Climate change: Africa speaks with one voice
African parliamentarians from across the continent have united to release a common position on climate change ahead of crucial global talks taking place in Copenhagen in December
In an event part-financed by CAFOD, MPs from Togo to Namibia to Seychelles outlined the devastating impacts a warming world could have on their populations.
John Michuki, Kenya Minister for the Environment, spoke of the need to have local solutions to deal with the damage that has already been done, and for a united African voice on this issue.
The Kenya Climate Change Working Group, also funded by CAFOD, called for compensation from industrial nations for environmental crimes committed against African nations, in order to finance activities to mitigate the effects of climate change in Africa.
They point out that 70% of greenhouse gases have been emitted by industrialised nations, with 35% from the US alone. In stark contrast, 52 African countries have only contributed 4% greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, yet African countries are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Because of this, they argue, industrialised nations have a responsibility to help African nations to deal with the results.
The Prime Minister of Kenya launched the resulting pan-African position following two days of talks held at the United Nations Environment headquarters in Nairobi.
Agnes Kithikii, CAFOD disaster risk reduction officer, was at the meeting and says: “I was impressed that these African MPs didn’t wait around for their respective ministers to get going, but are instead taking up leadership to fight on this issue for their people of Africa.
“There is still clearly a knowledge gap of understanding in detail how their nation will confront the climate change issue, but the will for vigilance and action was high.”
Professor Margaret Kamar, vice-president of the African Parlimentarians’ group, convened the summit as part of the team mobilising African MPs and civil society to go to the Copenhagen global climate talks in December.
COMESA, the regional economic grouping of Southern and Eastern Africa, has pledged to send 20 delegates, while Kenya hopes to send 60 MPs and representatives from civil society.
Those MPs will now be able to speak with one voice against the impacts of climate change.
