The climate crisis is biting and African editors cannot sit aloof

The month of June 2023 has recorded devastating infractions in the weather, with attendant havoc in communities and environments in Africa.

Downpours in various regions have caused severe flooding, leading to submerged homes, destruction of property, displacement of people, and in some instances loss of lives.

 

These are exacerbated by climate change and the impacts point to a crisis.

 

However, there has been a gap in African newsrooms in telling the African climate story and the urgency of the climate crisis.

 

A recent review of how Africa is covered in climate news shows there is a need to elevate Africa’s voice and perspectives in the media as part of driving climate action on the continent.

 

To amplify the voice of Africa in the climate change narrative, the first Africa Editors Climate Forum was convened by the Kenya Editors Guild and Powershift Africa, under the coordination of AfricaonAir.

 

The Forum, held in Nairobi, Kenya brought together editors from parts of the continent to discuss ways to enhance the coverage of climate change issues in African newsrooms.

 

Participants shared experiences and discussed the state of climate change reporting in Africa and challenges newsrooms face, while exploring new opportunities and creative approaches to climate reporting.

 

Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Editors Guild, Rosalia Omungo, said editors who are the gatekeepers have the responsibility to ensure a clear and accurate message is out.

 

“Reporting matters like climate change must adhere to the basic tenets of accuracy and credibility. Credibility goes beyond and goes out of the source of data. Journalists must go beyond the science and reflect humanity,” she stated.

 

She also emphasized the importance of cross-border reporting to enhance the climate narrative across the African continent.

 

Researchers and experts in climate change, energy and sustainable development shared perspectives to help in framing stories to offer solutions in climate change challenges.

 

Kenya’s special envoy for climate change, Ambassador Ali Mohamed, noted that Africa is a victim of climate change and therefore needs support to overcome the impacts of climate change.

 

The African continent emits less than 0.5percent of global carbon emissions but remains the most vulnerable to climate change.

 

In pushing for the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, the envoy said Africa will continue to push for what is legitimate.

 

“We need to take a hard look at the resources we have on our doorstep. Africa has critical mineral potential, land size and immense potential for renewable energy,” said Ambassador Ali.

 

Critical issues of interest in the climate narrative include climate finance, adaptation and mitigation.

 

Programme manager at PowerShift Africa, Fatuma Hussein, called for strong collaboration and engagements between newsrooms and climate scientists to build resilience and drive sustainable development in Africa.

 

By Kofi Adu Domfeh  

 

Bonn Climate Conference closes with progress on key issues, laying groundwork for COP28

The Bonn Climate Change Conference has closed after two weeks of intense work that made progress on several critical issues, helping lay the groundwork for the political decisions required at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) at the end of the year.

 

“Having taken nearly two weeks to agree an agenda, it is easy to believe we are far apart on many issues, but from what I have seen and heard, there are bridges that can be built to realize the common ground we know exists,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell. “World-changing agreements happen when negotiators rise to the occasion, reach out and find compromises, then manage to convince their capitals of the merit and necessity of those compromises.”

 

At the Bonn meeting, progress was made on issues of critical importance, including the global stocktake, climate finance, loss and damage, and adaptation, among many others.

 

Stiell singled out the global stocktake, which will conclude at COP28, as a moment to course correct to get the world on track to limiting the temperature rise in line with the Paris Agreement.

 

Delegates at the Bonn conference wrapped up the last meeting of the technical dialogue of the first global stocktake – laying the ground for more ambitious climate action.

 

“Pledges by Parties and their implementation are far from enough,” said Stiell. “So, the response to the stocktake will determine our success – the success of COP28, and far more importantly, success in stabilizing our climate.”

 

In Bonn, government delegates, observers and experts took part in the stocktake’s third and final technical dialogue, which was comprised of a series of roundtables and events spread across six days. They discussed how to accelerate collective progress on mitigation, including response measures; adaptation; loss and damage; and means of implementation – climate finance, technology transfer, and capacity building.

