SIAVONGA, Zambia (Pamacc News) – The active involvement by Zambia’s President, Edgar Lungu, in the climate change processes has cheered stakeholders.
Lungu personally took it upon himself to append Zambia’s signature to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change during the Treaty Event at the just ended High-Level Segment of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
While he was away assuring the country’s commitment to the climate treaty, climate stakeholders back home were meeting, mapping out the Southern African country’s participation at the 22nd session of the Conference of Parties (COP 22), to be held in Marrakech, Morocco later in November.
After the landmark adoption of the Paris Agreement, COP 22 is seen as an implementation meeting at which stakeholders are to map out strategies to meet the overall objective of the Agreement of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees.
And the Zambian climate stakeholders are upbeat about the country’s participation considering the President’s keen interest in the processes.
“I think the President’s personal interest in the matter gives us courage and galvanizes our participation at the upcoming COP as a country,” said Richard Lungu, Zambia’s designated United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) focal point person.
Lungu, who is also the Chief Environment and Management Officer at the Ministry of Lands, Natural resources and Environmental Protection, told delegates at the COP 22 preparatory meeting, to re-dedicate themselves to the country’s cause in the climate agenda.
Acknowledging the huge task of mobilising resources to implement the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Lungu reminded stakeholders of the need to collaborate and speak with one voice with other African countries in ensuring that financing for adaptation remains a key priority for Africa.
Meanwhile, Godwin Gondwe, Director in the Department of Environment and Natural Resource management says for Zambia, “climate change is a matter of life and death,” in view of a country-wide energy crisis due to low water levels at the country’s hydro power stations and reduced agricultural productivity as a result of poor rainfall linked to climate change.
“It is clear even to a layman how climate change is affecting us, energy and agriculture are just but some of the most visible sectors manifesting the reality facing us,” said Gondwe, highlighting the need for proper coordination of all climate change activities.
But for Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, Lenox Kalonde, “the country should not lose focus of the key component in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, finance.”
And this is a point that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Zambia office, also emphasized especially in relation to capacity building to ensure a smooth implementation of the country’s climate agenda.
“We are moving into a crucial stage of implementation, and Zambia should not lag behind for it is here where it matters the most,” said Winnine Musonda, the Deputy UNDP Country representative, a key partner to Zambia’s in-country climate change programmes, through the UN Joint Programme on climate change.
According to Article 11 of the Paris Agreement, capacity-building is recognized to be particularly important for developing country parties to take effective climatechange action.The agreement further proposes that the said capacity-building should be country-driven, based on and responsive tonational needs, and foster country ownership of Parties, in particular, fordeveloping country Parties, including at the national, subnational and local levels.
However, most developing country parties lack the financial muscle to undertake such programmes, hence the need for financial support from developed country parties.
“As civil society, we must not lose truck that most of what we have planned in our NDCs require huge financial support,” said Bornface Mumba of the Centre for Environmental Justice, adding that capacity is particularly needed to access funds under some complicated initiatives such as the Green Climate Fund.
But for Robert Chimambo, Board member of the Zambia Climate Change Network (ZCCN), “even as we extend our begging bowl, we should not be sacrifice our indigenous knowledge and practices for fake and unrealistic solutions,” because according to him, Zambia, and Africa in general has a lot to offer.
With 187 signatories to the Paris Agreement, and 60 States depositing their instruments of ratification as at 22nd September 2016, acceptance or approval accounting in total for 47.76% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions, the deal could come into force within this year, way ahead of the 2020 scheduled date.
This is so as only eight percent is remaining of the required 55 percent GHG threshold as outlined in article 21 of the Paris Agreement which states that the treaty shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the date onwhich at least 55 Parties to the Convention accounting in total for at least anestimated 55 per cent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions have depositedtheir instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.
SIAVONGA, Zambia (Pamacc News) – The active involvement by Zambia’s President, Edgar Lungu, in the climate change processes has cheered stakeholders.
Lungu personally took it upon himself to append Zambia’s signature to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change during the Treaty Event at the just ended High-Level Segment of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
While he was away assuring the country’s commitment to the climate treaty, climate stakeholders back home were meeting, mapping out the Southern African country’s participation at the 22nd session of the Conference of Parties (COP 22), to be held in Marrakech, Morocco later in November.
After the landmark adoption of the Paris Agreement, COP 22 is seen as an implementation meeting at which stakeholders are to map out strategies to meet the overall objective of the Agreement of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees.
And the Zambian climate stakeholders are upbeat about the country’s participation considering the President’s keen interest in the processes.
