We are pleased to invite you to participate in this knowledge production exercise where members of the National African Student Association collaborating under the umbrella of OSAA’s Africa’s Youth Voices network will present abstracts of knowledge products related to the issues addressed during the Summit of the Future. They will then leverage these resources to develop several knowledge products to inform African policymaking. Young people will provide perspectives into their research approaches while seeking the audience’s contribution.

Abstract: Leveraging Climate Finance for Peacebuilding in Conflict-Affected States

Climate change and armed conflicts are two of the most pressing global challenges of our time. When these crises intersect, the consequences can be catastrophic. Heatwaves during wars, or heavy rainfall causing power outages in hospitals, are no longer hypothetical scenarios but real challenges faced by conflict-affected states globally. This study examines the role of climate finance in enhancing peace, with a focus on integrating conflict impacted communities into the early planning stages of climate-centered initiatives. We utilize data from the Berkeley Carbon Trading Project and World Bank reports on foreign direct investment to compare climate finance in conflict-affected states with more stable regions. Our analysis reveals that conflict-affected states often receive insufficient climate finance, with fewer projects approved and fewer credits generated. Specifically focusing on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan, we delve into these countries’ priorities during international and regional climate negotiations, such as the US Africa Leaders’ Summit and the Africa Climate Summit, revealing trends in negotiations and investments. We also look at Case studies such as USAID’s Health Electrification and Treatment Enhancement (HETA) program in DRC and South Sudan, the Matebe Hydroelectric plant in DRC, and other Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects as prime examples of tackling both climate and peace goals. Our findings suggest that strategic climate finance schemes can facilitate dual benefits of environmental sustainability and peacebuilding, which we term ‘peace co-benefits’ in this paper. We propose a methodological framework that encourages the development of high-quality carbon offset projects, which not only address climate goals but also enhance peace as a co-benefit.

Adviser(s) – John Moore, Prof. Ethell Vereen, Prof. Samuel Livingston

• Concept Note for the Webinars:
  • https://nationalafsa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/CN-for-AYV-at-SoF-Webinars-16-Aug-2024.pdf
• African Youth Declaration on the Summit of the Future (Pan African Youth Union):
  • https://www.uneca.org/eca-events/sites/default/files/resources/documents/TCND/ARFSD2024/documents/final_version_english-african_youth_declaration_on_the_summit_of_the_future-1.pdf
• Pact of the Future:
  • https://www.un.org/en/summit-of-the-future/pact-for-the-future-revisions
• Launch Event of Africa’s Youth Voices:
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1YJS-Y6r3E&t=780s