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The seventeenth edition of the conference will be held physically. However, it will accommodate virtual attendees, where possible.
The conference will be organized around four pillars, each including a plenary session and parallel sessions that focus on key solutions to building, adopting, and implementing climate-smart strategies.
The four pillars are as follows:
- Just energy transition in African economies – Under this pillar, papers will consider strategies to move from significant reliance on fossil fuels to clean energy use; discuss how clean energy development and sustainable development could be pursued in tandem; assess the implications and impacts of an energy transition in Africa; evaluate how energy transition could be financed; consider policies, regulations and best practices to accelerate clean energy development in the continent; and develop a consensus on “just” energy transition pathways for Africa; and contribute to the broader discussion on energy and economic development in Africa.
- Climate change, the food system, and ocean economies. Papers under this pillar will look at (i) the impact of climate change on African livelihoods, particularly those of rural residents and farmers; (ii) how farmers are adapting to such impact, including management of water-related resources; and (iii) how private sector engagement with smallholder farmers can be strengthened by building on significant advances in digitization. Papers under this pillar may also consider the issue of climate-resilient ocean economies. Papers may explore (i) the impact of climate change on ocean systems; (ii) cascading impacts on key economic sectors, including direct losses (in the form of fish catch or tourism revenue) and increased uncertainty; and (iii) policies and strategies to ensure that oceans reduce carbon emissions whilst stimulating economic growth in coastal and small island states.
- Climate-smart industrialization. Under this pillar, papers may focus on i) green industrial policies; ii) efficient exploitation of the continent's natural resources to generate inclusive growth; and iii) appropriate strategies to dissociate industrial growth from negative environmental externalities by maximizing the use of clean energy and green-production technologies without disrupting productivity enhancements in Africa.
- Africa’s governance, strategies, financing, and policies to building and mainstreaming resilient and sustainable climate-change adaptation and mitigation. Papers in this category will explore the inclusivity of existing financial and social policies among vulnerable groups and fragile states. Given the low share of climate finance in Africa, papers will discuss how to mobilize climate finance resources and efficiently allocate them. Finally, papers will investigate whether climate change mitigation policies are robust and responsive to the African landscape and may focus on the link between green financing and the generation of jobs, especially for youth and women.