Cabo Verde participated in the side event at COP28 entitled “An Empowered Civil Society as the Basis for Successful Climate Action”, where it had the opportunity to address progress in the fight against climate change and adapting to its effects.
Climate change, due to its effects and impacts, has been seen in Cabo Verde as an urgent condition to guarantee the country’s sustainable development.
Being part of the team that represented Cabo Verde in the session, Carla Lima Semedo, director of Resource Mobilization at the National Planning Directorate, assured that there is currently a greater awareness of the importance of institutionalizing climate governance, in policies, plans and strategies, in the phase decision-making process, from the beginning of the planning and budgeting phase of public policies until their implementation, in order to achieve the commitments assumed by the country.
According to the Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development 2022-2026 (PEDS II), which has a pillar dedicated to climate, Cabo Verde is in position 77 among the “countries best prepared to deal with the effects of climate change”. Carla Lima Semedo considers that “we must reinforce the country’s climate resilience and that is why we are aware that it is crucial to combine forces, including all sectors, local and central authorities, the private sector and, very importantly, also civil society. We believe that the success of our national strategic plan depends on the implementation of this inclusive and transparent approach.” Regarding financing, stated that Cabo Verde has received public assistance from development partners, such as loans and donations, but highlighted the need to raise more funds for the implementation of plans and policies, namely for the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and the National Adaptation Plan (NAP).
The event was organized within the scope of Lux Dev’s Climate Action program in Cabo Verde and was attended by the national director of the Environment, Alexandre Nevsky and the president of the National Institute of Public Health, Maria da Luz.