The 2011 droughts in the horn of Africa deprived countless communities of water and food security. Two years later, devastating floods in Germany caused widespread urban destruction. These events showcase the early signs of dangerous climate change, which is already threatening the livelihoods, health, and wellbeing of millions, especially the poor and vulnerable who lack the financial, technical, human, and institutional resources to adapt to these changes.

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The nearly 23,000 delegates who arrived in Katowice had a very specific agenda – to finalise the Paris Agreement “rulebook” – the detailed operating manual needed in implementing the agreement as from 2020 when the agreement becomes operational. This was mandated in 2015 to be finalised by the end of COP24.

 A.         Implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063

A new African institution has been established to promote Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EBA) as a tool to address chronic food insecurity in Africa, while contributing to sustainable agricultural production and rural livelihoods, reports the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

 Nairobi, 31 July 2015 - Over 1,200 experts, policy makers and participants today adopted the Nairobi Action Agenda on Ecosystem based Adaptation for food security and formed the Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA), which re-imagines a system of agriculture for the continent that would be beneficial both economically and environmentally.

31 July 2015: Africa has a new regional institution, the Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (EBAFOSA), dedicated to promoting ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) as a tool to address chronic food insecurity in Africa, while contributing to sustainable agricultural production and rural livelihoods. The Assembly was formally established during the closing session of the 2nd EBA for Food Security Conference (EBAFOSC 2), which took place from 30-31 July 2015, at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

Convened by the UNEP Regional Office for Africa (UNEP/ROA) and its partners, the two-day conference addressed the theme ‘Re-imagining Africa's Food Security through Harnessing Ecosystem Based Adaptation Approaches Now and Into the Future under Climate Change.' Among other topics, delegates discussed how to: build scalable and inclusive business and financing models for EBA-driven agriculture; harness current policies and legislation to enhance African investments in agriculture, soil conservation and EBA; incentivize private sector involvement for increased capital mobilization and competitiveness; enhance the role of youth and women in EBA-driven agriculture; integrate EBA in education systems; introduce innovations to reduce post-harvest losses; and link EBA to strategies addressing climate change and resilience as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

During the closing plenary session, EBAFOSC 2 delegates adopted the EBAFOSA constitution as well as a conference declaration titled ‘The Nairobi Action Agenda on Africa's Ecosystem Based Adaptation for Food Security,' which notes that EBA is essential for climate resilience, ecosystems productivity, food security, job creation and value addition in Africa, and that African governments are the main drivers of creating enabling policies and laws to provide incentives for the private sector and to scale up EBA-driven agriculture.

The declaration recognizes various AU policy frameworks of relevance for EBA, and a final decision on EBA adopted by the 1st UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) of UNEP in June 2014, as a basis for follow up actions. It further highlights delegates' commitment to, inter alia: urge governments in Africa to create an enabling environment for technological advancement and to create platforms for resource mobilization; request research institutions to promote implementation of EBA-driven agriculture; request governments and institutions to integrate EBA approaches into their policies; and support the work of the African Union.

The EBAFOSA Constitution establishes three main objectives for the Assembly, namely to: promote environmentally friendly approaches to food production; promote value addition for all EBA products by efficient technologies; and develop regional monitoring and evaluation instruments on EBA. The Constitution also identifies the Africa Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) as the interim Host Institution of the Assembly, and calls for an initial EBAFOSA bureau meeting to take place no later than 31 December 2015.