Climate change and international cooperation

With our work on green transformation and effective climate action, we seek to contribute to ambitious and fair responses to the global climate crisis based on the sustainable use of natural resources and economic development within our planetary boundaries.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change made it clear: keeping temperatures from rising beyond 1.5°C is not an option but a duty if governments want to avoid calamity. Climate change is affecting every country on the globe, albeit differently and at varying degrees. So, how is climate change affecting Africa and Europe, and the relation between the two?

In the coming years, we will see the acceleration of the climate crisis and environmental degradation, resulting in extreme weather events and human suffering especially in Africa, but also in Europe. The stakes for both continents to take decisive actions on climate change and environmental sustainability have never been higher, yet their respective needs and interests tend to be very different, as several decades of climate negotiations have shown.

For the EU, its response to these crises will be its moment of truth. With the EU Green Deal and the Fit for 55 package, it has tied its own fate to greening its future, aiming for Europe to become climate neutral by 2050. It has adopted an unprecedented level of ambition to green its ageing infrastructure and economy. But Europe cannot become green alone: much more needs to be done, especially when it comes to ambitious climate financing and climate diplomacy.

Africa has contributed very little to historic emissions but is currently the most vulnerable continent to climate variability and change, trying to develop its economies while adapting to climate change. Africa, therefore, calls for a just and differentiated approach to climate mitigation and adaptation responsive to its needs.

Our work on green transformation and climate action focuses on four areas:

• Effective climate diplomacy and international governance for climate justice and green transformation;
• An inclusive transition towards climate neutrality and sustainable economies;
• Building resilience and adapting to climate impacts;
• Green economic transformation and green finance.

Want to know more about ECDPM’s adaptation work? Check our adaptation brochure.

Get in touch

Would you like to know more or would you like to partner with us? Get in touch with the coordinator of ECDPM’s work on climate change, Hanne Knaepen, who is also ECDPM’s climate adaptation expert. For questions related to green transformation and renewable energy, contact Alfonso Medinilla. For all questions related to resilience and peace-buiding, get in touch with Sophie Desmidt. Furthermore, for specific questions on climate and the EU budget, please contact Mariella Di Ciommo, and on climate and development finance institutions, please contact San Bilal and Pamella Eunice Ahairwe.

Ongoing projects

Cascading climate risks: Towards adaptive and resilient European societies

The effects of climate change physically cross national borders, but can also impact global processes such as trade, conflict and migration. European policymakers should be aware of the cross-border and cascading impacts of climate change for Europe and take them into account in their future policies. The ‘CASCADES’ project, involving ECDPM and eleven other organisations, aims to analyse these impacts and explore solutions.

Latest publications and multimedia

The Green Deal in EU foreign and development policy
Chloe Teevan, Alfonso Medinilla and Katja Sergejeff, ECDPM brief, May 2021

The EU budget and external climate financing: The state of play
Mariella Di Ciommo and Pamella Eunice Ahairwe, ECDPM brief, May 2021

AU-EU cooperation on climate and energy: In search of a common narrative
Alfonso Medinilla, ECDPM brief, May 2021

Climate adaptation takes a seat at the table, finally
Hanne Knaepen, ECDPM commentary, 1 February 2021

Podcast series: Climate Adaptation Talks
In this podcast series, which features episodes in English and French, we want to explore the strategies that different countries are using to adapt to an increasingly volatile climate. In each episode – up until the run-up to the first-ever Climate Adaptation Summit in 2021 – one of our experts will talk to a guest about their projects and ideas to maximise the potential of climate adaptation.

Promoting policy coherence: Lessons learned in EU development cooperation
James Mackie, ECDPM brief for the CASCADES project, September 2020

Adaptation in the Africa-Europe context: A point of divergence?
Hanne Knaepen and Doug Parsons from Cimpatico Studios, video interview, 30 July 2020

The integration of climate change and circular economy in foreign policies
Nadia Ashraf, Hanne Knaepen, Jeske van Seters and James Mackie, ECDPM paper, June 2020

Eight ways the European Investment Bank can help tackle climate change in Africa
San Bilal and Pamella Eunice Ahairwe, ECDPM blog, 11 May 2020

COP25: The eternal challenge of competing interests
Hanne Knaepen, ECDPM blog, 16 December 2019

