African civil society position on climate change and post 2015 processes

Over 800 African Civil Society Organizations from diverse backgrounds under the auspices of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), have actively been engaged in the ongoing international dialogue on the post-2012 global climate change treaty.

PACJA and its members have closely followed all climate-related deliberations since 2008, both regionally and globally.

Below is a statement issued by Secretary General of PACJA Mithika Mwenda at the 22^nd AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia:

We have observed the evolution of a coordinated framework on the climate change dialogue processes among key African Governmental processes.

Satisfied that our recommendation for tripartite structure for climate policy-making, in which technical negotiations are undertaken by the African Group of Negotiators under UNFCCC, ministerial guidance is provided by AMCEN, and over-arching recommendations are endorsed by the African Union, has served Africa well.

Chances of conflict and duplication which existed earlier have minimized, thus rendering the African processes the most effective in the world. We thank and congratulate our leaders for this progress.

Crucially important to CSOs is the next two years when most important processes that will potentially shape future development frameworks across the globe will be concluded by 2015:

(i) Negotiations for the New Climate Change treaty under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

(ii) Negotiations for the new development Framework to succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) spearheaded by the United Nations

We, African CSOs, view the two processes interrelated, and dependent on each other. Sustainable Development Goals cannot be attained if the global community fails to heed the recommendations by science and act decisively on climate change.

At the 2012 Rio+20 Conference, all countries agreed that climate change is a major obstacle to sustainable development and poverty eradication. This is supported by the experience of people living in poverty and vulnerability and major UN reports feeding into post-2015.

Science further underlines the immediate need for action in all areas, including international development.

The urgency for action is underpinned by climate science and the window of opportunity for Now is the time to lay strong avoiding dangerous climate change is foundations for the future, and rapidly closing.