On 9 May 2024, Dr Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, and Heike Uta Dettmann, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, launched the Kigali Climate Talks, the first in a quarterly series dedicated to advancing dialogue and action on climate change in Rwanda. This initiative is a testament to the vibrant partnership between Germany and Rwanda, particularly in the areas of climate and environment. 

At the inaugural session of the Climate Talks the participants were invited to discuss climate change in Rwanda, specifically Rwanda's Climate Action Plan, also known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. 

“The Kigali Climate Talks are a platform to enhance good practices, analyse challenges and identify solutions to make climate action more effective. As we discuss Rwanda's Climate Action Plan and how we can foster implementation and ambition, I want to reiterate that Rwanda’s commitment to the global climate goals embedded in the Paris Agreement is rock solid,” said Dr Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, Rwanda’s Minister of Environment.

During the event, attendees discussed reforms and mechanisms necessary for Rwanda to achieve its Climate Action Plan, encompassing financial, technical, and capacity-building aspects. This dialogue served to also align global support with Rwanda's climate action and sustainability endeavours.

A panel discussion, titled ‘Rwanda’s Climate Action Plan - Implementation and Ambition’ shared Rwanda’s progress in implementing its NDC, and the country’s plans to raise ambition in line with the Global Stocktake. It also reflected on the role of the private sector, youth and the NDC Partnership to achieve Rwanda’s vision of carbon neutrality by 2050.

The Kigali Climate Talks will be held quarterly and are being organised in the context of the Rwandan-German Climate and Development Partnership following the decision by the German Federal Government  to elevate the German mission in Rwanda to a “climate-focused Embassy”. 

“The Kigali Climate Talks will facilitate how topics on the agenda of international climate negotiations reverberate in the Rwandan context. Rwanda and Germany agreed to put a strong focus on implementation in this format because this is what counts in the end,” said Heike Uta Dettmann, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany.

About Rwanda’s Climate Action Plan (NDC)

The Government of Rwanda has an ambitious climate action agenda that features a 38% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to business as usual by 2030, equivalent to an estimated mitigation of up to 4.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e).

Implementing Rwanda’s NDC will require finance, capacity building, technology transfer and a country driven policy process. The country’s efforts to limit its contribution to climate change and adapt to the consequences of a warming planet over the next decade is estimated at $11 billion, made up of 5.7 billion dollars for mitigation and 5.3 billion dollars for adaptation.

Resources

• Download Rwanda’s Climate Action Plan here.
• Learn more about Rwanda’s Climate Action Plan here and here.
• View photos from the first Kigali Climate Talks here.