UN Environmental Planning
Helping African countries to develop climate-change scenarios and risk assessments
Since the ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2016, Zutari has focused its advisory market in Africa on offering climate services to clients. The company accelerated efforts on building strategic partnerships in the region and consolidated the advisory team’s expertise in areas such as carbon footprint analysis, climate modelling, and vulnerability assessments.
Increasingly, this was recognised in the market and has led to various appointments, most notably Zutari’s involvement in the City of Johannesburg Climate Change Adaptation Plan (CCAP), which provided the opportunity to successfully test the team’s skills sets.
Arising from these successes, the Zutari team was engaged by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), through the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), to help several African countries develop nationally-owned climate change scenarios and risk assessments, based on best available techniques and data. The output of this 36-month project is to be suitable for use as the basis for national and sub-national climate change adaptation planning.
UNEP is the leading global environmental authority for promoting the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development in the United Nations system. It also serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The organisation’s work can be categorised into seven broad thematic areas: climate change, disasters and conflicts, ecosystem management, environmental governance, chemicals and waste, resource efficiency, and environment under review.
For Zutari, this was a groundbreaking appointment, placing the company in an ideal position to be integrally involved in policy formation around climate adaptation in various African countries. It has enabled us to gain foresight into these countries’ policy direction, which can be used to align the company with this expanding market.
“This prestigious UNEP assignment is an important strategic opportunity to build and strengthen relationships with governments across the African continent, allowing us to grow our eminence on climate change adaptation,” says Harry van der Berg, Zutari Opportunity Manager.
“This prestigious UNEP assignment is an important strategic opportunity to build and strengthen relationships with governments across the African continent, allowing us to grow our eminence on climate change adaptation.”
*The Aurecon Africa business has been officially renamed Zutari as at 21 July 2020. Zutari acquired Aurecon Middle East on 20 November 2020.
