As clearly recognised in the NEPAD founding framework and Environment Action Plan, a sustainable environment is a pre-requisite to achieving NEPAD’s overall goal of sustainable growth and development. In that regard, NPCA is involved in the implementation of the Environment Action Plan (EAP), the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and continental frameworks. As part of its core mandates, the NEPAD Agency contributes to strengthening the ability of member States and Regional Economic Communities to integrate climate change and sustainable development responses into national development processes. It also provide capacity building, financial and technical support in the areas of adaptation, technology development and finance; and their inter-linkages. Concerning natural resources management, NPCA will promote adaptive management, participatory decision making and sustainable financing through funds for ecosystems services management including tourism development and management. This will address the incoherent approach to natural resource governance and system management that has led to loss of biological diversity, fragmented habitats, and a decline in ecosystem services critical to human well-being.

The Agency works thus works through a number of programmes and work streams aimed reducing environmental degradation addressing climate change and sustainable management of natural resource. NEPAD through its Environment and Climate Change programme aims to strengthen skills in adaptation, mitigation, technology and finance to address environmental and sustainable development. The Environment and Climate Change Programme supports a number of work streams developed within and integral to the NEPAD Environment Action Plan (EAP and ). The work streams include:

Gender, Climate Change and Agriculture Support Project
Agriculture and Climate Change Project
NEPAD Climate Change Fund
Regional Flagship Programmes
Support to Africa’s engagements in the global climate change negotiation processes