Africa Renewal (United Nations)

Africa: Continent Sharpens Its Voice On Climate

When African representatives travel to Copenhagen in early December for crucial international talks on climate change, they will strive to speak in unison. "For the first time in history," says Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, "Africa will field a single negotiating team empowered to negotiate on behalf of all member states of the African Union.... Africa's interest and position will not be muffled."

At a late August meeting of African leaders that chose Mr. Meles to head the delegation, many expressed a growing sense of urgency over the mounting evidence that climate change is already affecting the lives of millions. Extreme weather, which scientists regard as a sign of climate change, has been especially dramatic in recent months, with parts of East Africa ravaged by severe drought and several nations in West Africa hit by torrential downpours and devastating floods.

"This is the time for Africa to aggressively engage" in the negotiations on climate change, Jean Ping, chairperson of the African Union Commission, told the summit. "Africa's development aspirations are at stake unless urgent steps are taken to address the problem of climate change."

According to World Bank projections released in mid-September, Africans' annual per capita consumption may decline by as much as 4-5 per cent as shifting climate disrupts local economies. By 2030 some 90 million more people in Africa will be exposed to malaria, as conditions become more favourable for the mosquitoes that carry the disease. By 2080, as much as 9-20 per cent of Africa's arable land could become much less suitable for farming.

African governments have long been aware of such trends. Many were early signers of the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which set limits on pollution emissions. But as an analysis presented to the African Union summit in August noted, Africa's previous negotiating efforts were marked by "dismal coordination" and the absence of "visible continent-wide political leadership."

Speaking at a 22 September UN General Assembly summit on climate change, Rwandan President Paul Kagame observed that one reason some African governments "more or less stood on the periphery" of the global debate was an attitude that "climate change is an industrial problem, born in the West and destined to be solved by these very nations." That standpoint must be abandoned, he argued, since climate change affects everyone, and all nations must act.

According to Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, the chief executive officer of the Secretariat of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), the African Union's development programme, African countries are increasingly coming together, whether at international talks on the global economic crisis or on issues of climate change. "In Copenhagen, Africa will have a single voice," he told Africa Renewal. "We'll have a unique coordinator for the Africa Group. We'll have a unique negotiating strategy."

Elements of Africa's position have already been presented in the lead-up to the Copenhagen meeting, which many hope will result in a new agreement for limiting greenhouse gas emissions following the expiration of the Kyoto Protocol in 2012.

A number of Africa's concerns involve "adaptation" - ways to help countries cope with threatened coastal areas, changes in rainfall and other effects of climate shifts. To adequately support such efforts, the African Union estimates that developing countries overall will need $67 bn annually by 2020.

On "mitigation" - reducing emissions of greenhouse gases - Africa expects that the industrial and industrializing countries that produce the vast bulk of such gases will agree to drastically reduce their output. African countries will themselves pledge to shift to cleaner production methods, but to do so they need new technology, more money and other help. In addition, Prime Minister Meles told a joint Africa-donor forum in Ethiopia in early September, "We want to keep our forests intact."

Although the forum was an ideal encounter for asking donors to give more, Africa's lead climate negotiator emphasized global action ahead of financing. "Our interest is not to claim compensation for climate change and its damages," Mr. Meles explained. "Our interest is to prevent that from happening."


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Comments 1 to 2 of 2 Post a comment

  • foryohjonathan0000
    Nov 27 2009, 09:56

    As the proverb says, " United, you stand; Divided, you fail " . It's about time for Africa to stop failing on critical issues. May God Bless Africa.

  • upliftdarace_144
    Nov 27 2009, 10:45

    This Global Warming Stuff Is A Complete Hoax . Man has so arrogantly told

    God, by inference, that God the Creator didn’t Create things quite right. The United

    Nations is just another attempt by Satan to build another Tower of Babel .

    If you want to know some real truth tune in to broadcasts like Living In Black

    (Hosted By Keidi-Obi Awadu – via www.libradio.net) & Alex Jones’ Infowars broadcast

    ( via www.inforwars.com)

    Here’s a link to articles on the Hoax of Global Warming.

    [http://www.scroogle.org/cgi-bin/nbbw.cgi]

    What is this hype of Global warming for ? It’s designed to give these phony

    scientists ( who actually act like they were taking part in the Creation itself ) and the

    organizations they represent control of the world’s natural resources. The GEORGIA

    GUIDESTONES is consistent with United Nations goals for the world.

