On June 21, 2024, Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina inaugurated the first segment of the Antananarivo cable car, marking a significant advancement in the capital’s urban transport system. This innovative project aims to alleviate traffic congestion and provide a more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional transportation.
Toute l'actu sur la protection de l'environnement
On June 21, 2024, Madagascan President Andry Rajoelina inaugurated the first segment of the Antananarivo cable car, marking a significant advancement in the capital’s urban transport system. This innovative project aims to alleviate traffic congestion and provide a more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional transportation.
The Antananarivo cable car, with the capacity to transport up to 75,000 passengers daily, addresses the issue of overcrowding in a city originally designed for 300,000 residents, which now accommodates over 3 million. President Rajoelina, along with several Malagasy and French officials, showcased the efficiency and safety of this new transportation mode by flying over the city center in one of the cable cars.
Environmental Benefits
The cable car system represents a substantial environmental benefit. « Removing 75,000 passengers from buses and 2,000 cars from Tana’s roads is a major step in reducing carbon emissions and improving travel efficiency, » stated Gérard Andriamanohisoa, Madagascar’s Secretary of State for New Towns and Housing. Decreasing the number of vehicles on the roads will lead to a reduction in CO2 emissions, thereby enhancing the air quality in the capital.
The 12 km project, executed by French companies Poma and Colas, features a highest point of over 50 meters. Extensive safety tests were conducted over several weeks before opening to the public. « We test the brakes and have numerous sensors in the stations and along the line to detect any potential issues early, allowing us to stop the system and ensure passenger safety, » explained Guillaume Rannaz, Technical Manager at Poma.
The construction, which cost a staggering €152 million, was primarily financed through a bank loan guaranteed by the Banque Publique d’Investissement. An additional €28 million was funded by a loan from the French Treasury.
Despite its numerous advantages, the cable car remains out of reach for a large segment of the population due to its cost. A ticket is priced at 4,000 ariarys (approximately 80 euro cents), six times the cost of a bus ticket. With a minimum wage of around €50 per month, many residents of Tananarivo cannot afford this mode of transport. However, social fares are available for students and pensioners.
By Fanta Mabo
Launched in 2017 by the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) and the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI) is launching two new platforms to support sustainable cocoa farming in West Africa. The two new resources presented on 14 February 2024 aim to halt deforestation caused by cocoa and restore forest areas. This initiative commits companies in the sector to mapping their supply chains and adopting methodologies for assessing the risks of deforestation, all with a view to transparency and reporting.
As part of these efforts, the World Resources Institute (WRI) has teamed up with 19 major cocoa and chocolate companies to create two key new databases.
The West Africa Cocoa (WAC) dataset, listing the location of cocoa plots in the direct supply chains of participating companies in Ghana and Ivory Coast. Available on Global Forest Watch (GFW), an application that monitors the world’s forests in real time, it provides a detailed view of cocoa production in the region.
Cocoa Deforestation Risk Assessment (Cocoa DRA), a standardised map assessing the risk of future deforestation linked to cocoa production. This resource can be used to identify priority areas for action to promote sustainable production and protect the remaining forests.
These initiatives, the result of unprecedented collaboration, provide a common vision of priority areas for coordinated action to promote an environmentally friendly cocoa sector in West Africa. The WAC data, although sensitive, is made available to the public in the form of a heat map on GFW, guaranteeing the protection of farmers’ privacy. Similarly, the Cocoa DRA identifies areas at risk of future deforestation, helping companies to make informed decisions to reduce their environmental impact.
In 14 years, cocoa has razed 1/3 of Ghana’s forest cover
Together, the WAC and the Cocoa DRA provide a solid basis for decision-making and collective action to eliminate cocoa-related deforestation. As public resources, they contribute to transparent monitoring of the sector and the promotion of sustainable cocoa production in West Africa.
