The Climate Chance Summit continues with a day dedicated to elected representatives, and places Africa at the heart of its debates. The second day of this international Summit is marked by the declaration of Agadir by local and regional elected representatives of Africa, supported by their colleagues in Europe and around the world, in order to strengthen their commitment to fight climate change.
– American non-state actors reaffirm their mobilization and ambitions for the fight against climate change, despite the announcement of the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris agreement
-The financing of local climate action requires the creation of a propitious environment, which involves identifying, structuring and planning investment needs, designing suitable climate-compatible projects, inventing a wide range of financing that responds to the diversity of actors, needs and development contexts
– The second day is devoted to elected officials. It provides answers to the problems related to the management of cities and encourages the reflection on urban strategies aimed both at increasing the adaptability of cities and the mitigation of their emissions of greenhouse effect gases
The first day of the Climate Chance 2017 summit brought together nearly 5,000 non-state actors committed to climate change to discuss the status of the climate negotiations with the Paris and COP 22 major actors, in particular following the announcement of the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement.
The opening plenary provided an opportunity to share the progress of climate actors and to show the progress made since the 2016 edition of Climate Chance held in Nantes. It was particularly marked by the message of Patricia Espinosa to the summit participants, in which the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, recalled the crucial role of non-state actors in combating climate change. From his side, James Graber, Director, Sustainable Development Mechanisms at UNFCCC, highlighted the importance of bringing together non-state actors, sharing their actions and highlighting their successes to leverage initiatives. He also noted that „since the announcement of Donald Trump the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris agreement, the mobilization of non-state actors is growing and their coordination more effective“
The discussions gave rise to missions that fall within the framework of the Marrakech Partnership and are part of the activities carried out by the coalitions involved in the Climate Chance dynamic, with four main pillars:

  • Integrate new members into these communities
  • Develop specific roadmaps and monitor progress
  • Support the implementation of specific activities
  • Monitor and analyze the progress and impact of their commitments

The second plenary concerned the flow of funding for local climate action. In this respect, the recommendations of non-state actors are rather consensual, but the implementation of these recommendations does not necessarily follow the same pace. The discussions focused on creating an enabling environment for financing local and international climate action, which involves the identification, structuring and planning of investment needs and the design of suitable climate-compatible projects.
In his opening speech, Nizar Baraka, President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council of Morocco, said that „Morocco is implementing these recommendations, within the process of advanced regionalization through the development of regional development, including an important climate component following extensive consultation with non-state actors. Climate dashboards are adopted at regional level and a financing policy for local actors has been defined on the basis of the creation of a local bank to mobilize funds for financing; And finally, the establishment of a skills center on climate change to accompany this new and innovative orientation. “
In addition to the plenaries, forums, workshops and focus, several side events were organized, to feature the successful initiatives of Souss Massa Regional Council against the harmful effects of climate change. “During the last 10 years, the Regional Council of Souss Massa has taken several actions to enhance environment protection and develop the use of renewable energies“ said Brahim Hafidi, President of the Souss Massa Regional Council. He mentions, as an example, „the training of young entrepreneurs in the field of renewable energies and the support of the creation of RESOVERT, an NGO of 40 start-ups in the field of renewable energies, with an ambitious action plan to train and raise awareness of the use of renewable and photovoltaic energy „.
This first day was punctuated by workshops which gives a lively touch to this crucial subject: collective games, controversial workshops, brainstorming, prototyping, projections and debates, in order to deepen the knowledge of all and everyone about the unbreakable links between climate and development.
The second day of the summit, Tuesday, September 12, was dedicated to African elected officials and city management. The main plenary on „African Cities Facing Climate Challenges“ had the participation of researchers specializing in African cities and climate, local elected representatives from all over Africa, NGOs from the continent, economic operators. Speakers agreed that African cities are affected by climate change on a daily basis, exacerbating their already sensitive problems. Their need to understand climate issues and respond to the challenges environmental and socio-economic factors is becoming more serious.
The day concludes with a signing ceremony of the Agadir declaration of local and regional african elected representatives, supported by their peers from Europe and the world. „This declaration constitutes a framework for African and international collaboration to increase the adaptability of cities and the mitigation of their greenhouse-effect gas emissions. “ Said Awatif Berdai, Chair of the organizing committee of the Summit of Elected Representatives during COP 22, on behalf on Marakkech regional council. She recalled that“ Marrakech hosted during the COP 22 the Summit of Elected Representatives, which brought together 1000 Mayors and Regional Council Presidents, allowed to put the elected officials at the heart of the climate debate and to develop, together, a Moroccan vision that has soon become African, and which has been strengthened through initiatives for climate within the framework of the Covenant of Mayors “
The 3rd day of Climate Chance Summit will help to anchor the issue of migration and development in the context of climate change. The first plenary of this day, under the theme „Migration, climate change and development: between challenges and opportunities“, will attempt to understand the characteristics of these movements and how they relate to the various climate shocks and stressors in order to develop policy responses, adaptation plans and effective investments.
For Ronan Dantec, President of the Climate Chance Association „The atmosphere in Agadir and the enthusiasm that marked this day are a response to the pessimists of the climate. The mobilization of Moroccan civil society is considerable. Noting the presence of many African elected representatives today, we are pleased to help strengthen joint action between elected representatives and non-state actors. „