Catalysing a regional climate finance knowledge network in Southern Africa: Stakeholder experiences

Summary

The script discusses the journey of individuals and institutions in Southern Africa as they navigate climate change challenges. It highlights the importance of learning, collaboration, and innovation in addressing these issues. The establishment of a climate finance and sustainability unit within a bank is mentioned, emphasizing strategic change and knowledge sharing. The script also touches on the role of site visits and networking in fostering productive discussions and generating new projects. Personal growth and the desire to contribute to climate change solutions are recurring themes, with participants expressing a newfound sense of empowerment and determination.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Initial confusion about GCF (Green Climate Fund) led to anxiety and a drive for self-education on climate change issues.
• 🤝 The importance of regional collaboration was highlighted, emphasizing the need for collective action against climate change.
• 🔧 A trial-and-error approach was adopted, with learning from mistakes being a key part of the journey.
• 🗣️ The necessity for a facilitator to coordinate and provide feedback to enhance regional climate change response capacity was discussed.
• 🌱 Empowerment of stakeholders to drive their own processes and make informed decisions was seen as crucial.
• 💼 The creation of a dedicated climate finance and sustainability unit within the bank to address climate change issues was a strategic move.
• 🏢 Site visits were used as a practical learning tool to complement theoretical discussions.
• 🔗 Efforts to involve the private sector in climate action were underway, aiming to inspire participation and investment.
• 🌟 Personal growth and overcoming fears were part of the journey, symbolized by a cable car trip experience.
• 📈 The Southern African Climate Finance Program (CFP) has been instrumental in financing internships and fostering long-term employment in the field.
• 🌱 Real learning was identified as happening through the sharing of personal stories and experiences, which broadened perspectives on climate change.

Q & A

What was the initial reaction to the term 'GCF' among the participants?

The participants were initially unfamiliar with the term 'GCF' and felt anxious about not being up to speed with the requirements.

How does the speaker describe the process of learning and adapting to climate change challenges?

The speaker describes the process as one of trial and error, learning from mistakes, and sharing knowledge among each other to advance the region's capacity to respond to climate change.

What role does the facilitator play in the region's climate change response?

The facilitator is crucial in coordinating, providing feedback loops, and ensuring information is accessible to institutions for their development.

How does the speaker view the importance of tackling climate change in a more integrated manner?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of a more original and integrated approach to tackling climate change challenges in the region.

What changes have been made within the bank to address climate change issues?

A climate finance and sustainability unit has been created within the bank to specifically deal with climate change issues.

Why are site visits considered important during the learning journey?

Site visits provide a live example that focuses discussions and makes the learning experience more practical and relevant.

How does the speaker feel about involving the private sector in climate action?

The speaker is inspired to involve the private sector and believes it is crucial for them to take action and participate in climate action.

What was the impact of the cable car trip on the participants?

The cable car trip was both scary and exciting, allowing participants to step out of their comfort zones and foster better networking and interaction.

How does the speaker describe the process of generating projects from the learning forum?

The speaker describes the process as one where ideas conceived during the forum are followed up, developed, and turned into projects or programs.

What has been the impact of the Southern African Climate Finance Program (CFP) on internships and employment?

The CFP has financed about four internships, two of which have led to long-term employment arrangements.

How does the speaker view the role of sharing personal stories and experiences in learning?

The speaker believes that real learning happens when people share their stories and experiences, which can open horizons and inspire others.

What is the speaker's personal goal regarding climate change?

The speaker aims to learn more about climate change and make it a significant part of their career, potentially becoming a pioneer or leading expert in the field.

How does the speaker describe the importance of networking and collaboration in the region?

The speaker highlights the importance of networking and collaboration, as it builds a foundation for effective regional work and allows for easier communication and collaboration.

What is the speaker's perspective on the journey of climate change response in the region?

The speaker sees the journey as just beginning, with the Southern African Climate Finance Program and SSN playing a guiding role in the discovery process.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Climate Change and Learning Journey

The paragraph discusses the initial confusion and anxiety regarding the term 'GCF' and the subsequent learning process to understand its significance in climate change. It emphasizes the importance of regional collaboration to tackle climate change challenges and the role of facilitators in coordinating and providing feedback loops for information sharing. The establishment of a climate finance and sustainability unit is highlighted, along with the creation of learning platforms for knowledge sharing. The paragraph also touches on the importance of site visits and practical experiences in enhancing discussions and involving the private sector in climate action. It concludes with personal reflections on the learning journey, overcoming fears, and the empowerment of stakeholders to drive their own climate finance initiatives.

