BENIN CITY- The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), has called on African governments and delegates to the annual United Nations (UN) climate change conference “Conference of the Parties” (COP26) taking place in Glasgow, Scotland, from November,
1-12, 2021, to be resolute in their demand for climate change liability and payments for carbon debts by rich countries.
Drawing attention to COP26, a summit to be attended by countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – a treaty that came into force in 1994, ERA/FoEN
in it’s press statement, stated that in recent times, rich countries showed appreciable effort to address climate change with countries such as the United State of America (USA,) Germany and the United Kingdom taking the lead in renewed pledges to the UNFCCC climate fund to address mitigation and adaptation measures in developing countries.
ERA/FoEN, nonetheless lamented that efforts by rich countries so far have grossly fallen short of expectations and unlikely to close the gap on limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Pointing to a recent UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report that warned that unless global greenhouse gas emissions fall by 7.6 percent each year between 2020 and 2030, a report that warned that the world will miss the opportunity to get on track towards the 1.5°C temperature goal of the Paris Agreement, Executive Director, ERA/FoEN, Dr Godwin Uyi Ojo, harped on the need for African governments and delegates to address the lack of equity and fairness in addressing climate change impacts.
Dr. Ojo, noted that catastrophic events which impact climate change have gone worse due to the Covid-19 pandemic, making countries especially in Africa vulnerable. He stated that given the rate of fiscal responsibility and allocations in addressing climate events in Europe and America and the robust response to the Covid-19 pandemic, there is an undeniable dichotomy between the rich and poor countries that betray the lack of equity and fairness in addressing these issues in the developing countries.
Reiterating this point, he said,
“According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, climate change impact will continue to be on the rise and with growing intensity hence the need for urgency. Firstly, the pledge to mobilizing US$100 billion annually by 2020-2025 as funds to addressing climate change actions stands at about 30% and is nowhere near its mark. Therefore, the Earth Summit meeting of the Conference of Parties (CoP26) in Glasgow should be a rallying moment for rich counties to step up their commitments and show solidarity by walking the talk and putting their money where their mouth is.
“Secondly, CoP26 provides the opportunity to amplify system change and a transition from carbonized economy and fossil fuels dependence to renewable energy. Developing countries should redouble their stand to demand for a fair, just, and equitable energy transition and the climate finance to address climate change. There is the need to end addiction to fossil fuels, discard the false solution of net zero, and enthrone system change in the modes of production and consumption while plugging the widening gap of social inequalities at national levels and on a global scale.
“CoP26 should not be a process to reinforce energy colonialism on Africa but should liberate the continent’s energy potentials through cleaner technology and finance. Africa with low technology intake should not be taken advantage of or seen as a market expansion opportunism for developed countries’ renewable energy sector that is out-competing to dumping of obsolete technologies and petrol/diesel combustion engines.
“While the future ban or elimination of combustion engines production and use in some European countries from 2025 onwards is commendable, it should be clear how these obsolete technologies, cars and combustion engines will be disposed of or recycled. Africa should not be the dumping ground or receptacle for such technologies that could be shipped to it as Greek gifts or forms of development aid. In the words of an activist, ‘you cannot set fire in my house and sell fire extinguisher to me.’
“Thirdly, there is the need for African governments and delegates to demand loudly that greenhouse gas emissions is a financial debt and be resolute in the demand for the immediate payment of the Carbon Debt from the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by rich countries. This debt is part of the transitional justice demands for fairness, compensation and reparation for the monumental harm done to the environment some of which are irreversible.
“African delegates should ensure to speak with one voice to demand transitional justice in the payment of carbon debts currently put at 334 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. According to a recent study, the world’s leading polluters have racked up a US$10 trillion carbon debt for carbon dioxide emissions since 1990. This demand for carbon debt payment is sacrosanct and does not deflect from the US$100 billion commitment for climate actions.”
Ojo maintained, “According to scientific evidence, rich countries contribution of carbon dioxide emissions released into the atmosphere account for 70% inclusive of 20% from the USA, while Africa contributes only 4% of the carbon dioxide. Further, the impact of climate change and Covid-19 pandemic and their impacts on escalating the debt service burden on African states is horrendous. This necessitates the call for debt cancellation for developing countries. Africa should be united to restate that she has been shortchanged and has no debt to pay because on the balance, it owes no debt.”
ERA/FoEN commended the United Kingdom (UK) government as host, for taking the decision to end support for fossil fuels sector overseas hence the government will no longer support the development of fossil fuel sector overseas including end to export finance and credits, funding for new crude oil, natural gas and coal projects overseas.
