African countries on Monday called for an end to a “climate injustice” saying the continent causes less than 4% of global carbon dioxide emissions but pays one of the highest prices for global warming. With the gathering of government officials, international organisations, NGOs and the private sector from over 44 African countries attending Monday’s opening of the Africa Climate Week in the nation’s capital, Libreville, to prepare for the COP27 UN climate conference in Egypt come this November 6-18, 2022.
Host President Ali Bongo Ondimba told the gathering at the opening that the continent has to speak with one voice and offer “concrete” proposals for COP27. “The time has come for Africans to take her destiny into her own hands,” he said. Deploring the global failure to meet climate targets.
“Our continent is blessed with all the necessary assets for sustainable prosperity, abundant natural resources… and the world’s youngest and largest working population”,he added. But Africa and the rest of the world must address climate change, with the UNFCCC describing Africa as the most vulnerable continent, droughts causing extreme famines and displacing millions of people across the continent.
In addition, recent studies reveals that today, 22 million people in the Horn of Africa face starvation because of the drought and famine, countries in the south of the continent regularly hit by cyclones, rising sea levels threatening cities such as Dakar, Lagos, Cape Town and Libreville.
Denouncing the failure of developed countries to deliver on their climate commitments, There is no extra time, no plan B and there should also be no backsliding or backtracking on commitments and pledges, the Egyptian Foreign Minister and head of COP27 Sameh Shoukry
warned. Despite contributing less than four percent of global emissions, Africa is “one of the most devastated by the impacts of climate change”. Constrained with limited financial power and insufficient support, to spend about two to three per cent of its GDP per annum to adapt to these impacts,” Shoukry continued, denouncing many developed countries that have failed on their commitments, calling it a “climate injustice” and saying, $100million a year is no longer enough, as he continued to call on Africa and the world to strengthen commitments ahead of COP27.
The ACW2022 marked the debut of what will be, an unforgettable COP, as over 1000 representatives from all across the globe convened to further share experiences on their efforts and commitments advancing climate justice in their communities. With over 100 side events hosted, the key take away was the continuous need to do more, and the need for Africa and the rest of the world to further strengthen its commitments towards safeguarding its nature and ecosystem.
As champions for climate justice and commitment makers to the generation equality, Women for a Change, Cameroon in collaboration with GenEgaliteECCAS co-hosted the TechYou side event on Friday, September 2 to mark on the closing of the Africa Climate Week in Libreville; with so many women and girls, alongside adolescents and young people, continuously feeling the impact of climate change in their day to day lives, it was a great opportunity to share and exchange experiences from panelists across three African countries on the challenges and opportunities, and the role of technology in promoting climate action across Africa and the ECCAS-CEMAC subregion. With an interesting perception and perspective from our speakers the audience were very delighted and engaged in the conversations around agroentrepreneurship, sciences and the use of information communications technologies as a tool to fight climate change. With an attendance of over 60 people, the hybrid event called on people to reinforce their efforts in advancing a greener future for our planet.