 

In early September, the co-facilitators of the technical dialogue will publish a synthesis report, capturing the key findings of the three meetings of the dialogues. It will contain technical information, good practices and lessons learned to help Parties and non-Party stakeholders identify what to do to course-correct and achieve the Paris Agreement goals.

 

Other discussions and events at the Bonn Climate Conference focused on climate finance, notably the provision of adequate and predictable financial support to developing countries for climate action, including setting a new collective quantified goal on climate finance in 2024. On the global goal on adaptation, Parties agreed on structural elements for a Dubai decision.

 

The second Glasgow Dialogue on Loss and Damage provided useful information to advance the work of the Transitional Committee on the operationalization of the funding arrangements and new fund for responding to loss and damage. Discussions focused on maximizing support from existing funding arrangements, including considerations on coherence, complementarity, and coordination. The Transitional Committee will make recommendations for consideration and adoption at COP28 on how to operationalize the new loss and damage fund and funding arrangements.

 

The Bonn conference brought together more than 4,800 participants from all corners of the world, almost double the number of participants that attended last year’s conference. Indigenous peoples, local communities, businesses, cities and civil society, including youth and children, spoke about how they are addressing climate change and highlighted challenges that need to be overcome.

 

COP28 will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 30 November to 12 December this year. It will be preceded by four Regional Climate Weeks.

 

Bonn Climate Change Talks: AGN insists on adaptation as key priority for Africa

The African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) says developing countries’ efforts on adaptation must be recognised in the outcome of the Global Stocktake, as the 58^th session of the United Nations Subsidiary Bodies (SB58) conference ends.

Speaking during the closing session of the technical dialogue of the GST in Bonn, Germany, AGN Chair Ephraim Mwepya Shitima said developing countries have demonstrated unwavering commitment by mobilising domestic resources for adaptation in the face of inadequate international support.

 

“We reiterate the need for an additional message in the GST on the recognition of adaptation efforts of developing countries, which is a strong demonstration of commitment by vulnerable countries in the face of inadequate international support,” said Shitima. “We also look forward to guidance on how we will deliver on the clear mandate in respect of assessing the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA).”

 

As the world is already experiencing changes in average temperature, shifts in the seasons, an increasing frequency of extreme weather events, and slow onset events, Africa has not been spared from climate disasters requiring adaptation resources at scale.

 

According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), adaptation refers to adjustments in ecological, social or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic incentives and their effects. It refers to changes in processes, practices and structures to moderate potential damages or to benefit from opportunities associated with climate change.

 

Many nations and communities are already taking steps to build resilient societies and economies. However, greater action and ambition is needed to cost-effectively manage the risks, both now and in the future.

 

Parties to the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement recognise that adaptation is a global challenge, which requires country-driven, gender-responsive, participatory and fully transparent approaches, considering vulnerable groups, communities and ecosystems; and guided by best available science.

 

The UNFCCC has set up constituted bodies and workstreams relevant to progressing adaptation responses and enhancing societal and environmental resilience. Most recently, the work programme on the Global Goal on Adaptation, launched in 2021 at COP 26, maps out the way for the world to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience, and reduce vulnerabilities associated with climate change.

 

During the technical dialogue on the GST, the AGN made it abundantly clear, the continent’s aspirations on adaptation.

 

Kulthoum Omari, AGN Lead Coordinator for the GGA, said: “We are already feeling the impacts from climate change, even below 1.5-degree global warming. Currently, we are at 1.15 degrees of global warming and according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Africa has warmed faster than the global average since pre-industrial times. This emphasizes the urgency of accelerating the implementation of adaptation in Africa during this decade…,” said Omari.

 

The IPCC WGII report, through the Africa Chapter provides information on the impacts of climate change to date. For example, Agricultural productivity growth in Africa is reported to have reduced by 34% since 1961 due to climate change, more than any other region.

 

IPCC further predicts that most African countries will enter unprecedented high temperature climates earlier in this century than generally wealthier, higher latitude countries, emphasising the urgency of accelerating implementation of adaptation in Africa during this decade.

