renewable energy, South-South Climate Change Cooperation, Sustainable Development, Malawi.
JEL: G38, O13, O55, Q01, Q28, Q54, Q56.
References
Adenle, A.A., Manning, D.T. and Arbiol, J. (2017). Mitigating Climate Change in Africa: Barriers to
Financing Low-Carbon Development. World Development 100, 123-132.
AfDB (African Development Bank) (2016a). SE for all Africa hub: annual report 2015–2016. African
Development Bank, Abidjan.
AfDB (African Development Bank) (2016b). Green mini-grids in Sub-Saharan Africa: analysis of
barriers to growth and the potential role of the African development bank in supporting the sector. African Development Bank, Abidjan.
Antwi-Agyei, P., Dougill, A., J., Agyekum, T.P. and Stringer, L.C. (2018). Alignment between
nationally determined contributions and the sustainable development goals for West Africa. Climate Policy 18(10), 1296-1312.
Bak, C., Bhattacharya, A., Edenhofer, O. and Knopf, B. (2017). Toward a Comprehensive Approach
to Climate Policy, Sustainable Infrastructure and Finance. Centre for International Governance Innovation Policy Brief No. 106. Centre for International Governance Innovation, Waterloo.
Balch, O. (2016). Indian law requires companies to give 2% of profits to charity. Is it working?
Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/apr/05/india-
Banga, J. (2019). The green bond market: a potential source of climate finance for developing
countries, Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment 9(1), 17-32.
Barnard, S. (2015). Climate finance for cities: How can international climate funds best support low-
carbon and climate resilient urban development? ODI Paper 419. Overseas Development Institute, London.
Benites-Lazaro, L.L., Gremaud, P.A. and Benites, L.A. (2018). Business responsibility regarding
climate change in Latin America: An empirical analysis from Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project developers. The Extractive Industries and Society 5, 297–306.
Benites-Lazaro L.L. and Mello-Théry N.A. (2019). Empowering communities? Local stakeholders’
participation in the Clean Development Mechanism in Latin America. World Development 114, 254-266.
Berchin, I.I, Valduga, I.B., Garcia, J. and de Andrade Guerra, J.B.S. (2017). Climate change and
forced migrations: An effort towards recognizing climate refugees. Geoforum 84, 147-150.
Besharati, N.A. and Rawhani, C. (2016). South Africa and the DRC: Evaluating a
South–South Partnership for Peace, Governance and Development. South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), Johannesburg.
Bird, N., Asante, F, Bawakyillenuo, S, Trujillo, N.C., Eshetu, Z., Tumushabe, G.,
Yanda, P., Norman, M., Tagoe, C.A., Amsalu, A., Ashiabi, N., Mushi, D., Muhumuza, T., Kateka, A. and Siman, B. (2016). Public spending on climate change in Africa: Experiences from Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda. Overseas Development Institute, London.
Brechin, S.R. (2016). Climate Change Mitigation and the Collective Action Problem: Exploring
Country Differences in Greenhouse Gas Contributions. Sociological Forum 31(S1), 846-861.
Butcher-Gollach, C. (2015). Planning, the urban poor and climate change in the
Small Island Developing States (SIDS): Unmitigated disaster or inclusive adaptation? International Development Planning Review 37(2), 225-248.
Chirambo, D. (2018). Towards the achievement of SDG 7 in sub-Saharan Africa: Creating synergies
between Power Africa, Sustainable Energy for All and climate finance in-order to achieve universal energy access before 2030. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 94 (2018) 600–608.
Corrado, G. and Corrado, L. (2017). Inclusive finance for inclusive growth and development. Current
Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 24, 19-23.
Dowla, A. (2018). Climate change and microfinance. Business Strategy Development.1, 78-87.
Faiyetole, A.A and Adesina, F.A. (2017). Regional response to climate change and management: an
analysis of Africa’s capacity, International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management 9(6), 730-748.
GoM (Government of Malawi) (1996). Malawi Environment Management Act (1996). Department of
Environmental Affairs, Lilongwe.
GoM (Government of Malawi) (2015). Republic of Malawi Intended Nationally Determined
Contribution. Environmental Affairs Department, Lilongwe.
GoM (Government of Malawi) (2016). The Malawi National Climate Change Management Policy.
Environmental Affairs Department, Lilongwe.
Hancock, K.J. (2015). The expanding horizon of renewable energy in sub-Saharan Africa: Leading
research in the social sciences. Energy Research & Social Science 5, 1-8.
