Assessing Support Activities by International Donors for CDM Development in Sub-Saharan Africa with Focus on Selected Least Developed Countries

This report assesses capacity building activities of multilateral organisations as well as individual Annex I countries in selected Least Developed Countries (LDC) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In the context of the ongoing research project “Integrating Africa’s Least Developed Countries into the Global Carbon Market”, commissioned by the German Environment Ministry (BMU), it represents an interim step: it paints the picture of an overall donor activities map of the region, while an in-depth evaluation of the specific situation as regards local capacities and concrete capacity building needs is part of the subsequent work packages.

These are going to focus on two different countries, thus making it possible to assess and to evaluate the local climate policy and the state of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) infrastructure in detail and on the ground. Therefore, the following provides for a broad overview of support activities funded by developed countries in the study region.

This comprises both country-specific programmes as well as activities addressing regional aspects. This is followed by a short glance at the overall capacity building needs of sub-Saharan LDCs, complemented by an analysis of the capacity situation and the support needs in selected countries based on expert judgment.

Conclusions on lessons learnt for future support activities of Annex I donors complete this report. In an annex, a summary of all donor activities is presented, which is complemented by an even more detailed Excel-sheet with the underlying raw data.