Designed for

Staff of federal and state MDAs working on climate change, Staff of UN and other development co-operations working on climate change and environmental sustainability, staff of federal and state ministry of environment and officials of NGOs working on climate change, Field Officers, Community Based Organisations (CBOs), Meteorologists, Climate Change Specialists.

Course Introduction

On 9 May 1992, the world’s governments adopted the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In doing so, they took the first step in addressing one of the most urgent environmental problems facing humankind. Five years later, on 11 December 1997, governments took a further step forwards and adopted the landmark Kyoto Protocol. Building on the framework of the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol broke new ground with its legally- binding constraints on greenhouse gas emissions and innovative “mechanisms” aimed at cutting the cost of curbing emissions. Today, 186 countries (including the African Community) are Parties to the Convention, more than most any other environmental treaty, and the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol is expected soon.

The Convention sets an ultimate objective of stabilizing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases at levels that would prevent “dangerous” human interference with the climate system. Such levels, which the Convention does not quantify, should be achieved within a time frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner. By attending this course, participants will get acquainted with the national commitments and fundamental obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and implement the appropriate national policy response to mitigate against the challenges of climate change.