 

It is for this reason that the African Group insists on a comprehensive approach and action-oriented content of the Factual Synthesis Report (FSR), presenting clear findings on the required efforts; current levels of efforts and gaps; and implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) cycle and raising of ambition in Parties’ undertakings and international cooperation based on equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC) principle.

 

“We cannot over-emphasise the importance of balance between the various thematic areas and addressing them in a comprehensive manner. We reiterate the call for a standalone reflection on loss and damage and response measures in the Factual Synthesis Report. We trust that our concerns on adaptation and the means of implementation sections will also be addressed in the next iteration of our work,” concluded AGN Chair.

 

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

Ghanaians take climate action in planting 10million trees in a day

For the third year running, Ghanaians are turning up in public and private spaces for a mass tree planting exercise in a day for a greener future.

Schools, churches, private and public corporate institutions and individuals are joining in the national drive to plant 10 million trees in a day under the Green Ghana initiative.

 

Without climate action, the urgent quest to salvage nature from its emergency mode will be a herculean task. Planting trees is an important exercise as it has become critical to keep global warming below 1.5°C this century.

 

When Ghanaians planted 7million trees in the maiden exercise in 2011, the government described the move as “an aggressive national afforestation and reforestation programme to restore the lost forest cover of Ghana and to contribute to the global effort to mitigate climate change”.

 

In the following year, the country exceeded its target by planting 24million trees.

 

According to the Forestry Commission, the over 30 million trees planted in reserve and off-reserve spaces on Green Ghana Day have 23million of them surviving.  This represents 81% and 72% of the trees' survival rate in 2021 and 2022 respectively. 

 

Ultimately, the initiative is to encourage young people to inculcate the values of planting and nurturing trees while mobilizing national action for the restoration of degraded landscapes.

 

As a climate mitigation activity, the Green Ghana initiative enhances livelihoods for rural communities through their engagement in the production of tree seedlings, and helps in beautifying communities and the environment.

 

The theme for this year is “Our Forests, Our Health”, highlighting the importance of green environments in the promotion of good health and sustainability of lives.

 

According to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Forestry Commission, two strategies are devised to encourage Ghanaians to plant trees.

 

The first strategy is to plant in degraded forest reserve compartments across the country.

 

The second strategy is to plant outside forest reserves; within farms, along watershed areas, in road medians, compounds of homes, schools, churches, offices, and within recreational spaces.

 

The dilemma of mining in forest reserves

 

Ghana lost over 160,000 hectares of forest from 2010 to 2015, according to Global Forest Watch. The percentage of forest lost within this period exceeds the quantum of trees cultivated from 1963 to 2016 in the country’s forest zones.

 

Restoring the lost forest cover will help to fight climate change, but Ghana must first save its forest reserves from the devastating impact of illegal and irresponsible mining.

 

Illegal mining activities have in the past decade reached a crescendo that have ravaged lands, forests and water bodies. 

The gains of the Green Ghana Day will therefore be insignificant without a targeted and committed approach to halting mining in forest reserves.

It is expected that the government’s drive to aggressively restore degraded lands and depleted forest reserves will be reciprocated with a similar drive to rid the Ghanaian forests of irresponsible and illegal mining activities.

by Kofi Adu Domfeh

 

Bonn Climate Change Conference: AGN pushes adaptation measures for women and youth

Women and youth require adaptation measures as they are more affected by climate change impact differently in the continent, says the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN).

 

AGN Chair, Ephraim Mwepya Shitima, says integrating a gender perspective in adaptation activities is critical, particularly through the Global Goal for Adaptation (GGA), given that women are disproportionately impacted by the negative effects of climate change and can play a crucial role in adaptation efforts.

 

He was speaking at the opening plenary of the 58^th Session of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) in Bonn, Germany.

 

“It is also important to ensure that interventions respond to the gender-specific needs of women and girls, do not exacerbate inequalities, and contribute to empowering women as contained in the Gender Action Plan to drive change at all levels of the adaptation process,” said Shitima.

 

The African Group would like to adopt concrete targets for scaling up dedicated funding for gender and climate change, particularly the four priority areas agreed at COP27, alongside gender mainstreaming that requires finances to be committed for effective climate action.

