PAMACC Abidjan, COTE D'IVOIRE: Plus de trois cent (300) organisations de la Société Civile (OSC), en provenance de divers pays africains se réunissent, a l'initiative de la Banque Africaine de Développement +BAD), depuis ce lundi 07 dans la capitale économique ivoirienne, Abidjan, pour plancher sur l'engagement des OSC dans l'industrialisation en Afrique.
Les membres de l'Alliance Panafricaine pour la Justice Climatique (PACJA) ont lancé un vibrant appel à leurs paires de la société civile africaine à plus d'engagement dans l'industrialisation du continent noir.
C'était au cours d'une table ronde animée lors de cette première journée de l'édition 2018 du forum de la société par les membres du PACJA en compagnie de représentants de la BAD en vue d'apporter des solutions à grande échelle sur le sujet.
Ce panel, dont les échanges ont été enrichissants, s'est articulé autour du thème ''Combler le fossé de l'accès à l' énergie pour l'industrialisation de l'Afrique'' .
« Nous avons besoin de la masse critique des OSC pour accompagner la banque africaine de développement dans le cadre de l'industrialisation, » a indiqué Mitchika Mwenda, Secrétaire général du PACJA.
Abondant sur la problématique de l'énergie, dont 640 Millions de personnes sur le continent noir reste privé à ce jour, Mwenda a soutenu que seule une véritable synergie des actions de la BAD et des ONG peut permettre de régler de manière transversale la question.
Dans la foulée, il a suggéré que soit repensée l'approche africaine de la gestion énergétique. A sa suite, d'autres panelistes, membres de l'Alliance notamment Augustine Njamshi et Thuli Makama ont émis le souhait de voir les OSC s'impliquer davantage dans la mise sur pied des stratégies nationales de leur pays respectif en matière d'industrialisation.
Enfin, cette coalition pour la justice climatique a invité la banque africaine de développement à accroître ses investissements dans le domaine de l'adduction en énergie à 30% en vue de soulager les populations africaines.
BONN, Germany (PAMACC News) - After five days of Bonn Climate Talks, several conversations and issues have emerged, both pleasing and disappointing, depending on interest.
For the Global Climate Action Network, the organisers of the Climate Action Summit (GCAS) taking place later in September in San Francisco, they believe there is strong evidence of how cities, states, regions, businesses and investors are taking climate ambition to the next level, helping to build momentum for a successful outcome at COP 24, later in December.
Specifically, 11 new commitments from Mahindra, among India’s largest business houses, push the number of major global companies with science-based targets to over 400.
Speaking to delegates and journalists at the ongoing talks in Bonn, Anirban Ghosh, Chief Sustainability Officer of the Mahindra Group announced that business had taken an important step forward, saying that in total, 13 of its companies have now committed to cut their emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goals by signing-up to a science-based target.
Anand Mahindra, Mahindra Group Chairman said, “There is remarkable congruity between the goals of the Paris Agreement, the Indian Government, and businesses like the Mahindra Group. India, like the Agreement, is driven by a strong belief at the highest political level that pursuing environmental stability is the only way forward.”
And welcoming this development, Summit Co-Chair and top UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Patricia Espinosa said, “At COP24 in Katowice, the world has much to accomplish to ensure that the Paris Agreement delivers the desired result, which is to keep climate change within manageable limits. Thankfully, the revolutionary progress underway in the ‘real world’ economy, which will descend on California in September, will be instrumental to helping make Poland a success.”
The briefing heard that, to date, over 700 leading businesses around the world have made strategic climate commitments through the “We Mean Business coalition’s Take Action campaign,” collectively representing 2.62 gigatons of emissions, which is equivalent to the total annual emissions of India.
Mahindra’s commitment falls under the second of the five challenges – Inclusive Economic Growth – and means that so far 400 companies have positively reacted to this particular “call to action,” which aims to sign on 500 companies by the conclusion of the summit in September.
In addition to adding critical momentum to the COP24 negotiations in Poland this December – when governments of the world will meet to signal their readiness to enhance ambition – the September summit in San Francisco will build momentum for a strong outcome at the Climate Summit convened by UN Secretary-General AntónioGuterres in 2019 and to elevate climate action plans – Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – by 2020.
Nick Nuttall, Global Climate Action Summit Communications Director said 2018 is crucial for global leaders to step up climate action, and set the stage for the fast and full implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The Global Climate Summit will be hosted by the Governor of California, Jerry Brown; the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action, Michael Bloomberg; the Chairman of the Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra; and the Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, Patricia Espinosa.
It is set to bring together state and local governments, business, and citizens from around the world to showcase climate action taking place, thereby demonstrating how the tide has turned in the race against climate change and inspiring deeper national commitments in support of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
The Summit’s five headline challenge areas are Healthy Energy Systems; Inclusive Economic Growth; Sustainable Communities; Land Stewardship and Transformative Climate Investments
However, while businesses are showcasing what they believe is the positive momentum for change, civil society under the ACT Alliance are still not satisfied with delayed action, and calling for urgent action to address climate change and its impacts.