Boosting EU climate finance: Mitigate more without neglecting adaptation in poorer countries
Pamella Ahairwe and San Bilal, ECDPM brief for the CASCADES project, December 2019

The complex link between climate change and conflict
ECDPM Great Insights magazine, October 2019

The paradox of climate change: How Africa can step up climate action to lighten its vulnerability
Pamella Ahairwe, ECDPM blog, 14 October 2019

Finance to adapt: Making climate funding work for agriculture at the local level
Bethany Tietjen, Francesco Rampa and Hanne Knaepen, ECDPM paper, September 2019

Transforming food systems to combat climate change
Koen Dekeyser, Paulina Bizzotto Molina, Cecilia D’Alessandro and Bethany Tietjen, ECDPM blog, 15 August 2019

Sustainable water management
Hanne Knaepen, ECDPM video, 14 May 2019

A generational divide in the fight against climate change
Hanne Knaepen, ECDPM blog, 4 March 2019

Preserving ecosystems in Africa: Reflections from COP24
Romy Chevallier, ECDPM blog, 17 December 2018

Small changes, big world: An inspiration for Europe and middle-income countries fighting climate change ahead of COP24
Mariella Di Ciommo and Sanne Thijssen, ECDPM blog, 26 November 2018

The ice is broken, what’s next? How the EU and middle-income countries work together on climate change
Mariella Di Ciommo, with Sanne Thijssen and Meritxell Sayós Monràs. ECDPM paper, September 2018

Global agreements

Photo by United Nations Photo via Flickr.

Stuck in the middle: Agriculture and climate change at COP22
Francesco Rampa, ECDPM blog, 23 November 2016

Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris agreement: One year on
Annabelle Laferrère, ECDPM blog, 17 November 2016

The Paris Agreement and African agriculture
Estherine Fotabong, ECDPM Great Insights article, May 2016

7 ways to make climate-smart agriculture central to COP21 and beyond
Hanne Knaepen, Devex article, 30 November 2015

COP21: A historic, but still fragile milestone for climate change
Alisa Herrero Cangas and Hanne Knaepen, 18 December 2015

The road to #COP21 and beyond
Fabien Tondel, Hanne Knaepen and Rhys Williams, ECDPM infographic

Hanne Knaepen featured in BBC Worldwide on Africa’s position at the COP21
Hanne Knaepen in BBC Worldwide, November 2016

A Europe-Africa marriage in Paris?
Hanne Knaepen in the Government Gazette, 24 March 2016

Climate change: The European Union towards COP21 and beyond
European Think Tanks Group, 26 November 2015

Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR): The Challenge of Rejuvenating an Old-School Principle Ahead of the 2015 Climate Negotiations
Hanne Knaepen, ECDPM blog, 21 March 2014

Agriculture, food systems and food security

Photo by Thinkstock.

Finance to adapt: Making climate funding work for agriculture at the local level
Bethany Tietjen, Francesco Rampa and Hanne Knaepen, ECDPM paper, September 2019

Transforming food systems to combat climate change
Koen Dekeyser, Paulina Bizzotto Molina, Cecilia D’Alessandro and Bethany Tietjen, ECDPM blog, 15 August 2019

Sustainable Agrifood Systems Strategies (SASS)
Consortium project on sustainable and climate-resilient food systems by ECDPM & Italian universities.

Options and opportunities to make food value chains more environmentally sustainable and resilient in Sub-Saharan Africa
Hanne Knaepen, Francesco Rampa, Carmen Torres and Paulina Bizzotto Molina, study for UNDP-GEF, August 2017

Sustainable food systems
ECDPM Great Insights magazine, September 2017

Stuck in the middle: Agriculture and climate change at COP22
Francesco Rampa, ECDPM blog, 23 November 2016

Working with partners to upscale sustainable agriculture
Herbert Lust, ECDPM Great Insights magazine, October 2016

Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture: A renewed research and dialogue agenda is needed
Francesco Rampa, ECDPM blog, June 2016

The Paris Agreement and African agriculture
Estherine Fotabong, ECDPM Great Insights article, May 2016

7 ways to make climate-smart agriculture central to COP21 and beyond
Hanne Knaepen, Devex article, 30 November 2015

