(SLENA, 15th November, 2022).It has been an incredibly busy but very constructive time at COP27. I have spoken on panels and addressed meetings with C40 Cities Finance, Adrienne Arsht Rockefeller Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, World Resource Institute & Luxembourg Govt and the Bezo Earth Fund. I also held bilateral meetings including with the CEO of the Robert Bosch Foundation. My co- panelists and speakers included Former President of Mexica HE Felipe Calderon, Rt Hon James Cartlidge, UK Exchequer Secretary, Nigel Toppings UK’s High Level Climate Champion, Mayor of Bristol Marvin Reese and Environmentalist Wanjira Mathai.
Every engagement was an opportunity to share one or more aspects of the work that we are doing in Freetown to address climate change which include but is not limited to #FreetownTheTreeTown through which we have already planted 635,000 trees towards our 1m tree target; our clean cooking fuel research project in Susan’s Bay; the Cable Car project which is now in the full feasibility stage; and the heat resistant market shade covers that we have installed in 3 markets in Freetown. Every engagement was also an opportunity to remind the world that African cities like Freetown have hardly contributed to creating the climate crisis but we are now disproportionately impacted by the consequences of climate change. My mantra, which was positively received, is that there is a huge need for funding adaptation work in developing countries and the need is urgent! I am confident that my participation at COP27 will release finance for specific climate change interventions in Freetown and I will be following up on translating the conversations into action.
There have been many highlights for me over the last two days including my conversation with Majority Leader of the House of Representatives Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. Her father and her brother were both mayors and we had a great conversation about the important role that mayors are playing in the fight against climate change. It was also great to see Baroness Scotland, Commonwealth Secretary-General and Dr Benedict Oramah and MsKanayoAwani, the President and Vice President of Afreximbank.
In our journey to #TransformFreetown we now have to incorporate a detailed #ClimateActionPlan which Freetown City Council will launch soon.