“The international community must now take bold action to address climate change and to adequately respond to its impacts. We cannot afford any delays or to waste any time,” said Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, ACT Alliance’s General Secretary.
At the top of the agenda for the Bonn Session is the Talanoa Dialogue that will encourage sharing between parties and stakeholders on progress made towards their climate commitments, the Paris Rulebook that will outline the modalities, procedures and guidelines for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and the Suva Expert Dialogue on support for climate induced loss and damage.
“There is now every indication that we have just a few years before surpassing the 1.5 degree global warming target, which means that our policies and actions towards a more volatile climate must be ambitious and unequivocal,” emphasized Bueno de Faria.
The Suva Expert Dialogue on loss and damage support is expected to advance the discussions on climate finance and other means necessary to respond to the adverse impacts of climate change that go beyond the ability of communities to adapt.
On the modalities of the implementation, ACT Alliance expressed concern about the slow progress of the Paris Rulebook, which they have demanded should be ready by the end of this year, with a strong inclusion of transparency and accountability at all levels.
Meanwhile, some groups feel the fossil fuel industry is influencing delayed climate action through their lobbyists sitting at the negotiations table.
According to a study, titled “Revolving doors and the fossil fuel industry,” carried out by a coalition of CSOs in 13 European countries, and supported by the European Parliament, found that failure to deal with conflict of interest by the EU is due to cosy relationships built up with the fossil fuel sector over the years.
“There is a revolving door between politics and the fossil fuel lobby all across Europe,” said Max Andersson, Member of the European Parliament, at the Bonn Climate Talks. “It’s not just a handful of cases—it is systematic. The fossil fuel industry has an enormous economic interest in delaying climate action and the revolving door between politics and the fossils fuel lobby is a serious cause for alarm.”
According to Andersson, to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and keep global warming to as close as 1.5 degrees as possible, there is need to clamp down on conflict of interest to stop coal, gas and oil from leaving “their dirty fingerprints over our climate policy.”
BONN, Germany (PAMACC News) - After five days of Bonn Climate Talks, several conversations and issues have emerged, both pleasing and disappointing, depending on interest.
For the Global Climate Action Network, the organisers of the Climate Action Summit (GCAS) taking place later in September in San Francisco, they believe there is strong evidence of how cities, states, regions, businesses and investors are taking climate ambition to the next level, helping to build momentum for a successful outcome at COP 24, later in December.
Specifically, 11 new commitments from Mahindra, among India’s largest business houses, push the number of major global companies with science-based targets to over 400.
Speaking to delegates and journalists at the ongoing talks in Bonn, Anirban Ghosh, Chief Sustainability Officer of the Mahindra Group announced that business had taken an important step forward, saying that in total, 13 of its companies have now committed to cut their emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goals by signing-up to a science-based target.
Anand Mahindra, Mahindra Group Chairman said, “There is remarkable congruity between the goals of the Paris Agreement, the Indian Government, and businesses like the Mahindra Group. India, like the Agreement, is driven by a strong belief at the highest political level that pursuing environmental stability is the only way forward.”
And welcoming this development, Summit Co-Chair and top UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Patricia Espinosa said, “At COP24 in Katowice, the world has much to accomplish to ensure that the Paris Agreement delivers the desired result, which is to keep climate change within manageable limits. Thankfully, the revolutionary progress underway in the ‘real world’ economy, which will descend on California in September, will be instrumental to helping make Poland a success.”
The briefing heard that, to date, over 700 leading businesses around the world have made strategic climate commitments through the “We Mean Business coalition’s Take Action campaign,” collectively representing 2.62 gigatons of emissions, which is equivalent to the total annual emissions of India.
Mahindra’s commitment falls under the second of the five challenges – Inclusive Economic Growth – and means that so far 400 companies have positively reacted to this particular “call to action,” which aims to sign on 500 companies by the conclusion of the summit in September.
In addition to adding critical momentum to the COP24 negotiations in Poland this December – when governments of the world will meet to signal their readiness to enhance ambition – the September summit in San Francisco will build momentum for a strong outcome at the Climate Summit convened by UN Secretary-General AntónioGuterres in 2019 and to elevate climate action plans – Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – by 2020.
Nick Nuttall, Global Climate Action Summit Communications Director said 2018 is crucial for global leaders to step up climate action, and set the stage for the fast and full implementation of the Paris Agreement.
The Global Climate Summit will be hosted by the Governor of California, Jerry Brown; the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action, Michael Bloomberg; the Chairman of the Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra; and the Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, Patricia Espinosa.