The growing demand for chocolate is having a significant impact on the region’s forests. Around 70% of the world’s cocoa supply comes from Ghana and Ivory Coast, where production sites have replaced millions of hectares of forest. Between 2001 and 2015 alone, cocoa was associated with the loss of a third of Ghana’s forest area and a quarter of that of Ivory Coast.
Fanta Mabo
WEST AFRICA: two new tools to combat cocoa deforestation
Launched in 2017 by the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) and the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI) is launching two new platforms to support sustainable cocoa farming in West Africa. The two new resources presented on 14 February 2024 aim to halt deforestation caused by cocoa and restore forest areas. This initiative commits companies in the sector to mapping their supply chains and adopting methodologies for assessing the risks of deforestation, all with a view to transparency and reporting.
At the Italy-Africa summit in Rome on January 29, 2024, the Italian government announced a 5.5 billion euro investment plan to support development in Africa. This support will include renewable energies, energy efficiency projects, water and sanitation. This will be done in line with the provisions of the joint « Green Cities for Africa » project.
Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni calls for a new Italian partnership with Africa. The tone was set at the Italy-Africa Summit held in Rome on January 29, 2024. The Italian leader announced various initiatives designed to strengthen economic ties and create an energy hub for Europe, while curbing African emigration to Europe. These initiatives include an initial commitment of 5.5 billion euros, including guarantees.
Through the Rome Process Financing Facility, the Italian government is also committed to providing 100 million euros (90% of which is concessional financing) to support infrastructure in Africa, in particular for renewable energies, energy efficiency projects, water and sanitation, agricultural initiatives, as well as vocational training and job creation.
Infrastructure as part of the « Green Cities for Africa » project
In his speech, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) thanked the Italian government for convening this summit, which aims to promote a genuine partnership with Africa and ensure that the continent remains at the heart of debates during Italy’s presidency of the G7, the discussion and economic partnership group of the world’s greatest powers which hold around 2/3 of the world’s net wealth, rising to 45% by 2019, namely Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The FAO Director-General also expressed his gratitude to Italy, which, through the various financial supports announced, is collaborating in the joint « Green Cities for Africa » project, part of the FAO’s Green Cities initiative.
The FAO Regional Green Cities Program for Africa aims to respond to the continent’s growing urbanization and the resulting pressure on agri-food systems. It also aims to improve food security, nutrition and quality of life in urban and peri-urban areas.
According to the FAO, by 2030, 70% of the world’s population is expected to live in cities. And 90% of this increase will occur in Africa and Asia, which will put a strain on agri-food systems.
Fanta Mabo
Italy-Africa Summit: Rome backs « Green Cities for Africa » initiative
At the Italy-Africa summit in Rome on January 29, 2024, the Italian government announced a 5.5 billion euro investment plan to support development in Africa. This support will include renewable energies, energy efficiency projects, water and sanitation. This will be done in line with the provisions of the joint « Green Cities for Africa » project.
A common vision of sustainable finance is being developed in Central Africa. The project is at the heart of an international forum scheduled for 8 and 9 May 2023 in Douala, Cameroon, under the theme « Trajectories towards sustainable finance ». An initiative of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Sustainable Banking and Finance Network (SBFN).
Green or sustainable finance aims to promote the real economy and long-term projects. This type of financing favours financial operations that take into account extra-financial criteria, commonly known as environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. These criteria include carbon emissions, biodiversity protection, waste management and societal impacts.
It is towards this ecological model of finance that the member countries of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) are oriented, through an international forum on the theme « Trajectories towards sustainable finance ». Scheduled for 8 and 9 May 2023 in Douala, Cameroon, this initiative of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) is organised in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group and the Sustainable Banking and Finance Network (SBFN). The objective of this meeting is to develop a common vision of sustainable finance for the countries of the Cemac zone (Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Chad, CAR, Equatorial Guinea), says the BEAC.
« This forum will allow to create a firm commitment of stakeholders operating in member countries, but also to establish a solid connection between the Cemac and international partners for the emergence of sustainable finance in the area, » said the BEAC in its statement.