05:01

🤝 Building Networks and Encouraging Collaboration

This paragraph focuses on the importance of networking and collaboration in addressing regional challenges. It discusses the value of knowing and being able to collaborate with others in the field, which is seen as a significant step towards effective regional cooperation. The paragraph also reflects on the progress made since the first regional forum, highlighting the role of the Southern African Climate Finance Program (CFP) and the Sustainable Skills Network (SSN) in guiding discovery and fostering a sense of direction. The speaker expresses a sense of being at the beginning of a journey rather than the end, indicating a continuous process of learning and development in the field of climate change.

Keywords

💡GCF

GCF, or Green Climate Fund, is a financial mechanism within the framework of the United Nations to assist developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change. In the script, GCF is initially presented as an unfamiliar acronym, highlighting the learning curve involved in understanding climate finance mechanisms.

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, primarily due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. The video emphasizes the importance of regional efforts to tackle climate change, suggesting an integrated approach is necessary for effective response.

💡Capacity Building

Capacity building in the context of the video involves enhancing the skills and knowledge of individuals and institutions to better respond to climate change. It is depicted as a continuous process of learning from mistakes and sharing knowledge, which is crucial for advancing the region's ability to address climate challenges.

💡Facilitate

Facilitation in this script refers to the act of making things easier or more effective, particularly in coordinating efforts and providing feedback to improve responses to climate change. It is mentioned as a key role in ensuring that information and resources are accessible and utilized effectively.

💡Stakeholders

Stakeholders are individuals or groups who have an interest or concern in a particular issue, in this case, climate change. The video discusses the empowerment of stakeholders to drive their own processes, indicating that their active participation is essential for effective climate action.

💡Climate Finance

Climate finance involves financial resources aimed at supporting measures to address climate change, including both mitigation and adaptation. The video discusses the unlocking of climate finance as a significant aspect of the journey, with the establishment of a dedicated unit within the bank to handle climate change issues.

💡Learning Journey

A learning journey in the script represents the process of gaining knowledge and experience, often through practical experiences and interactions. It is highlighted as a key feature of the Southern African Climate Finance Program, where site visits and practical examples are used to enhance understanding and discussions.

💡Private Sector

The private sector refers to businesses and corporations that operate independently from government control. The script mentions the importance of involving the private sector in climate action, suggesting that their participation is crucial for driving change and accessing finance.

💡Comfort Zone

The comfort zone is a metaphorical space where an individual feels at ease, in control, and without stress or anxiety. The video discusses the strategy of taking people out of their comfort zones to foster productive discussions and collaborations, as seen in the cable car trip example.

💡Networking

Networking in the context of the video refers to the development of professional relationships and connections. It is mentioned as a beneficial outcome of the platform provided, where participants can interact and build connections that can lead to collaborative projects and programs.

💡Internships

Internships are temporary positions that provide on-the-job training and experience, often for students or recent graduates. The script mentions the financing of internships through the Climate Finance Program, which not only provides learning opportunities but also leads to long-term employment in the field of climate change.

💡Climate Economics

Climate economics is an interdisciplinary field that studies the economic aspects of climate change, including the costs and benefits of different policies and actions. The video suggests the potential for individuals to become pioneers or leading experts in this field, indicating the growing importance and opportunities in climate economics.

Highlights

Initial confusion about GCF (Green Climate Fund) and the anxiety it caused.

The importance of learning from mistakes and each other to advance regional climate change response.

The necessity for a facilitator to coordinate and provide feedback loops for climate change information access.

Empowerment of stakeholders to drive their own climate change processes.

Understanding of climate change issues within the bank and the strategic changes implemented.

Creation of platforms for learning and knowledge sharing as a key feature of the program.

The effectiveness of site visits in providing practical examples for theoretical discussions.

The current phase of involving the private sector in climate action.

The impact of stepping out of comfort zones on productive discussions.

The cable car trip as a metaphor for overcoming fears and embracing new experiences.

The platform's role in generating projects from conceived ideas.

