The Government of São Tomé and Príncipe, in partnership with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), today announced the launch of the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL). The two-day event brings together local actors and international finance to tackle the impacts of climate change at the community level and marks a significant step in strengthening the country’s climate resilience.

The launch event in the capital, São Tomé, brings together local, national, and international stakeholders on the 26 and 27th June 2024 and is organized by the Government of São Tomé and Príncipe through its Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Planning and Finance, and Ministry of Defence, with support from the UNCDF.

His Excellency Minister for Infrastructure and Natural Resources José do Nascimento Carvalho de Rio, attending on behalf of Her Excellency the Minister of Environment Nilda da Mata, welcomed the launch highlighting the opportunity for increased action tackling climate shocks that have recently beset the country.

“Climate change represents one of the most pressing challenges of our time: its consequences are acutely felt at a local level, directly affecting our communities, our livelihoods and our environment. It is therefore imperative that we adopt effective and sustainable measures to mitigate their impacts and promote adaptation. The UNCDF LoCAL Programme is undoubtedly an innovative and robust response to this challenge,” said His Excellency Mr. José do Nascimento Carvalho de Rio Minister for Infrastructure and Natural Resources.

The UN Resident Coordinator Eric Jan Overest, also in attendance, welcomed the launch of LoCAL as a significant opportunity to advance action towards achieving the globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“By integrating climate change adaptation and promoting low-carbon practices into policies and programmatic implementations, UNCDF LoCAL not only strengthens the resilience of local communities, but also makes significant progress towards the goals set by the United Nations Framework for Sustainable Development Cooperation 2023-2027,” said Mr. Overest.

District representatives from the two communities implementing LoCAL in this pilot phase – Lembá and Mé-Zochi – also joined, as well as representatives from four other districts planning to roll-out LoCAL, including the Autonomous Region of Príncipe, a separate island territory that includes several small uninhabited islets.

Their local knowledge will be crucial for the optimal implementation of the mechanism and the expansion of LoCAL to other climate-vulnerable districts in the country.

Photo: District representatives from Lembá (above) and Mé-Zochi (below) during stakeholder visit on 25th June 2024

The launch aims to achieve two main objectives. First, to provide capacity building and technical knowledge to the Government of São Tomé and Príncipe and the UNCDF. During the event, a capacity-building session will be organized and facilitated, focusing on LoCAL and its components, including the performance-based climate resilience grants system. This session will leverage the presence of international experts to maximize the benefits of the programme. The capacity building will target key stakeholders at both national and subnational levels, ensuring all involved are well-prepared to implement climate adaptation measures.

Second, a revised and validated LoCAL project document will be presented, incorporating feedback and contributions from stakeholder consultations and a validation workshop. This final design document will serve as the foundation for the implementation of the LoCAL mechanism in São Tomé and Príncipe, ensuring it is well-adapted to the local context and has strong buy-in from all relevant stakeholders.

This event represents São Tomé and Príncipe’s ongoing commitment to addressing the challenges of climate change by promoting sustainable and resilient development. We invite all interested parties, members of the press, and development partners in São Tomé and Príncipe to join us to highlight this important milestone for the country.

Event Details

• Date: June 26-27, 2024
• Venue: Pestana Hotel, Sao Tomé
• Organizers: Government of São Tomé and Príncipe and United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)

Find out more about LoCAL here

Sign up to our newsletter