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IDRC and the Club of Florence partner to accelerate climate action

 
IDRC and Italy’s Club of Florence have joined forces to establish the International Forum for Climate Action. This initiative will produce a biennial assessment report and forum to accelerate action toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the climate targets in the Paris Agreement, with an initial focus on inclusive transitions to clean energy in Africa.
Four women are cleaning solar panels in a desert environment. The women are wearing traditional clothing and head coverings. They are using cloths to wipe the dust and dirt off the panels that have been laid out on the ground.
Justin Jin/Panos Pictures
Women clean solar panels that power a well in the oasis town of Ouadane, Mauritania, in the Sahara desert.

The International Forum for Climate Action (IFCA) will stand out as a unique platform, uniting world-leading academic institutions, international organizations, civil society organizations and the private sector. This collaboration will result in the development of the IFCA biennial assessment report. An advisory committee comprising representatives from G7 and African countries will play a pivotal role in determining the specific theme for each report, which will serve as global references on creating and implementing gender-responsive and inclusive climate policies and fostering low-carbon transitions and nature-based solutions.

These IFCA reports will serve as the basis for a biennial forum facilitating high-level international dialogue and collaboration on climate action. The forum is planned to take place first in Italy and subsequently in various locations across Africa. These fora will spotlight the latest research and innovations and facilitate the exchange of best practices and policy solutions among policy and business leaders.

The IFCA initiative is part of the Italy-Canada Roadmap for Enhanced Cooperation, which reflects both countries’ commitment to cooperating to tackle global challenges and foster sustainable prosperity, global stability and the rule of law, including in the context of their respective G7 presidencies for 2024 and 2025.

A renewed approach toward global impact

IDRC has a long tradition of partnering with like-minded organizations to achieve regional and global impact. The IFCA partnership proposes a joint framework with support from Canada and Italy to mobilize existing evidence to foster climate action on a global scale.

By promoting a gender and inclusion lens, IFCA will stimulate climate action — including climate finance and policy — that is equitable and accessible, promoting green opportunities across the African continent. IFCA aligns well with Clean Energy for Development: A Call-to-Action, an IDRC-supported, CAD18.5-million initiative comprising 12 research projects that span 27 countries. This research is investigating how small businesses can drive and benefit from energy transitions while addressing persisting gender barriers.