Financing internships and the potential for long-term employment in the field.

The value of sharing personal stories and experiences in learning.

The transformation from being a novice to a knowledgeable expert in climate economics.

The encouragement to become a pioneer or leading expert in the field.

The enthusiasm and determination to access climate finance.

The significance of building a network for effective regional collaboration.

The role of the program in guiding the discovery process for stakeholders.

The journey as a beginning rather than an end, indicating ongoing progress and development.

Transcripts

[Music]

looking at back up my journey at first

GCF was an idiom we had no idea what GCF

was you feel very anxious just just ask

yourself am I not up to speed with what

is required what is the issue as a

difficult one having to explain things

to ourselves there's no global consensus

on the subject we doing try and error

and we learn from our mistakes and we

learn from each other in the way that

advances the capacity of the region to

respond to climate change it's extremely

important for us as a region to tackle

the challenges of climate change in a

more original integrated manner you need

someone to facilitate coordinate and

provide feedback loops so that

information is accessed by any

institution in the region that tends to

use such information for their own

development so learning has been part of

the journey you know meeting new in our

professions in the field and you know

plowing that big to the institutional

development in a sense this is this is

empowering and and it allows

stakeholders to really drive their own

process and steer their own ship in

terms of unlocking climate finance there

is a big understanding how climate

change issues in the bank now and

strategic change was taken so isn't

sticking we have a climate finance and

sustainability

unit that is specifically dealing

climate change issues in the back

creating platforms for learning and

knowledge sharing such as the learning

journey has been a key feature of the

southern African climate finance program

is very easy to have these meetings

where you take a lot of theory and I

think site visits provide a live example

that focuses your discussions came right

in there in the right time when we are

in a phase of trying to involve private

sector and trying to entice them to take

action and participate in the climate

action so really inspired us to do

something different in our short

[Music]

it sort of was to dig deep into the

journey that you've on to get to this

path of climate change the part that I

loved the most was when we had to close

our eyes and then we had to follow the

instructions it's all so relaxed

afterwards and I also felt the

connections among the participants

it sort of put me out of my comfort zone

but in a good way

[Music]

the cable car trip was amazing and it

was scary at the same time but it was

also exciting because I'm afraid of

height so I actually combat my fear

[Music]

taking people from the comfort zone it's

a good strategy you know to really

influence a productive discussion at

that level we're able to interact and

get more people better and network

better after that this platform not

always end here it's like a street

that's planted at their learning forum

level we have seen a lot of ideas that

are conceived here followed up bacon

window in the middle and we built a

project or program around those ideas

this is how it generates projects we

generate experiences

[Music]

through as a CFP we have financed about

four internships

two of them are currently on board

actually going to be absorbed and do

long term employment arrangement in our

experience the real learning happens

when people get to share their stories

and experiences when I first arrived in

this climate change environment I was a

fish out of water when I got it yeah if

I ended up knowing much more being there

it has really opened my eyes like my

horizons it sort of just was something

that's like know like we can do this I

do you should be you know a pioneer in

the in the field of climate economics or

you can be one of those the leading

experts or you can be the first to pave

the way for others for the benefit of

the country of our region southern

Africa globally I definitely want to

learn more about climate change and make

it part of my career

[Music]

today I see a lot more enthusiasm

determination and an encouragement to

say that it is possible to access

finance I met a pretty good place at the

moment and thanks to south south north

mainly they gave us a sort of a first

step

without that process they do it right

for me and walking the journey together

that it is possible and it can be done

when the question was asked in the forum

that we had yesterday find somebody that

you do not know I don't know whether you

realize how many people struggle to do

that so you can look at that and think

it's not really an important thing but

for me it's quite key because it means

when I'm operating in the region and I

want to pick up a phone and talk to

somebody I'm potentially talking to

somebody that I'm comfortable talking to

I knew and I can collaborate with easy

and for me I think that's a big leap

because it builds a foundation upon

which we are able to be effective as a

region working together I think the

initials you know the progress we have

had since the first region for today

there's the same that says it's only

until we are lost that we really start

to find ourselves and I think that sa

CFP and SSN has really been playing the

role of guiding that discovery with with

MBAs and stakeholders in the region

I now talk that it's not the end of the

journey because I think in my view is

just a beginning

[Music]

you

[Music]