Making agriculture in Africa “climate-smart”
Hanne Knaepen and Tanit Parada-Tur, ECDPM infographic, 6 November 2015

Making agriculture in Africa “climate-smart”
Hanne Knaepen and Tanit-Parada-Tur, ECDPM video, 27 November 2015

Making agriculture in Africa climate-smart: From continental policies to local practices
Hanne Knaepen, Carmen Torres and Francesco Rampa, 5 November 2015

The future of African farming? Regionally integrated, climate-smart, public-private and properly-financed
Francesco Rampa, ECDPM blog, 19 June 2015

How to secure food under the climate change pressure
Hanne Knaepen, article in Devex, 30 November 2015

Europe and Africa

Photo by Thinkstock.

The paradox of climate change: How Africa can step up climate action to lighten its vulnerability
Pamella Ahairwe, ECDPM blog, 14 October 2019

The ice is broken, what’s next? How the EU and middle-income countries work together on climate change
Mariella Di Ciommo, with Sanne Thijssen and Meritxell Sayós Monràs. ECDPM paper, September 2018

EU contributions to take warming below 2°C
Artur Runge-Metzger, ECDPM Great Insights article, May 2016

From Lima to Paris: 5 promising pathways for a joint EU-Africa position on climate change
Hanne Knaepen, Devex article, 23 December 2016

A Europe-Africa marriage in Paris?
Hanne Knaepen in the Government Gazette, 24 March 2016

Climate change: The European Union towards COP21 and beyond
European Think Tanks Group, 26 November 2015

Africa and Europe combatting climate change: Towards a common agenda in 2015
Fabien Tonde, Hanne Knaepen and Lesley-Anne van Wyk, ECDPM discussion paper, May 2015

Hanne Knaepen featured in BBC Worldwide on Africa’s position at the COP21
Hanne Knaepen in BBC Worldwide

How does Africa speak with one voice? Africa’s evolving positions on aid effectiveness, climate change and the post-2015 goals
Rebecca Ramsamy, Anna Knoll, Hanne Knaepen and Lesley-Anne van Wyk, ECDPM briefing note, 4 December 2014

Africa and Europe combatting climate change – Towards a common agenda for 2015
Hanne Knaepen, Rhys Williams and Clem Silverman, ECDPM video, December 2014

Not the climate hero that the EU and the world needs to win the battle against climate change
Alisa Herrero Cangas, ECDPM blog, 3 October 2014

EU cannot afford climate change ‘oblivion’
Alisa Herrero Cangas and Hanne Knaepen, Devex, 23 September 2014

Our Collective Interest: Why Europe’s problems need global solutions and global problems need European action
European Think Tanks Group, 1 September 2014

Run-up to 2015: A moment of truth for EU external climate action?
Alisa Herrero Cangas and Hanne Knaepen, ECDPM briefing note, September 2014

Gender

Photo by Marcos Villalta / Save the Children via Flickr – DFID.

Gender equality essential to confront climate change impacts
Sven Harmeling and Emma Bowa, ECDPM Great Insights article, May 2017

Making climate-smart also people-smart
Leisa Perch, ECDPM Great Insights article, 9 March 2015

Migration and conflict

Photo by Asian Development Bank via Flickr.

The complex link between climate change and conflict
ECDPM Great Insights magazine, October 2019

Linking responses to climate change and conflict
Janani Vivekananda, ECDPM Great Insights article, May 2016

The nexus between food and nutrition security, and migration: Clarifying the debate and charting a way forward
Anna Knoll, Francesco Rampa, Carmen Torres, Paulina Bizzotto Molina and Noemi Cascone, ECDPM discussion paper, May 2017

Finance and business

Photo by Thinkstock.

Working with partners to upscale sustainable agriculture
Herbert Lust, ECDPM Great Insights magazine, October 2016

Climate finance in developing countries – Reconciling the different views
Walter Kennes, ECDPM briefing note, December 2015

What you need to know about European climate finance
Alisa Herrero Cangas in Devex, 11 December 2015

The catalytic role of the EU on private sector investments: The case of climate financing
Hanne Knaepen, ECDPM Great Insights article, 13 March 2014

Other relevant work

From climate commitments to action
ECDPM, ECDPM Great Insights magazine, May 2016