Africa
is at the crossroads of safeguarding development progress under an expanded Millennium
Develop Goals (MDGs) whilst remaining faithful to the global call for action
against climate change, says Mithika Mwenda, Secretary-General of the Pan
African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA).
According
to him, the continent is the battle ground for competing global interest and as
climate change acquires political-economic dimensions, African countries are
squarely at the crossroads to decide which global grouping to side with.
“The
continent is at the crossroad of choosing the fossil fuel-based development
pathways or adopting low carbon development trajectory with its consequences of
cost,” he said.
He
therefore expects Africa to work harder to keep prospective speculators who
would wish to take advantage of vulnerable African countries to serve their
interest at the climate change talks in Paris in December 2015.
Mithika was addressing a Pre-CCDA workshop
which is looking at what is a stake for Africa in Paris in “shaping an ambitious, sustainable, equitable and
legally binding climate agreement”.
The Fifth Climate Change and
Development Conference for Africa (CCDA-V) is holding Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe from
October 28–30 on the theme: "Africa,
climate change and sustainable development: what is at stake at Paris and
beyond?"
Ahead of the event, the World Resources Institute
(WRI) and PACJA are holding the workshop with the aim to contribute to Africa’s
preparedness for COP21 and beyond.
Participants include African negotiators
and other stakeholders within the continent, in particular civil society,
legislators, private sector, and implementing agencies to strengthen capacity
on key issues pertaining to the 2015 Climate Agreement.
“We
need to think globally but act locally” when it comes to the issue of climate change,
stated Yamide Dagnet of the WRI, a Think Tank.
The Pre-CCDA is assessing the options on
the table on ambition cycles, adaptation, land use and forest, support, and by
exploring capacity building needs related to implementation and the legal
implications.
Zhakata Washington with the Zimbabwean Delegation
to the UNFCCC has acknowledged African civil society speaks louder and more
effective than governments in persisting to seek solutions.
To ensure implementation of decisions
taken, he has tasked CSOs “to continue giving us [governments] the pressure”.
The Pan African Parliamentarian Network on
Climate Change (PAPNCC) says it would be keeping an eye on the African Group of
Negotiators, government representatives and other stakeholders to ensure the
African position is upheld in the interest of people on the continent.
“We stand for one Africa, one voice and one
position; it’s the only key of success and I believe very strongly that when we
stand on this we’ll succeed in Paris,” said Cameroonian parliamentarian and Executive
Secretary of PAPNCC, Awudu Cyprian Mbaya.
Africa contributes least to climate change
but the people on the continent are most vulnerable to the impacts of the
changing climate.
Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh, in Victoria Falls,
Zimbabwe
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