COP27 in Egypt must deliver $100 billion climate change fund
It is worrying to read that just 23 rich and developed countries are responsible for half of all historical Carbon dioxide emissions responsible for damaging the environment leading to the depletion of the ozone layer and consequently global warming.
Proportionate to their development, this is how some of the rich countries fared in their contribution to emissions. This is in percentages. United States of America (USA), 24.6; China, 13.9; Russia, 6.8; Germany, 5.5 and Japan, 3.9.
Advertisement
Africa, with a population of 1.4 billion, contributed a meagre four per cent but unfortunately, it is at the receiving end of the devastating anger of climate change. The agrarian nations in Africa cultivate their crops depending mainly on rainfall and with the change in pattern and dearth of adequate rainfall, famine is staring at the faces of the population.
Failed rains
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa had endured four consecutive failed rainy seasons due to a severe drought. The World Meteorological Organisation forecasts a fifth consecutive failed rainy season because of drier-than-average conditions expected for October to December 2022, worsening the crisis that affects millions of people. The WFP indicates that 22 million people are at risk of starvation in the region.
As if what is happening to the humans on the continent is not enough, livestock is also dying in droves due to a lack of water and pastures.
Another by-product of climate change or global warming is flooding due to excessive rainfall. It is a fact that the capacity and infrastructure of countries in the region to contain such unpredicted heavy volumes of water are not in existence. This means that when the much-needed rain comes disproportionately, it wil become a curse rather than a blessing. They wash away lives, livelihoods, farmlands and infrastructure.
It is common knowledge that all these are the handiwork of Climate change. Experts, global partners and nations have agreed that the trend must be reversed through well-laid-out plans and actions.
The actions include a reduction in the use of fossil fuel-oil, coal, natural gas- and as much as possible, countries that have intentions to prospect and mine for these fossils should shelve them.
Development
Developed and rich nations relied on the usage of these fossil fuels to reach their current state of development which had led to global warming. Surprisingly, they are leading the chorus that other countries should stop prospecting, exploiting and producing fossil fuel. They are advocating for the use of renewable energy, which is capital-intensive. A move that is affecting countries like Ghana and Senegal, among others, that have discovered large quantities of fossil fuel, especially crude oil and natural gas.
Thirteen years ago, at a United Nations (UN) climate summit in Copenhagen, rich nations made a significant pledge to channel $100 billion a year to less wealthy nations by 2020, to help them adapt to climate change and mitigate further temperature rises.
This promise has not been honoured. A report by the UN, last year, concluded that “the only realistic scenarios” showed the $100-billion target was out of reach. “We are not there yet,” conceded UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
It is high time these countries and their multinational companies make good on their pledge to provide the $100 billion annually to ensure that countries in Africa receive the funding on time for adaptation, loss and damage, as well as start procuring renewable energies.
Ghana’s role
Ghana has this year assumed the Presidency of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) for a two-year term ending in 2024.
Announcing this appointment at the 77th UN Day in Accra, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, said the country was using the opportunity to promote the critical importance of funding for adaptation and loss and damage.
She called on developed countries to fulfil their commitment to the Paris Agreement and Glasgow Declaration by ensuring they adhere to the mitigation target of 1.5 degrees Celsius and make good on their promise to mobilise $100 billion a year to help poorer countries deal with Climate Change.
She gave an assurance that as the Chair of the CVF, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was leading the way through collaboration and cooperation with climate-vulnerable countries, at the upcoming COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in November.
“Ghana will actively participate in negotiations on the practical implementation of the Paris Agreement and Glasgow Declaration,” she said and noted that she was hopeful that COP27 would yield fruitful and practical outcomes.
“We will demonstrate that solidarity backed by science can result in sustainability. We are thus, counting on our development partners to continue working with us in this regard,” she added.
It is believed that nations that have been badly hit by global warming, especially those in Africa and the Caribbean, must support the vision of the Ghanaian leader to make a strong case at the next Conference of the Parties (COP) COP27at Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt.
The point must also be made that African countries that have just discovered fossil fuel in large quantities should be assisted in exploiting them for use to also grow their economies and realise true industrialisation.
This argument is based on the fact that developed economies, especially those that relied on natural gas from Russia, are now turning their attention to Africa for support. Africa’s fossil fuel has become critical with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Just four countries in Africa, which are Nigeria, Algeria, Senegal and Mozambique, have a total of almost 600 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Should this be kept underground while their people wallow in abject poverty? This is crucial especially when the developed nations have refused to contribute to the $100 billion fund.
During a three-day tour of Africa, the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said his country wanted to help develop natural gas projects off the coast of West Africa.
On the same visit, Reuters quoted Mr Scholz saying that Germany was seeking to reduce its heavy reliance on Russia for gas following the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine. It has initiated talks with the Senegalese authorities about gas extraction and liquefied natural gas.
These are the reasons why African nations should be supported to exploit their natural resources while at the same time receiving part of the $100 to work towards adaptation.