 

The AGN also advocates the implementation of effective accountability and transparency of climate finance tracking gender-responsiveness funding.

 

“These measures would ensure women’s effective and meaningful participation at all levels of decision-making on climate change at the local, national, and global levels. Indigenous knowledge must be considered to build trust with the women and girls.

 

“Women’s chores within the household are immense and time-consuming; therefore, providing environmentally friendly and accessible technologies using, where possible affordable renewable energies,” said Shitima.

 

The 6^th Synthesis Report of the Inter-governmental panel on climate change (IPCC) highlights the consequences of extreme climatic events and stresses the importance of enhancing ambitious action.

 

The World Meteorological Organization also published a report warning that global temperature will increase in the next five years, narrowing the achievability of limiting the 1.5 temperature goal.

 

“COP28 will be the COP that will deliver on the pledges, and the African Group now calls for implementing targets to action and promises to implementation,” the AGN Chair stated.

 

The Africa Group calls on all Parties to implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and reiterate the obligation under the Convention and the Paris Agreement that states developed countries should take the lead in the efforts to address climate change.  

 

Africa has called for the genuine strengthening of the linkages between the Technology Mechanism and the financial mechanism of the UNFCCC in order to realize the implementation of technology-supported adaptation and mitigation actions in developing countries.

 

“We would like to realize positive progress with the SBI agenda on the said linkages to ensure that technology-supported climate action is enhanced,” said AGN Chair.

Loss and Damage Fund and GST take centre stage as AGN strategises for Bonn Climate talks

The African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) Lead Coordinators have convened in Bonn, Germany, to strategise ahead of the 58^th session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate (UNFCCC) Subsidiary Bodies (SB58) Conference scheduled for June 5–15, 2023.

The Global Stocktake (GST) and discussions on the modalities for establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund are dominating the agenda.

The GST, as enshrined in Article 14 of the Paris Agreement, is a process for taking stock of the implementation of the Paris Agreement with the aim to assess the world’s collective progress towards achieving the purpose of the agreement and its long-term goals.

The first stocktake got underway at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November, 2021 and is expected to conclude at COP28. Each stocktake is a two-year process that happens every five years. Thus, as Parties prepare for the SB58 session and COP28 later in the year, all eyes are on the outcome of this process, which is critical to achieving the overarching goal of the Paris Agreement and the Convention.

The GST is currently in the technical phase. The political phase will be at COP28 where leaders will be expected to adopt the outcomes of the process.

Similarly, in view of the landmark COP27 decision on Loss and Damage, the discussions centred on the need for robust and flexible modalities for the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund.

Speaking when he officially opened the meeting, AGN Chair, Ephraim Mwepya Shitima re-affirmed AGN’s call for the GST to be balanced, covering all thematic areas, and the need for robust and flexible modalities for the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund.

"This is an important year for us; following key outcomes from COP27, and especially in the context of taking stock of where we are, we have a mammoth task to ensure we continue advancing Africa’s interests. We cannot afford to lose track of the GST, whose outcome, we have repeatedly said, must be comprehensive and balanced to facilitate progress across all the thematic areas, and respect the priority issues of all Parties and stakeholders.

“Our emerging position, which is still being discussed, is to ensure an equitable and just global transition to low emission and climate resilient world that allows African countries the policy space to achieve the SDGs in the immediate to medium-term (2030), using all its natural resources and endowment. Equally, operationalization of Loss and Damage Fund with flexible and robust modalities, is a key priority for the AGN as our leaders and the entire continent is banking on us to ensure that it is not short-changed," said Shitima.

Other key agenda items included the continued push for Africa’s Special Needs and Special Circumstances; the need for scaled-up financial and technical support to implement Africa’s highly ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), in particular, adaptation finance through a call for grant-based financial resources for African countries and the need to reform the climate financial architecture; the need to expedite operationalization of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA); Just Transition work programme; a call for ambitious mitigation efforts from developed country parties; the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture and food security; and means of implementation.

