Africa Remains Strong in Cancun

By staff writer

As the 16th Conference of Parties (COP 16) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN-FCCC) came to a close in Cancun, it was evident that Africa lived to its promise of speaking with one voice at the climate talks. The continent’s negotiators took cognizance of the fact that climate change is one of the most challenging threats to sustainable development in Africa. Although the continent contributes only about 3.8 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions, its countries are among the most vulnerable to climate change in the world due to many reasons.

First, the geographical location of many African countries is characterised by already warmer climate, marginal areas that are more exposed to climatic hazards such as rainfall variability, poor soils and flood plains.

Secondly, the economies of most African countries rely heavily on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, forestry, other natural resources and tourism.

Thirdly, the continent is unable to respond adequately to the direct and indirect effects of climate change because of widespread poverty, poor economic and social infrastructure, conflicts, limited human and institutional capacities, and inadequate technologies and financial resources.

Based on this realization, the continent’s negotiators went to Cancun, ready to change the entire architecture of the UNFCCC as well as that of multilateral financial institutions as regards climate change financing; so as to remove some of the logjams that often impede access to financing for projects already adopted by international institutions and developed countries. To achieve a common stand, Africa’s negotiators met in Addis Ababa in October under the auspices of the Seventh African Development Forum.

Most notable was the position taken by Africa on the scale of emission reductions. The African Group, whose countries’ emission ratio is generally below 0.1 percent of the population would like emissions reduced by at least 40 per cent by 2020 compared to 1990 levels, and at least 80-95 percent by 2050, compared to 1990 levels; while the least developed countries (LDCs) would like emissions reduced by at least 45 per cent by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. On the other hand, the European Union would like to reduce emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, compared to 1990 levels and by 30 per cent by 2020 if other developed countries (for example USA) commit to similar reductions and if the most advanced developing countries commit to contributing to this objective, based on their respective responsibilities and capabilities.

For Africa, though, the challenge remains investment in low carbon technologies. But for this to happen, the continent needs to have a functioning research infrastructure, currently lacking in most countries due to scarcity of funds. One of the surest ways of mitigating the effects of climate change is to integrate Science and Technology policies into national development plans as well as allocation of a reasonable percentage of the budget to Science and Technology.  It is for this reason that COP 16 focused on supporting the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge by practitioners and researchers from developing countries. Africa was well represented by the UN Economic Commission’s newly established African Climate Change Policy Centre (ACPC) and a number of NGOs from Kenya and Uganda.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who is also the chief spokesperson for Africa at the negotiations said although Africa lacks the capacity to pollute, the continent must be encouraged to invest in technology.

Mr.  Zenawi warned that the Cancun conference “would be a flop” if leaders of developed countries did not stop considering climate change financing for Africa as aid and assistance.

He said the African leaders attending the summit were not happy with the discussions, doubting whether a consensus would be reached.

The Ethiopian premier told the gathering that Africa's priority was for the meeting to conclude with an inclusive binding agreement on developed countries to cut down on their gas emission levels.

 He said the agreement should include support for African countries in terms of finance and technology development, in order to reduce the effects of climate change.

 He was, however, happy with progress in mitigating efforts by some United Nations member states.

 While Africa remained committed in a proper outcome of the negotiations, the decision by Japan not to commit to the Kyoto Protocol beyond 2012 did not go down well with the African Group.

“The Kyoto Protocol is the only legally binding outcome (LBO) on climate change negotiations, and if Japan and other industrialized countries decide to kill it when it expires in 2012, that means a death penalty for millions of Africans”, said a representative from a Burkina Faso NGO.

On the continuation of Kyoto Protocol, the European Union would like to see, at least officially, a single legally binding instrument, but  is willing to consider a 2nd commitment period  of the Kyoto Protocol as part of a global outcome, including all major economies, he said.

On its part, Africa is bent on a two-track legally binding outcome, based on a convention that developed countries are bound to support; a legal framework for adaptation, the amendment of the Kyoto Protocol high ambition for all to prevent temperature increase to 1.5 degrees.

As the NGO, Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) noted in a statement, the North-South divide in the negotiations remained “an impediment to making substantial progress in Cancun”.

“Unity among the developing countries in Cancun is seen as critical because “the divide-and-rule and the dangling of carrots stunts of the rich industrialized countries that are responsible for causing climate change must be rejected”, the statement said.

 African Union Commission chairman Mr. Jean Ping praised the African team of negotiators who had “done a great job holding tight to the African common position agreed by Heads of State and Governments”.

Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga wasted no time in challenging the international community to deliver on climate change agreements and stop engaging in protracted negotiations. He was referring to the commitments made at COP 15 in Copenhagen, last year.

He said even reports that less than 20 per cent of the $30 billion of fast track financing pledged in Copenhagen has been delivered is deceptive and unacceptable.

“It is not at all clear how much of it is truly additional. Moreover, almost all of $4 billion disbursed are for mitigation, and little for adaptation. Similarly, it was mostly loans, and not much grant,” the Kenya premier said.