UN-backed Carbon Forum Helps Africa Profit from Greenhouse Gas Offset Scheme

A three-day deal making and networking was recently concluded at the African Carbon Forum in Senegal which was organized by the United Nations. The discussion focused on how the African continent can improve its standing in the global carbon marketplace. Some 600 participants from 60 countries participated in the forum where deals were forged such as the use of energy-efficient light bulbs in Senegal and the pledging of $20 million fund towards a public/private partnership to assess carbon offset projects.

“Much remains to be done in the form of awareness-raising and capacity-building before African countries can take full advantage of the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), but progress is being made, and we saw it here,” said Daniele Violetti of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

For details, see press release at: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=27954&Cr=africa&Cr1=climate