When data is available, it often is rather one-sided. Either it presents the opportunity just from one lens, or it uses just one aspect to define and assess the opportunity, neither of which catalyses most action in Africa.
Until we developed our data platform, information on nature-based removal potential in Africa was framed only in terms of tonnes of CO2e – which is relevant, but not the most relevant metric for all decision makers. By converting this potential into revenue potential and opportunities for job creation and livelihood improvement, we highlighted the economic development opportunity of these activities, which is the key priority for many African decision makers.
At the same time, various aspects need to be included when identifying and assessing opportunities. More often than not, the focus is on technical aspects such as the availability of renewable energy potential based on solar irradiation levels and wind speeds – as those are the easiest datapoint to gather and confirm. Yet a variety of human factors define both the feasibility and desirability of specific interventions – and without an integrated view on these aspects, it is hard to properly assess the viability of opportunities and to choose between various locations and various options for climate action.
Everyone has heard stories of things that looked good ‘on paper’ but failed to live up to expectations; often because crucial drivers of success were not ‘on paper’ to begin with and were not planned for. Such experiences contribute to a perception of high risk and a narrative that is focused on issues and problems, which makes people not look to Africa as their first option. And that keeps a vicious cycle going….
To overcome this, CAP-A builds and strengthens a relevant, Africa-centric fact base enabling decision makers to identify, size and prioritise climate action opportunities. We bring insights into climate impact, revenue and job creation potential and location-specific human-centric data to assess feasibility and desirability in different locations. Specifically, CAP-A seeks to