ARIES at the Policy Forum for Climate Change

In the opening week of September 2023, Nairobi, Kenya took center stage in important discussions about Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) by hosting two significant events: the Regional Training Workshop on Accounting Approaches to Climate Change Policy and the Africa Natural Capital Policy Forum. Alessio Bulckaen, an expert in the NCA field from ARIES (ARtificial Intelligence for Environment & Sustainability) at BC3, participated in both events to shed light on how ARIES contributes to addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable development.

The Regional Training Workshop on an Accounting Approach to Climate Change Policy (held on September 4-5 in Nairobi) aimed to strengthen the capacity of national statistical offices (NSOs) in the region. The event focused on compiling essential accounts such as energy, air emissions, and carbon accounts, which are crucial for shaping climate change policies. Alessio presented the approaches and modelling strategies used to compile different accounts of the SEEA EA framework, incorporating practical exercises and insights into the use of the ARIES for SEEA application. 

The following event was the Africa Natural Capital Policy Forum, which provided an inclusive platform for dialogue regarding the use of natural capital approaches, including NCA, to inform policies related to sustainable development, climate change, and nature protection. The forum attracted a diverse group of participants, including policymakers, statisticians, academics, regional and international experts, and private sector representatives, all eager to harness the power of NCA for better informed decision-making. 

ARIES NCA specialist conducted a session on ARIES for SEEA, offering a comprehensive overview of its capabilities. The hands-on exercises and shared country-support experiences demonstrated the practical applications of this powerful application.

In conclusion, ARIES’ involvement in these two prominent NCA events in Nairobi, Kenya underscored the critical role played by NCA and applications like ARIES for SEEA in addressing urgent global challenges. These events exemplified the potential of collaboration and knowledge sharing in paving the way for a more sustainable future.