By The Respondent Correspondent
Dar es Salaam. As climate change tightens its grip on the planet, Africa faces a paradox.
Despite contributing only a fraction to global greenhouse gas emissions, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) bears the brunt of rising temperatures, erratic weather patterns and devastating natural disasters.
Yet, less than 10% of international climate finance reaches local communities the frontline defenders against these climate shocks.
For decades, the global discourse on climate action has been dominated by top-down policies, distant from the realities of those most affected.
However, a shift is underway. Locally-led Adaptation (LLA) is emerging as a transformative approach to address Africa's unique vulnerabilities and empower grassroots communities.
But is the world ready to hand the reins of climate action to those who live and breathe its daily challenges?
Why Locally-Led Adaptation Matters
Locally-led adaptation focuses on empowering communities to design and implement climate solutions tailored to their specific needs.
The concept rests on principles such as devolving decision-making, ensuring transparency, and investing in local capacities.
The International Institute for Environment and Development (2020) highlights that this approach can bridge the glaring gap in climate finance and address structural inequalities that disproportionately affect women, youth, and marginalized groups.
Take Kenya, for instance. A 2022 report on adaptation trends revealed that climate committees at the local level implemented 284 cost-effective projects addressing water security, agroforestry, and livestock management.
These initiatives demonstrate that when communities are entrusted with resources and decision-making power, they can spearhead meaningful change.
The Climate Finance Conundrum
Despite its promise, Forum for Climate Change (FORUMCC) Executive Director, Sarah Ngoy emphasizes LLA faces significant hurdles chief among them, financing.
According to the African Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), Africa needs $25 billion by 2025 to scale up adaptation projects.
Multilateral Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) currently contribute the bulk of adaptation funds in Africa, with $6 billion committed in 2020.
However, over 53% of these funds are loans, often at commercial rates, burdening already struggling economies.
Moreover, Sarah expressed the bureaucratic red tape associated with accessing international funds like the Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a significant barrier.
“Countries must demonstrate robust national climate strategies, strong governance frameworks, and project pipelines aligned with stringent criteria requirements that many African nations struggle to meet,” she added.
Challenges on the Ground
At the local level, Sarah said the obstacles are even more pronounced. Communities often lack the technical expertise to manage climate funds, while limited access to technology and information further hampers progress.
She revealed the absence of sustainability plans for adaptation projects has also led to abrupt funding cuts, leaving communities vulnerable to the next disaster.
Despite these challenges, according to Sarah there is hope. “The African Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) has launched a Technical Assistance Program (TAP) to strengthen local capacities for planning and implementing large-scale adaptation projects.”
She added, “this Africa-owned initiative exemplifies the power of regional collaboration in tackling shared challenges.”
A Way Forward
For LLA to reach its full potential, African governments and stakeholders must take bold steps as it is enshrined by the FORUMCC boss.
According to her, there is a need to decentralize climate finance by stablish mechanisms that channel funds directly to local governments, civil society organizations (CSOs), and community-based organizations (CBOs).
She also suggested the essence of investing in capacity building so as to equip communities with the skills to design, manage, and sustain adaptation projects. “This includes training on financial management and project evaluation,” she said.
Promote inclusive policies is another way to as suggested by Sarah, with the emphasis of ensuring that, adaptation projects prioritize marginalized groups, including women, youth, and indigenous communities.
She also said a collaboration between governments, traditional leaders, CSOs, and the private sector can amplify the impact of adaptation initiatives.
“Integrate sustainability plans also needed. Every project should include a roadmap for long-term sustainability to prevent abrupt funding disruptions,” according to Sarah.
Lessons from East Africa
Sarah expressed East Africa is setting an example for the continent. In Kenya, the government has partnered with the World Bank, Denmark, and Sweden to translate ambitious climate policies into tangible local actions.
“Similarly, Tanzania’s climate committees have demonstrated the potential of community-driven adaptation through small-scale yet impactful projects,” she said.
According to her, these successes highlight the importance of collaborative action. However, scaling such initiatives requires a paradigm shift from viewing local communities as beneficiaries to recognizing them as active agents of change.
Aligning Adaptation with Global Goals
The Climate Change Scholar from the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Professor Amos Majule said LLA is not just an African priority it aligns with global frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“For instance, SDG 13 calls for urgent climate action, while SDG 5 emphasizes gender equality an integral aspect of effective adaptation,” he said and added the projects that address clean water (SDG 6) and clean energy (SDG 7) further underscore the interconnected nature of climate and development goals.
Professor Amos revealed that, by mainstreaming LLA into national and regional development strategies, African countries can ensure no one is left behind in the fight against climate change.
A Call to Action
He also add Africa’s vulnerability to climate change is undeniable, but so is its resilience.
He said LLA offers a pathway to not only mitigate the impacts of climate change but also to build stronger, self-reliant communities.
According to him, this requires a collective commitment from governments, international donors, and local stakeholders.
“The clock is ticking. As climate disasters become more frequent and severe, the need to act has never been more urgent,” he said and added, “Let this be the decade where Africa reclaims its narrative on climate action led by its people, for its people.”
