Cameroon – Doumé validates its climate plan

Friday, 19 June 2020, the validation workshop of the Sustainable Energy Access and Climate Action Plan (SEACAP) was held in the proceedings room of the town hall of Doumé, municipality of the East region of Cameroon.

It is within the framework of the fight against climate change that Doumé expressed its interest in the programme launched by the European Union; the Covenant of Mayors for Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA), in order to meet the challenges of climate change. Indeed, these changes, by their cross-cutting nature, impact on various sectors including agriculture, education, health, water resources, the environment and the livelihoods of the most vulnerable populations. In addition, the energy poverty experienced by the districts and villages of the municipality is compounded by energy poverty.

Aware of this reality, the municipal executive led by Mayor Gisèle Mpans has joined the Covenant of Mayors for Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA). After the participatory planning workshop organised on 14-15 February 2020 to carry out the energy-climate diagnosis of the Doumé municipality, the municipal council and other representatives of the populations of this decentralised local authority met today to validate the climate plan of the municipality. The main purpose of the workshop was the presentation and validation of the strategic and operational document that will guide the municipality’s energy and climate actions and which aims to make “Doumé a low-carbon city by 2030, adapted to climatic hazards (bush fires, strong winds) where all inhabitants have access to safe, affordable and sustainable energy”.

This workshop, in which the Mayor took part, was held in four phases. After the speeches of the Mayor and the President, Mr. Hei Djob Raphaël, Coordinator of Help Community, a civil society organization that supports the commune of Doumé, the context and objectives of the workshop were presented to the participants. Then, the SEACAP was exposed before moving on to its validation by the assistance. Each of the participants produced a validation statement. It was with satisfaction and great hope that the session was adjourned.

The SEACAP is the key document that defines strategies, plans and actions for sustainable and low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission development while including adaptation measures in response to the current and future impacts of climate change in the municipality. The SEACAP is both a strategic and operational document that defines concrete measures for climate change mitigation, adaptation to climate change and access to safe, sustainable, affordable and reliable energy, with timelines and assigned responsibilities, thus translating the long-term strategy into action.

This local policy document, which was validated today by the municipal executive and community representatives, contains the actions jointly defined and to be implemented in a participatory manner for the short, medium and long-term improvement of the living conditions of the populations of the different villages and neighbourhoods of Doumé. This local validation is a crucial step in the capitalization of the opportunities offered by the CoM SSA. The next planned step is the submission of this climate plan to the JRC – Joint Research Centre of the European Union.