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The agreement, between the Assembly Government and the United Nations Development Programme, will help regional governments in Africa to create their own climate change action plans – and gain the expertise to bid for the funds to deliver them.

Announcing details of the accord, which was signed at an international climate change event in France, Environment, Sustainability & Housing Minister Jane Davidson said:

Africa has contributed the least towards climate change and yet will be among the first areas of the world to suffer its effects.

This is a significant agreement for the Assembly Government – it builds on the links that many communities in Wales have with Africa in a common endeavour to fight climate change.

The Mbale region of Uganda has been chosen by the UN as one of the first regions to benefit from the scheme but it is hoped that regions in Zambia, Mali and the Gambia which have links with Wales will also benefit.

Ms Davidson added:

The people of Mbale are already feeling the impact of climate change, with severe flooding last year and a shortage of rain this year – probably caused by deforestation. But their major concern is that the increase in temperature predicted for Sub Saharan Africa may mean they will no longer be able to grow coffee, the regions main source of income.

Nobody has properly investigated the impact the Climate Change will have on Mbale so it is impossible for them to prepare for what is coming. With the assistance of the UN, Wales and other regional governments they can use appropriate techniques and models that we take for granted to work out what might happen and then get the help from they will need to do something about it.

Regional governments across the world are often the bodies responsible for land use planning, the environment and energy – so they are well placed to lead the fight against climate change.

In addition to the partnership, the agreement commits the Assembly Government to research and investigate innovative methods regional governments in the developed world can use to finance the fight against climate change and will allow developing regions like Mbale to access to our expertise and knowledge.

Wales has a lot to gain from such a partnership – we can not only help some of the poorest regions in the world to prepare for the climate change that is coming but our experts can gain new skills and knowledge as they do so.

The partnership will build upon the fantastic work already going on between Pontypridd and Mbale. The relationship was sited as an example to other regional government at the recent World Summit of Regions. The agreement also commits the Assembly Government to organise an international climate change conference in Wales.

Mbale is administrative capital of the Mbale region which as a population of more than 700,000.

Andrew Mawejje, the Chief Administrative Officer of Mbale said:

We are very excited to be joining this partnership. Mbale faces a number of challenges such as poor access to clean water, high rates of malaria and very few job opportunities. We know that these problems will only get worse with the onset of Climate Change. We hope that through this partnership we will make the necessary changes and preparations that will able us to face the future with confidence.

Related Links

http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/climate_change/?lang=en