Africa Trade and Climate Change Dialogue Johannesburg, 7-8 May, 2009

This report details the proceedings of the Africa Trade and Climate Change Dialogue held in Johannesburg on May 7-8, 2009. The event, organized by ICTSD, IISD, and SAIIA, brought together African trade officials, policy-makers, and experts to examine the intersection of trade policy, climate change adaptation, and sustainable development. The dialogue focused on identifying policy priorities and research gaps to prepare African countries for the UNFCCC Copenhagen summit, specifically addressing vulnerabilities in agriculture, the need for predictable financing, and the diffusion of low-carbon technologies.

• African countries are highly vulnerable to climate change, particularly in key economic sectors such as agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, and tourism. These sectors are susceptible not only to physical impacts but also to mitigation responses from the international community, such as fuel levies, which could "undermine the competitiveness of many African countries."
• The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is currently viewed as working "synergistically against African countries’ effective access," with most projects focused on middle-income countries. Recommendations for a post-2012 regime include relaxing conditions for project certification, addressing low carbon prices, and shifting the focus from individual projects to programs to reduce transaction costs.
• Climate change is expected to severely impact African agricultural production, with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) projecting that the number of undernourished people in Sub-Saharan Africa will increase from 138 million in 1990 to 410 million by 2080.
• There is a perceived need to shift focus from technology transfer via Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to technology diffusion. Current FDI patterns in Africa primarily focus on "the extraction of natural resources" rather than promoting value addition or effective technology diffusion. The report suggests that Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) are not the primary barrier; instead, constraints include poor R&D institutions and a lack of effective innovation policies.
• The liberalisation of Environmental Goods and Services (EGS) is identified as a tool for fostering the diffusion of climate-friendly technology. While China is a major exporter of solar energy and India is a significant wind energy producer, LDCs have limited trade capacity in these goods. However, opportunities exist for African countries in the assembly of wind turbine components.
• Organic agriculture presents significant potential for climate mitigation and economic improvement in Africa. A study of 114 conversion cases in Africa showed a 116 percent increase in farm productivity. In Uganda, organic products command higher farm gate prices than conventional ones, with organic pineapples at 80 percent, ginger at 185 percent, and cotton at 33 percent higher.
• The report warns against the negative impact of "food miles" labelling and similar environmental standards, which may be based on poor science and advanced by lobby groups. It notes that GHG emissions from production in developed countries are generally four times higher than in the South, while airfreight accounts for less than 1 percent of total GHG emissions.
• Existing financial mechanisms for adaptation, such as the LDCs Fund and GEF, are considered susceptible to shocks and cut-backs. The report emphasizes that African countries must secure "additional and predictable financial resources" in Copenhagen to address specific adaptation needs.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2009). Africa Trade and Climate Change Dialogue Johannesburg, 7-8 May, 2009. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/dttp_africa_trade_and_climate_change_report_20090507.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Africa Trade and Climate Change Dialogue Johannesburg, 7-8 May, 2009. 2009. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/dttp_africa_trade_and_climate_change_report_20090507.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Africa Trade and Climate Change Dialogue Johannesburg, 7-8 May, 2009 |date=2009 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/dttp_africa_trade_and_climate_change_report_20090507.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2009africa, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Africa Trade and Climate Change Dialogue Johannesburg, 7-8 May, 2009}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2009}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/dttp_africa_trade_and_climate_change_report_20090507.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }