The first National Action Program of Adaptation to climate change has just been validated in Mali thanks to the support of the Global Environment Fund and UNDP.
In Mali, the impact of climate change has been very strongly felt over the last 40 years, with increased desertification and flooding. Global warming has brought on mass migration from rural areas to urban centers.
Its geographical location, the low percentage of arable land (14%) and level of its economic development, leave Mali vulnerable to climate change. 73.2% of its population lives in rural areas under extreme poverty (with less than one dollar a day). Sustainable land management is a major concern for the country, with an economy largely dependent on the primary sector, notably agriculture and farming.
Climate predictions for the next few years remain highly uncertain. However, the rate of annual temperatures is expected to increase 1.2% to 3.6% by 2060, and from 1.8% to 5.9% by 2090. The annual average of precipitations is on the decrease.
Worldwide climate change will most probably lead to increasingly variable precipitations during the rainy season, and an increase of extreme climate phenomena, which will pose problems for agricultural planning.
UNDP's activities
UNDP supports the Malian government in its efforts to adapt to climate change. For instance, the organization helped the country to put together strategies to alleviate greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation options, as well as a needs assessment for technology transfer and systematic climate monitoring.
UNDP has also supported the Malian government in creating and implementing several programmes, namely a joint UNDP/World Bank agricultural policy improvement programme in Mali, which emphasizes the need for sustainable land management.
The first National Action Programme of Adaptation (NAPA) for climate change has just been signed in Mali, with a contribution of $2.6 million from the Global Environment Fund and $200,000 from UNDP.
UNDP has contributed to the Nairobi Declaration on national dialogue related to climate change adaptation for land and water management, which was initiated by Denmark, with a preparatory workshop held in Bamako.
To mark the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction, UNDP together with other United Nations system agencies organized awareness meetings with the heads of Government institutions, state technical services and civil society on climate change. An advocacy session was held for National Assembly members, at the Katibougou Rural Polytechnic Institute, attended by the Malian WEAMU (West African Economic and Monetary Union) youth.
Malian government activities and positions
Together with its partners, including UNDP, the focus post-Copenhagen will be on setting a national climate change adaptation strategy, taking into account human development considerations and the need to strengthen capacities for key stakeholders.
Mali, along with is technical and financial partners, has undertaken a number of actions that have had an impact on strategies, policies and programmes for sustainable agricultural development and food security.
Mali signed the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change (UNFCCC) in 1992, and the Kyoto Protocol in 1999. The country is also a signatory to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Contact Information
Angélique Carrer, Public and internal
relationship manager, UNDP
Tel: (223) 20 70 024
angelique.carrer@undp.org
To find out more about UNDP in Mali, go to: http://www.ml.undp.org