    Here is a synopsis of the GEORGIA GUIDESTONES :

    [The Agenda Of The Antichrist aka The Georgia Guidestones (GG) ]

    10 POINTS LIKE THE 10 HORNS OR RELIGIONS OF THE BEAST

    [Revelations 13:1]

    And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having 7

    heads (Kings) and 10 HORNS (Religious Kingdoms), and upon his horns ten crowns, and

    upon his heads the name of blasphemy

    THE GEORGIA GUIDESTONES

    1) MAINTAIN HUMANITY'S POPULATION UNDER 500 MILLION IN

    PERPETUAL BALANCE WITH NATURE

    2) GUIDE REPRODUCTION WISELY —IMPROVING FITNESS AND DIVERSITY

    3) UNITE HUMANITY WITH A LIVING NEW LANGUAGE

    4) RULE PASSION — FAITH — TRADITION AND ALL THINGS WITH

    TEMPERED REASON

    5) PROTECT PEOPLE AND NATIONS WITH FAIR LAWS AND JUST COURTS

    6) LET ALL NATIONS RULE INTERNALLY RESOLVING EXTERNAL DISPUTES

    IN A WORLD COURT

    7) AVOID PETTY LAWS AND USELESS OFFICIALS

    8) BALANCE PERSONAL RIGHTS WITH SOCIAL DUTIES.

    9) PRIZE TRUTH — BEAUTY — LOVE — SEEKING HARMONY WITH THE

    INFINITE

    10) BE NOT A CANCER ON THE EARTH — LEAVE ROOM FOR NATURE —

    LEAVE ROOM FOR NATURE

    In conclusion the directives for these GEORGIA GUIDESTONES call for : a) b) c) Elimination of around 7 billion residents d) e) f) Control of how many people are born g) h) i) The return of the system of ONE LANGUAGE as it was during the construction j) k) of the TOWER OF BABEL l) m) n) The other goals seem to infer that there isn’t currently a choice available to us that o) p) can help us to be better people. And there is a choice. q) r) s) But as the prophecy said in Daniel , The Beast/Antichrist will not allow any other t) u) worship, but of himself.

    Global Warming and all this false human-directed unity is designed to appeal to our

    personal pride , our lustful flesh and our unsatisfied eyes. But we can’t save our

    selves. We children need OUR FATHER GOD to fight for us against our evil older

    brethren Satan (formerly known as Lucifer) and His Fallen Followers.

    CHECK OUT THIS EYE-OPENING VIDEO ON THE SCAM SWINDLE OF GLOBAL WARMING 1) T

    HE GREAT GLOBAL WARMING SWINDLE

    - URL – [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMA6sszChwQ]

    Revelations 11:18

    And the nations were angry, and your wrath is here, and the time of the dead, that they

    should be judged, and that you should give reward to your servants the prophets, and to

    the saints, and them that fear your name, small and great; AND SHOULD DESTROY

    THEM WHICH DESTROY THE EARTH.

    - FEED YOURSELVES SUGGESTION -

    WE ARE MAKING HUNDREDS WHILE GIVING AWAY BILLIONS TO OUR ECONOMIC SLAVE MASTERS !!!

    THERE IS NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T TAKE CONTROL OF OUR OWN COUNTRY !

    NEIGHBORHOOD COOP GREENHOUSES

    ANOTHER SUGGESTION IS FOR THOSE LIVING IN THE CITY TO POOL

    THEIR RESOURCES TOGETHER AND MAKE NEIGHBORHOOD COOP

    GREENHOUSES . HERE YOU CAN GROW SOME KIND OF FOODS AND NOT

    BE TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON GROCERY STORES.

    Scientists Debunk UN “Global Warming” [ http://www.infowars.com/scientists-debunk-un-global-warming/ ]

    WHO BROUGHT THE SLAVES TO AMERICA ? [ http://isohunt.com/torrent_details/42787621/Who+brought+the+slaves+to+ameri ca?tab=summary] for full length video

    FRITZ SPRINGMEIER A Bold Christian Truthseeker The Top 13 Illuminati Bloodlines [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k73Q2_f4vKU ]

    WAKE UP ! STAY UP MY BROTHERS & SISTERS ! BE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

    [ libradio.net ]

    [http://www.infowars.com/infowars.asx]

    [gcnlive.com]

    - Life Is a Game. Have Fun. [ Luke 18:17 / Isaiah 11:6 ]

    SO PLEASE WAKE UP MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

    GOD IS ALL WE NEED.

    You are In My Prayers.

    God Bless Us.

    God Bless Africa.