The central bank announced that participants will include officials from the CEMAC Commission, the sub-regional stock exchange (BVMAC) and the financial market regulator (Cosumaf), the Development Bank of Central African States (BDEAC), professionals from the financial sector and CEMAC ministers in charge of the economy and finance. Officials from the West African Economic Monetary Union (WAEMU), the World Bank and the Sustainable Banking and Finance Network are also expected to attend.
Fanta Mabo
CENTRAL AFRICA: BEAC guides its member states towards sustainable finance
A common vision of sustainable finance is being developed in Central Africa. The project is at the heart of an international forum scheduled for 8 and 9 May 2023 in Douala, Cameroon, under the theme « Trajectories towards sustainable finance ». An initiative of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Sustainable Banking and Finance Network (SBFN).
Increasing investment in the clean energy sector is one of the twelve recommendations contained in the Niamey Declaration. The document was adopted at the end of the 9th edition of the African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (FRADD-9), which was held from 28 February to 3 March 2023 in Niamey, the capital of Niger. The central theme of the three-day event was « accelerating inclusive and green recovery from multiple crises and the integrated and full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 ».
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the UN system and other development partners are called upon to remain mobilised behind African states in the pursuit of local resource-based industrialisation, including the promotion of a mineral value chain for lithium-ion batteries in Africa. This is the main recommendation of the Niamey Declaration, adopted on 2 March 2023 in the Nigerian capital, at the end of the ninth African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (FRADD-9).
This recommendation is the second of a total of twelve. Its theme is similar to that addressed by the first recommendation, on transformative initiatives favourable to a green revival of economic growth. On this point, the President of Niger called on the developed countries. « Climate change, coupled with demographic dynamics, has created challenges in many African countries that need to be addressed if Africa is to make progress towards achieving the sustainable development goals. Developed countries must play their part in ensuring that African countries have access to climate finance, particularly with regard to the Sahel Climate Fund, » says Mohamed Bazoum.
The Loss and Damage Fund
In addition to issues related to access to water and sanitation, the preservation of biodiversity and the sharing of scientific knowledge, FRADD-9 participants insisted on the respect of international agreements and the implementation of major resolutions in the fight against climate change. This is the case of the Loss and Damage Fund, adopted at COP27 in Egypt. The Niamey declaration states: « Let the efforts undertaken to create a Loss and Damage Fund bear fruit so that resources can be mobilised to compensate for the increasing losses of infrastructure, ecosystems and livelihoods due to extreme climatic phenomena that are severely affecting the continent ».
The 9th FRADD also calls on the international community to meet its obligations under the Paris Agreement and to redouble its efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions so that humanity can continue to live in a stable climate system.
The ninth session of the Forum was held under the theme: « Accelerating Inclusive and Green Recovery from Multiple Crises and the Full and Integrated Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want of the African Union ». This theme is closely linked to the theme of the 2023 High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development meeting, namely « Accelerating recovery from the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels ». The meeting is being held from Monday 10 July to Wednesday 19 July 2023 in New York, United States of America.
Garama Saratou Rabiou Inoussa, Niger’s Minister of the Environment, Urban Hygiene and Sustainable Development, in her capacity as Chair of FRADD-9, will present the forum’s recommendations at the upcoming global gatherings on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate. In addition to the July meeting in New York, these include the SDG Summit on 19-20 September 2023, the UN General Assembly’s Week of High-Level Segment, COP28 and global, regional and sub-regional fora on the accelerated implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Boris Ngounou
FRADD-9: increasing investment in clean energy projects
Increasing investment in the clean energy sector is one of the twelve recommendations contained in the Niamey Declaration. The document was adopted at the end of the 9th edition of the African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (FRADD-9), which was held from 28 February to 3 March 2023 in Niamey, the capital of Niger. The central theme of the three-day event was « accelerating inclusive and green recovery from multiple crises and the integrated and full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063 ».