IDA/IMF (2012). IMF Country Report No. 12/223.Joint Staff Advisory Note on the
Second Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS II) 2011–16. Prepared by the Staffs of the International Development Association and the International Monetary Fund. International Monetary Fund, Washington DC.
IEA (International Energy Agency) (2016). Boosting the Power Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa: China's
involvement. IEA, Paris.
Jain, A. and Gopalan,S. (2017). In India a legislative reform is needed to push social corporate
responsibility. Available from: https://theconversation.com/in- india-a-legislative-reform-is-needed-to-push-corporate-social-responsibility- 80169.
Jiang, K. and Hanaoka, T. (2017). Can we go beyond INDCs: Analysis of future mitigation possibility
in China, Japan, EU and the U.S.. Advances in Climate Change Research 8(2), 117-122.
Johnson, O., Muhoza, C., Osano, P., Senyagwa, J. and Kartha, S. (2017). Catalysing investment in
sustainable energy infrastructure in Africa: Overcoming financial and non-financial constraints. Stockholm Environment Institute Working Paper No. 2017-03. Stockholm Environment Institute, Nairobi.
Kaijage, E., Nyagawa, S., Best, S., Cosmas, R., Temba, S., Mtwanga, B. and Mahanga, N. (2017).
Money is power: tracking finance flows for decentralised energy access in Tanzania. IIED Working Paper. The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), London.
Kaku, K. (2011). An Inconvenient Truth-Global Warming on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction
under Kyoto Protocol Regime to Post Kyoto Protocol in ASIA. Procedia Engineering 8, 515-519.
Kissinger, G., Gupta, A., Mulder, I. and Unterstell, N. (2019). Climate financing needs in the land
sector under the Paris Agreement: An assessment of developing country perspectives. Land Use Policy 83, 256-269.
Leimbach, M., Roming, N., Schultes, A. and Schwerhoff, G. (2018). Long-Term Development
Perspectives of Sub-Saharan Africa under Climate Policies. Ecological Economics 144, 148-159.
Lior, N. (2012). Sustainable energy development: The present situation and possible paths to the
future. Energy, 43(1), 174-191.
Mbeva, K., Ochieng, C., Atela, J., Khaemba, W. & Tonui, C. (2015). Intended Nationally Determined
Contributions as a Means to Strengthening Africa’s Engagement in International Climate Negotiations. Climate Resilient Economies Working Paper no. 001/2015. African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS). ACTS Press, Nairobi.
Mpaire, E.L., Jassogne, L., Providence, H., Acosta, M., Twyman, J., Winowiecki, L., van Asten, P.
(2017). Institutional challenges to climate change adaptation: A case study on policy action gaps in Uganda. Environmental Science and Policy 75, 81-90.
Munang, R. and Nkem, J.N. (2011). Using Small-Scale Adaptation Actions to Address the Food
Crisis in the Horn of Africa: Going beyond Food Aid and Cash Transfers. Sustainability 3, 1510-1516.
Musah-Surugu, I.J., Ahenkan, A., Bawole, J.N. and Darkwah, S.A. (2018). Migrants’ remittances: A
complementary source of financing adaptation to climate change at the local level in Ghana. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management 10(1), 178-196.
Newell, P. and Bulkeley, H. (2016). Landscape for change? International climate policy and energy
transitions: evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa. Climate Policy, 17 (5), 650-663.
Nnadozie, E., Munthali, T., Nantchouang, R. and Diawara, B. (2017). Domestic Resource
Mobilization in Africa: State, Capacity Imperatives and Policy Actions. Africa Journal of Management 3(2), 184-212.
Northrop, E., Biru, H., Lima, S., Bouye, M. and Song, R. (2016). Examining the Alignment Between
the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions and Sustainable Development Goals. Working Paper. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC.
Oji, C., Soumonni, O. and Ojah, K. (2016). Financing renewable energy projects for sustainable
economic development in Africa. Energy Procedia 93 (2016) 113-119.
Olson, J., Alagarswamy, G., Gronseth, J. and Moore, N. (2017). Impacts of Climate Change on Rice
and Maize, and Opportunities to Increase Productivity and Resilience in Malawi. Malawi Report No. 9. Global Center for Food Systems Innovation, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.
Ostrom, E. (2008). Polycentric Systems as One Approach for Solving Collective-Action Problems.
Available at http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1304697.
Pardoe, J., Conway, D., Namaganda, E., Vincent, K., Dougill, A.J. and Kashaigili, J.J. (2018). Climate
change and the water–energy–food nexus: insights from policy and practice in Tanzania. Climate Policy 18(7), 863-877.
