Tunisia “needs today a better mobilisation of means of support for the implementation of the NDC, the Nationally Determined Contributions,” said Mohamed Zmerli, Tunisia’s focal point of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
There is also need to build relations of continous cooperation between national actors and technical and financial partners on priority projects put forward as part of the NDC, Zmerli said at the opening Thursday of the International Investment Conference for the implementation of Tunisia’s NDC as part of the NDC Partnership in Gammarth, Tunis northern suburbs.
The two-day conference is attended by diplomats and national, regional and international representatives of the NDC members; it is designed to present priority sectoral projects of climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Launched during the twenty-second session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22), the NDC Partnership seeks to help countries meet their commitments and attain as soon as possible their ambitious climate and sustainable development goals.
Under the Paris Agreement, signatories undertake to speed up their transition to a low- carbon and climate resilient economy so as to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
With a view to achieving this objective, the agreement provides for a string of mechanisms to secure enhanced climate ambitions, mainly the NDC and low-carbon development strategies by 2050.
Tunisia ratified the Paris Agreement under the organic law n° 2016-72 of October 31, 2016, and submitted its intended nationally determined contributions (INDC) on September 16, 2015.
Tunisia updated its NDCs in October 2021, pursuant to the provisions of Article 3 of the Paris Agreement, in demonstration of the importance of a transition to a new model of inclusive ive development in line with sustainable development goals.
Cutting carbon intensity by 45% in 2030
Tunisia’s updated NDCs set sight on a thorough change in economic paradigm as they target a 45% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030, compared to the reference year of 2010, and an increased climate resilience. This is possible by means of reducing the vulnerability of its ecosystems, population, territory and economy for the sake of sustainable development.
The implementation of the NDCs requires the mobilisation of important financial resources – about US$19.4 billion in the period spanning 2021-2030, including US$14.4 billion1 for mitigation, US$4.3 billio for adaptation and US$0.7 billion for building capacities.
Country Engagement Director for the NDC Partnership Mariana Panuncio-Feldman said “Tunisia is at an advanced stage of engagement and implementation of climate projects provided for under its NDCs. She also urged Partnership members to support the Tunisian government’s sustainable development vision.
Projects that will come under spotlight as part of the conference are immediate opportunities to be tapped into in each of these key sectors (water management, production of renewables, the development of a resilient agriculture, enhanced waster management, etc. ), the official further said.
Germany’s Ambasador in Tunis Peter Brûgel said the country is vulnerable to climate change and faces a number of water and energy-related challenges.
“The implementation of Tunisia’s updated NDCs requires a national and interanational financial and technical commitment. It is only together that we can achieve carbon-low economies,” he further said.
The German government has full committment and “joins Tunisia’s efforts to attain its climate targets,” the diplomat said. It is forging ahead with a partnership to deliver on sustainable development.
Focus was laid on the German contribution to strategic projects in Tunisia, including the restoration of eroded soils and the implementation of energy projects, mainly the power plants of Tozeur 1 and Tozeur 2 that would help displace 20,000 tonnes of CO2.
UAE Ambasador to Tunisia Dr. Eman Al Salami shed light on the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference due to be held on November 30- December 12, 2023, in Dubai. The event will “be a milestone in appraising actions undertaken since the Paris Agreement and moving on towards action.”
The UAE is committed to action to address climate change and foster energy transition as it targets a 25% reduction of carbon intensity by 2030.
“The country will work in concert with Tunisia to meet its climate goals and secure its fruitful participation in the next climate summit, ” the diplomat highlighted.
The International Investment Conference for the implementation of Tunisia’s NDC as part of the NDC Partnership is organised by the Environment Ministry in collaboration with the NDC Partnership and the support of the United Nations Development Programme and the German Agency for International Cooperation.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse