In November and December 2022, the world would gather, once again, in Egypt for yet another round of climate change negotiations.
The 27th Conference of Parties (COP27)
of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has been dubbed the
“African COP”, with the hope that the critical concerns of the continent on the
phenomenon of climate change will be prioritized at the talks.
Already, the last conference in Glasgow (COP26)
could not meet the aspirations of Africa, especially in delivery aspirations in
climate adaptation finance and recognizing the special needs and circumstances
of Africa.
“The
Special Needs and Circumstances for Africa must be recognized, not because
Africa is special but because Africa is the most climate vulnerable and science
agrees to that,” says Keriako Tobiko, Kenya’s Environment and forest Cabinet
Secretary.
This interest is emphasized by the Chair of the
African Group of Negotiators (AGN), Ephraim Mwepya Shitima, who says the first
priority at COP27 should be on the special needs and circumstances of Africa.
For him, the Conference should move away from
‘business as usual’ because Africa “cannot afford to be academic about the
needs of Africa at COP27”.
The
climate crisis is impactful on the continent, yet the African voice on the
global climate negotiations continues to be low.
For the
continent to be heard, Mr. Tobiko expects scientists, political leaders, media
and other interest groups to work together.
He
observed the agenda for COP27 will not be achieved “unless we plan ourselves
and work together, strategize and speak in one voice”.
Amplifying
the Africa Climate Story
According to the United Nations, increasing
temperatures and sea levels, changing precipitation patterns and more extreme
weather are threatening human health and safety, food and water security and
socio-economic development in Africa.
Although Africa is responsible for only 0.5% of
historical emissions and less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions,
studies show that the continent is considered the most vulnerable to the
impacts of climate change.
Floods and droughts, the main drivers of climate
change in Africa, have increased, at times causing conflicts among different
communities across the continent. These phenomena have destroyed millions of
lives and livelihoods especially among smallholder farmers on the
continent.
Media plays an important role in understanding and
acting on climate issues. However, majority of journalists in Africa lack
capacity and resources to report on climate change.
The
Africa Climate Story Media Initiative (ACSMI) has been launched in Nairobi, Kenya, with
the aims of bridging this gap by providing support and enhancing capacity for
journalists to consistently tell Africa’s climate story through an African
lens, building in experiences and voices from communities affected by the
climate crisis.
“The goal will be to amplify Africa’s voice on
climate ahead of the UN climate summit COP 27 in Egypt and beyond,” said
veteran journalist, Joseph Warungu, whose organization, AfricaonAir, is
partnering the Pan African Media Alliance for Climate Change (PAMACC) to
implement the initiative.
Mr. Warungu entreated journalists to engage in
collaborations to better tell the bigger African climate story.
PAMACC Coordinator, Isaiah Esipisu, said under the
initiative, “journalists will submit pitches for stories whose quality will be
assessed and selected for support to develop and publish through an editorial
review process”.
Themes under coverage will include adaptation,
adaptation finance, agriculture, food security, energy access and just
transition, loss and damage, early warning systems, development co-benefits,
COP 27.
As part of the launch of the ACSMI, selected
African journalists and experts have been meeting in Nairobi to help shape their
skills and collaboration in telling the African climate story.
Participants are also visiting Kenya’s largest
renewable energy plants in Olkaria.
by Kofi Adu Domfeh
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