Pedersen, C.S. (2018). The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a great gift to business!
Procedia CIRP 69, 21-24.
Polzin, F., Egli, F., Steffen, B. and Schmidt, T.S. (2019). How do policies mobilise private finance for
renewable energy?—A systematic review with an investor perspective. Applied Energy 236, 1249-1268.
Prasad, A. (2014). India's new CSR law sparks debate among NGOs and Businesses. Available from:
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/india-csr-law-debate-business-ngo
Rashidi, K., Stadelmann, M. and Patt, A. (2017). Valuing co-benefits to make low-
carbon investments in cities bankable: the case of waste and transportation projects. Sustainable Cities and Society 34, 69-78.
Rigaud, KK, de Sherbinin, A, Jones, B, Bergmann, J, Clement, V, Ober, K, Schewe, J, Adamo, S,
McCusker, B, Heuser, S and Midgley, A. (2018). Groundswell: Preparing for Internal Climate Migration. The World Bank, Washington, DC.
Soanes, M., Rai, N., Steele, P., Shakya, C. and Macgregor, J. (2017). Delivering real change: getting
international climate finance to the local level. IIED Working Paper. The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), London.
Röser, F., Day, T. and Kurdziel, M. (2016). After Paris: What is next for Intended Nationally
Determined Contributions (INDCs)? International Partnership on Mitigation and MRV and New Climate Institute, Berlin.
Sanoh, A., Kocaman, A., Kocal, S., Sherpa, S. and Modi, V. (2014). The economics of clean energy
resource development and grid interconnection in Africa. Renew Energy 62, 598-609.
Schwerhoff, G. and Sy, M. (2017). Financing renewable energy in Africa – Key challenge of the
sustainable development goals. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 75, 393-401.
Sweerts, B., Long, F., D and van der Zwaan, B. (2019). Financial de-risking to unlock Africa's
renewable energy potential. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 102, 75-82.
Tonkonogy, B., Brown, J., Micale, V., Wang, X. and Clark, A. (2018). Blended Finance in Clean
Energy: Experiences and Opportunities. Climate Policy Initiative, Venice.
UNDP (2015). Impact Investment in Africa: Trends, Constraints and Opportunities. United Nations
Development Programme Regional Service Centre for Africa, Addis Ababa.
Weiler, F., Klöck, C. and Dornan, M. (2018). Vulnerability, good governance, or donor interests? The
allocation of aid for climate change adaptation. World Development 104, 65-77.
Woodcock, A. (2009). The Montreal Protocol: getting over the finishing line? The Lancet 373, 705-
Yaron, G., Mangani, R., Mlava, J., Kambewa, P., Makungwa, S., Mtethiwa, A., Munthali, S., Mgoola,
W. and Kazembe, J. (2011). Economic valuation of Sustainable natural resource use in Malawi. Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Lilongwe.
Zhang, W. and Pan, X. (2016). Study on the demand of climate finance for developing countries based
on submitted INDC. Advances in Climate Change Research 7, 99-104.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
The aim of CEREM is to make scientific work available in accordance with the principle of open access. The rules mentioned below are important, as they enable CEREM and its publisher, the WSB Merito University in Wroclaw, to distribute the scientific work to a wide public while complying with specific legal requirements, at the same time protecting the rights of the authors.
The author transfers to the WSB Merito University in Wroclaw, free of charge and without territorial limitations, with all proprietary copyrights to the said piece of work in the understanding of the act of 4th February 1994 on copyrights and derivative rights (Journal of Laws of 1994, no. 24, item 83, as amended) on an exclusivity basis, i.e. the rights to:
1. Make the piece of work in question available via the Digital Library established by the WSB Merito University in Wroclaw.
2. Produce, record and reproduce in multiple copies the piece of work using any techniques whatsoever, including printing, reprography, magnetic recording and digital processing, and particularly its reproduction by recording on CDs and similar data carriers,
3. Use fragments of the piece of work for promotional purposes in publications, promotional materials, the Internet and Intranet type networks managed by the WSB Merito University in Wroclaw.
4. Store the piece of work into computer databases managed by the WSB Merito University in Wroclaw.
5. Copy and reproduce the piece of work using photo-mechanic technologies other than those commonly known at the time of the signature hereof (photocopies, Xerox copies etc.),
6. Process the piece of work, transferring it into an electronic form, and distribute it on the Internet without limitations.
