AFRICA needs a united voice during next month’s COP27 conference to lobby and demand from developed nations in excess of US$100 billion financing to mitigate climate change effects to restore loss and damage on environment and economies, says Zambia, the chair for the African Group of negotiators (AGN).
With the countdown for the COP27 planned for November 6-18 in the shore city of Sharma Sheik in Egypt, stepped up, anti-climate change campaigners are urging Africa to sustain their voices and remind global leading polluters to do more and reduce their greenhouse gas emission that has reversed Africa’s potential to sustain itself in food productivity and environmental protection despite its potential.
Zambia’s minister of Green Economy and Environment, Collins Nzovu in a statement read for him by permanent secretary John Msimuko, notes that although Africa emits a paltry four percent of greenhouse gases, it has been a victim of the adverse climate change crisis.
Officiating at the two-day African Climate Justice Torch launch in Lusaka, Eng. Nzovu organized by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), regrets that the unrelenting emissions from developed countries has in turn affected inhabitants that have immensely suffered the consequences of the climate change crisis, a clarion call for the restoration of climate justice.
“As Africans, we must not tire in telling and retelling the developed world that caused the climate crisis, to do more to reduce the greenhouse gas emission in order to hold the global average temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre industrial levels and pursue eff efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre industrial levels. This is what will save our planet,”
Zambia, the chair for African Group of Negotiators (AGN), regrets the devastation on Africa caused by unrelented emissions by the developed nations and reiterated the global call for them to honour the unfulfilled remittance of ‘barely minimum’ US$100 billion.
This funding it is envisaged will mitigate the losses and damage caused and assist in adaptation by all victims of the ‘pollution’, a recurring concern.
Zambia as AGN chair is desirous to lead the lobby for more voices at COP27 in seeking climate justice. This is part of the campaign in lobbying for the release of the US$100 billion unremitted funding while seeking to more than double the proposed US$20 billion climate financing,
He commended PACJA, for mobilizing more voices in the various communities against climate change through the African Climate Justice Torch Initiative Torch on the effects of among others, droughts, floods, cyclones, wildfires, among other calamities.
This initiative by anti-climate change campaigners. It is hoped will contribute in redressing and recognizing Africa’s special needs and circumstances, loss and damage and prioritise adaptation finance to enhance climate resilience on the continent.
“We must underscore Africa’s special needs, Africa’s special needs and circumstances and the need to focus on adaptation to bold the resilience of our people.