“I think the President’s personal interest in the matter gives us courage and galvanizes our participation at the upcoming COP as a country,” said Richard Lungu, Zambia’s designated United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) focal point person.
Lungu, who is also the Chief Environment and Management Officer at the Ministry of Lands, Natural resources and Environmental Protection, told delegates at the COP 22 preparatory meeting, to re-dedicate themselves to the country’s cause in the climate agenda.
Acknowledging the huge task of mobilising resources to implement the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Lungu reminded stakeholders of the need to collaborate and speak with one voice with other African countries in ensuring that financing for adaptation remains a key priority for Africa.
Meanwhile, Godwin Gondwe, Director in the Department of Environment and Natural Resource management says for Zambia, “climate change is a matter of life and death,” in view of a country-wide energy crisis due to low water levels at the country’s hydro power stations and reduced agricultural productivity as a result of poor rainfall linked to climate change.
“It is clear even to a layman how climate change is affecting us, energy and agriculture are just but some of the most visible sectors manifesting the reality facing us,” said Gondwe, highlighting the need for proper coordination of all climate change activities.
But for Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, Lenox Kalonde, “the country should not lose focus of the key component in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, finance.”
And this is a point that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Zambia office, also emphasized especially in relation to capacity building to ensure a smooth implementation of the country’s climate agenda.
“We are moving into a crucial stage of implementation, and Zambia should not lag behind for it is here where it matters the most,” said Winnine Musonda, the Deputy UNDP Country representative, a key partner to Zambia’s in-country climate change programmes, through the UN Joint Programme on climate change.
According to Article 11 of the Paris Agreement, capacity-building is recognized to be particularly important for developing country parties to take effective climatechange action.The agreement further proposes that the said capacity-building should be country-driven, based on and responsive tonational needs, and foster country ownership of Parties, in particular, fordeveloping country Parties, including at the national, subnational and local levels.
However, most developing country parties lack the financial muscle to undertake such programmes, hence the need for financial support from developed country parties.
“As civil society, we must not lose truck that most of what we have planned in our NDCs require huge financial support,” said Bornface Mumba of the Centre for Environmental Justice, adding that capacity is particularly needed to access funds under some complicated initiatives such as the Green Climate Fund.
But for Robert Chimambo, Board member of the Zambia Climate Change Network (ZCCN), “even as we extend our begging bowl, we should not be sacrifice our indigenous knowledge and practices for fake and unrealistic solutions,” because according to him, Zambia, and Africa in general has a lot to offer.
With 187 signatories to the Paris Agreement, and 60 States depositing their instruments of ratification as at 22nd September 2016, acceptance or approval accounting in total for 47.76% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions, the deal could come into force within this year, way ahead of the 2020 scheduled date.
This is so as only eight percent is remaining of the required 55 percent GHG threshold as outlined in article 21 of the Paris Agreement which states that the treaty shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the date onwhich at least 55 Parties to the Convention accounting in total for at least anestimated 55 per cent of the total global greenhouse gas emissions have depositedtheir instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.
MARRAKECH, Morocco (PAMACC New) – African agriculture ministers will be meeting on 29-30 September in Morocco to lobby for agriculture issues to be at the heart of the upcoming climate change meeting.
If it comes to pass, COP22 will become the first meeting of its kind where agriculture is proactively involved in climate negotiations. Previously, environmentalists have always agreed that agriculture is important both in emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, despite of it being the ain area for adaptation especially in the developing world.
Recommendations made following such discussions have always been imposed on the agricultural sector to implement, without actively involving the stakeholders in the negotiation process.
Led by the minister for agriculture and marine fisheries in Morocco, the more than 27 agriculture ministers from Africa will be pushing to have a share of the proposed $100 billion climate fund to go towards agriculture adaptation by 2020.
“The initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture (AAA) to climate change aims to award a substantial share of the climate funds, which developed countries committed to provide to developing countries within the framework of the COP21 negotiations in Paris last year,” said Aziz Akhannorch, the Moroccan Minister of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries.
According to the minister, the initiative also aims to promote and foster the implementation of specific projects to improve soil management, agricultural water control, and climate risk management.
The AAA initiative was launched in April 2016 with an aim of reducing African agriculture vulnerability to climate change.
Currently, there is a delegation visiting different African countries to popularise and make the initiative a solution from Africa, and for Africa.
Road map to COP22 and beyond
The AAA initiative has four targets namely, soil management, farming water management, climate risks management and agriculture financing.