It is set to bring together state and local governments, business, and citizens from around the world to showcase climate action taking place, thereby demonstrating how the tide has turned in the race against climate change and inspiring deeper national commitments in support of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
The Summit’s five headline challenge areas are Healthy Energy Systems; Inclusive Economic Growth; Sustainable Communities; Land Stewardship and Transformative Climate Investments
However, while businesses are showcasing what they believe is the positive momentum for change, civil society under the ACT Alliance are still not satisfied with delayed action, and calling for urgent action to address climate change and its impacts.
“The international community must now take bold action to address climate change and to adequately respond to its impacts. We cannot afford any delays or to waste any time,” said Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, ACT Alliance’s General Secretary.
At the top of the agenda for the Bonn Session is the Talanoa Dialogue that will encourage sharing between parties and stakeholders on progress made towards their climate commitments, the Paris Rulebook that will outline the modalities, procedures and guidelines for the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and the Suva Expert Dialogue on support for climate induced loss and damage.
“There is now every indication that we have just a few years before surpassing the 1.5 degree global warming target, which means that our policies and actions towards a more volatile climate must be ambitious and unequivocal,” emphasized Bueno de Faria.
The Suva Expert Dialogue on loss and damage support is expected to advance the discussions on climate finance and other means necessary to respond to the adverse impacts of climate change that go beyond the ability of communities to adapt.
On the modalities of the implementation, ACT Alliance expressed concern about the slow progress of the Paris Rulebook, which they have demanded should be ready by the end of this year, with a strong inclusion of transparency and accountability at all levels.
Meanwhile, some groups feel the fossil fuel industry is influencing delayed climate action through their lobbyists sitting at the negotiations table.
According to a study, titled “Revolving doors and the fossil fuel industry,” carried out by a coalition of CSOs in 13 European countries, and supported by the European Parliament, found that failure to deal with conflict of interest by the EU is due to cosy relationships built up with the fossil fuel sector over the years.
“There is a revolving door between politics and the fossil fuel lobby all across Europe,” said Max Andersson, Member of the European Parliament, at the Bonn Climate Talks. “It’s not just a handful of cases—it is systematic. The fossil fuel industry has an enormous economic interest in delaying climate action and the revolving door between politics and the fossils fuel lobby is a serious cause for alarm.”
According to Andersson, to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and keep global warming to as close as 1.5 degrees as possible, there is need to clamp down on conflict of interest to stop coal, gas and oil from leaving “their dirty fingerprints over our climate policy.”
BONN, Germany (PAMACC News) - Farmers are among the first victims of climate change as they rely on the weather and the environment in its entirety for their production and livelihoods.
But until the last climate meeting in Bonn in November 2017, agriculture had been missing from the decisions of the Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The COP23 decision on agriculture, also known as the Koronivia Decision on Agriculture, which took five years of discussions to reach, is a turning point for small-holder farmers.
It indeed provides hope for farmers and processors in developing economies as it will deliver meaningful action on adaptation to adverse effects of climate change on agriculture.
“Agriculture is now being looked at as a sustainable development issue,” said Mithika Mwenda of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA). “We look at climate change not just as a scientific issue but it is an agricultural issue; it affects livelihoods of the people, it’s a human rights issue”.
Climate vulnerabilities across value-chain commodities affect farmers. The financial and technological needs of farmers to adapt are therefore as critical as the mitigation technics to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the agricultural sector.
However, Parties and observers to the climate talks now have two years to work on bold actions needed in agriculture before more specific ones are agreed upon in 2020.
African civil society and partners believe it is now time to evaluate how the UNFCCC can provide ways for farmers and agro-processors to adapt to climate change, increase their resilience with technology transfer, information dissemination, leverage finance and capacity building.
At the ongoing Bonn Climate Talks, CUTS International and PACJA jointly convened a group of agriculture and climate experts, working across Africa, to reflect on the challenging road towards advancing decisions on the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture.
During the event, the panelists brought greater focus on integrating African agriculture sector challenges into the joint work. The panel included Mithika, Martial Bernoux of the Food & Agriculture Organization, Catherine Mungai from the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security as well as George Wamukoya, Expert & Consultant on Climate Change and Agriculture.
They explored how developing countries can take the process forward to effectively deal with the impacts of climate change on their agriculture.
Mithika observed the need to inspire a bottom-up approach in the discus to get local communities and farmer groups engaged in the process.
“In the next couple of months, we’ll like to mobilize communities at the local level because we want to make this very practical,” he said.
As an observer, CUTS International has submitted proposals to the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture, which explore the socio-economic and food security dimensions of climate change in developing countries’ agricultural sector.
According to the non-profit NGO, the concerns and needed related to agriculture and food security “must be heeded by all Partners by agreeing to bold actions that support developing countries and LDCs in order to enhance their agriculture resilience in facing climate adverse effects and ensuring an agricultural development that is conscious of not only its environmental, but also social and economic impacts”.
