EU-UN CTCN: Innovative Community Based Climate Technology for Communities at Risk of Conflicts

Context

Climate change is no longer just an environmental concern but a multidimensional issue with far-reaching implications. Growing evidence suggests that climate change and environmental degradation act as both a catalyst, a driver, and multiplier of instability, exacerbating already volatile food prices, insecure livelihoods, and large-scale displacement. Technology innovation systems can provide opportunities to create social and environmental co-benefits to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Yet developing countries encounter several obstacles to using climate change-related technology. The up-front costs are high, and their success ultimately requires stable governments to create favourable environments that facilitate innovation.

This programme supports ten pilots requested by National Determined Entities (NDEs) in countries at risk of conflicts due to climate change and ensuing impacts. Pilots use conflict-sensitive, field-focused, reliable, cost-effective climate technology solutions. They address climate-related security risks resulting from local resource competition, transboundary natural resource and water management, extreme weather events, disasters, and livelihood insecurity

Overall objective

This project aims to strengthen the resilience of communities in conflict due to the impact of climate change by encouraging and facilitating conflict-sensitive, community-based technological solutions to climate change.

Specific objectives

• To design, select, benchmark, and pilot conflict-sensitive, community-based technological solutions in communities at risk of conflict due to climate change.
• To boost growth and competitiveness of community-based, innovative low-carbon technologies with high impact to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in conflict-affected communities.

Concrete activities

• Launch of a micro-grants call for proposals.
• Development of 10 detailed Terms of Reference (ToRs) for selected projects (up to € 200,000 each).
• Establishment of safeguard mechanisms aligned with UNEP policy.
• Implementation of the 10 selected climate technology projects by partners.
• Organisation of workshops, capacity-building sessions, and stakeholder engagement with women, youth, and future users.
• Provision of training for beneficiaries on technology use and maintenance.
• Formulation of a community-based roadmap and management structure for scaling up solutions.
• Development of technology fact sheets and project stories (with photos and videos).
• Organisation of a knowledge-transfer workshop to share lessons learnt and best practices.

Expected results

• Innovative technologies, adaptation practices and tools are facilitated and accelerated to strengthen local communities’ resilience to climate change, boost low carbon innovation and locally-led technological solutions.
• Knowledge sharing and capacity building, with monitoring of impact.

Expected achievements

• The initiative will provide approximately 60 users in agro-industrial cooperatives in Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso, with reliable access to clean energy, creating jobs in solar system maintenance and expanding economic opportunities for local communities.
• In Cameroon, the project will empower 500 farmers to adopt sustainable farming methods, including training and capacity-building in synecoculture, promoting self-sufficiency in food production and reducing dependency on external agricultural inputs.
• In Central African Republic, the project will benefit approximately 800 direct beneficiaries in Bangui, by providing access to affordable, clean cooking solutions, while creating jobs in the manufacturing and maintenance sectors.
• In Chad, the project will improve access to clean water for around 625 people, while also generating local employment.
• In the Cuerval Community Council, Colombia, the project will enhance the capacity of 510 individuals for sustainable mangrove management, while supporting 1000 people from the surrounding area that benefit from the ecosystem restoration.
• In Haiti, the project is expected to directly benefit women and youth in the Kenscoff Municipality, providing approximately 1,500 direct users with reliable and affordable access to clean energy. Of the direct beneficiaries, 50 % are women and 25 % are youth.
• The Locally Manufactured and Assembled Solar Cooking Technologies project in Mali will directly impact 625 beneficiaries, mostly from rural households in Banamba and peri-urban households in Commune V of Bamako, by improving health due to decreased exposure to smoke, and reducing hours spent collecting firewood by women and girls.
• The initiative in Nigeria targets direct beneficiaries in Kubau LGA’s vulnerable communities providing hands-on training to farmers, while impacting indirect beneficiaries from increased food availability, local markets and knowledge transfer.
• In Sudan, the training of 150 individuals will enhance local capacity to manage and maintain water harvesting structures.
• The project in Zimbabwe benefits 130 individuals involved in the harvesting and trading of Mopane worms. Indirect beneficiaries include an additional 400 community members, including family members and local businesses, who will benefit from improved food availability, increased income, and enhanced economic opportunities.