“A continent long neglected, Africa can no longer be ignored. The era during which our Continent was treated as a mere object in international relations is over. Africa is progressing and is asserting itself in the international arena,” said Akhannorch.
The legislator said that time has come to place the adaptation of African agriculture at the heart of COP's challenges, and obtain an equitable distribution of climate funds between adaptation and mitigation.
“We will defend the position of our Continent, which is greatly affected by climate change and sustainable development issues in the Conference of Parties 22 climate change negotiations,” said Akhannorch.
Response to climate change and food security
Africa is only responsible for 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions yet 65 percent of its population is greatly affected.
According to the 2014 Climate Change Vulnerability Index, the most at risk countries are in Africa and Asia, with six of the ten most affected countries being from Africa.
Some of the countries include Bangladesh, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Haiti, South Sudan, Nigeria, DR Congo, Cambodia, Philippines and Ethiopia which was added in the list last year due to its vulnerability to drought, crop failure and famine.
The indicator further states that the greatest increase in risk levels are felt in West Africa and the Sahel, whose political terrain is already dominated by food insecurity issues.
Projections up to 2040 indicate a 2 degree rise in average temperatures combined with substantial changes in rainfall and humidity.
Africa already has over 10 million climate refugees due to a decrease in agriculture yields which could reach 20 percent by 2050 even if global warming is limited to 2 degrees celsius. This is despite the fact that 65 percent of the world's unused arable land is in Africa.
Climate change experts say that with a population that could double by 2050 and two thirds of the world arable lands, Africa should get committed to tackling food security challenge combining sustainability and efficiency.
MARRAKECH, Morocco (PAMACC New) – African agriculture ministers will be meeting on 29-30 September in Morocco to lobby for agriculture issues to be at the heart of the upcoming climate change meeting.
If it comes to pass, COP22 will become the first meeting of its kind where agriculture is proactively involved in climate negotiations. Previously, environmentalists have always agreed that agriculture is important both in emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, despite of it being the ain area for adaptation especially in the developing world.
Recommendations made following such discussions have always been imposed on the agricultural sector to implement, without actively involving the stakeholders in the negotiation process.
Led by the minister for agriculture and marine fisheries in Morocco, the more than 27 agriculture ministers from Africa will be pushing to have a share of the proposed $100 billion climate fund to go towards agriculture adaptation by 2020.
“The initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture (AAA) to climate change aims to award a substantial share of the climate funds, which developed countries committed to provide to developing countries within the framework of the COP21 negotiations in Paris last year,” said Aziz Akhannorch, the Moroccan Minister of Agriculture and Maritime Fisheries.
According to the minister, the initiative also aims to promote and foster the implementation of specific projects to improve soil management, agricultural water control, and climate risk management.
The AAA initiative was launched in April 2016 with an aim of reducing African agriculture vulnerability to climate change.
Currently, there is a delegation visiting different African countries to popularise and make the initiative a solution from Africa, and for Africa.
Road map to COP22 and beyond
The AAA initiative has four targets namely, soil management, farming water management, climate risks management and agriculture financing.
“A continent long neglected, Africa can no longer be ignored. The era during which our Continent was treated as a mere object in international relations is over. Africa is progressing and is asserting itself in the international arena,” said Akhannorch.
The legislator said that time has come to place the adaptation of African agriculture at the heart of COP's challenges, and obtain an equitable distribution of climate funds between adaptation and mitigation.
“We will defend the position of our Continent, which is greatly affected by climate change and sustainable development issues in the Conference of Parties 22 climate change negotiations,” said Akhannorch.
Response to climate change and food security
Africa is only responsible for 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions yet 65 percent of its population is greatly affected.
According to the 2014 Climate Change Vulnerability Index, the most at risk countries are in Africa and Asia, with six of the ten most affected countries being from Africa.
Some of the countries include Bangladesh, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Haiti, South Sudan, Nigeria, DR Congo, Cambodia, Philippines and Ethiopia which was added in the list last year due to its vulnerability to drought, crop failure and famine.
The indicator further states that the greatest increase in risk levels are felt in West Africa and the Sahel, whose political terrain is already dominated by food insecurity issues.
Projections up to 2040 indicate a 2 degree rise in average temperatures combined with substantial changes in rainfall and humidity.
Africa already has over 10 million climate refugees due to a decrease in agriculture yields which could reach 20 percent by 2050 even if global warming is limited to 2 degrees celsius. This is despite the fact that 65 percent of the world's unused arable land is in Africa.
Climate change experts say that with a population that could double by 2050 and two thirds of the world arable lands, Africa should get committed to tackling food security challenge combining sustainability and efficiency.