 

Africa’s Special Needs and Special Circumstances

 

As mandated by the African Union through the Committee of African Heads of State on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) at the 36^th African Union Summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in February, 2023, the AGN Lead Coordinators deliberated on, and agreed to take forward the agenda on Africa’s Special Needs and Special Circumstances—a continent which is the least contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions (less than 4%) and yet the most adversely impacted region, as reaffirmed by latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.

 

According to the IPCC, Africa is already experiencing severe and widespread impacts of climate change, causing devastation to lives, livelihoods and the continent's development trajectory.

 

“At the 36^th session of the Au Summit in February, 2023, the AU Heads of State Assembly gave guidance on a number of issues, including urging the AGN to continue collaborating with other stakeholders, including the COP28 Presidency on Africa’s special needs and special circumstances agenda. So, we will continue pursuing this agenda item as guided by our leaders in the interest of the continent’s development aspirations in relation to climate action,” Shitima said.  

 

Climate Finance and reform of the financial architecture

 

The question on climate finance is as old as the climate negotiations. Still, the AGN team is determined to ensure this agenda item is  given the prominence it deserves, particularly for developed countries to deliver on their climate finance pledges. The key ask is for developed countries to provide predictable and accessible funding for climate action on affordable and reasonable terms that do not further worsen the debt crisis that most developing countries are already dealing with.

 

Adaptation (GGA)

 

Adaptation to the impacts of climate change remains one of the key challenges that Africa is facing. Therefore, adaptation remains a key priority as people, infrastructure and ecosystems on the continent continue to experience climate shocks and economic distress.

The latest science by the IPCC reveals that Africa will need up to 86.5 billion USD for adaptation alone by 2030. In view of the foregoing, the AGN is seeking a clear and traceable delivery mechanism for the doubling of adaptation finance, a commitment made by developed countries in Glasgow in 2021, to avoid the mystery of the 100 billion USD per year, which has haunted negotiations since 2009.

Additionally, the weak outcome at COP27 on adaptation, largely due to developed countries’ unwillingness to take the matter seriously, has remained a concern to the AGN. The group is therefore seeking for seriousness on this matter and agreed to continue pushing for science-based indicators, targets and metrics within the agreed framework.

Mitigation

Notwithstanding the concentration on adaptation, the AGN’s call on developed countries to take their leadership role in climate action seriously by urgently scaling up mitigation ambition and implementation during this critical decade, to keep the 1.5-degree Celsius temperature goal alive. The group’s emphasis is also on the importance of support to implement conditional components of African countries and other developing countries' NDCs to enable them effectively contribute, as well as the call for countries to increase the share of renewable and low emission energy sources in their energy mix and scale-up renewable energy investments in particular to address the energy access challenges of many countries in Africa.

 

Just Transitions

In deliberating on Africa’s special needs and circumstances, the AGN Lead Coordinators also spotlighted the continent’s energy poverty, with latest statistics showing over 600 million people having no access to electricity and 900 million people with no access to clean cooking.

This is in addition to other development challenges that Africa faces requiring the continent to fully exploit its natural resources. With a heightened global campaign for countries to transition to clean and green energy sources, Africa will thus require support for Just energy transition that ensures resources and technologies are made available to enable the continent achieve climate, energy and development goals.

“Our argument is that reducing emissions should not be at the expense of Africa’s development but at a pace and scale affordable to African countries. The work programme should facilitate ambitious and equitable climate actions, recognising different starting points of countries and nationally defined development priorities of developing countries, different pathways and national circumstances and the importance of the social and economic components of the transition,” said AGN Chair.  

Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture and food security

In the context of the climate crisis in Africa, agriculture is seen as an important agenda item in view of the continent’s food insecurity, said to be worsened by climate change vagaries. In view of the foregoing, Africa cannot afford to slumber on the importance of making agriculture resilient to climate change.

Given its importance to most African countries’ food security and economic transformation, the AGN has firmly set its agenda on ensuring clear action matrix of the the four-year Sharm el-Sheikh joint work on implementation of climate action on agriculture and food security.

Period poverty in Ghana: impregnated and infected with HIV at age 12 for want of sanitary pad

These are no tell-tales. These are real stories of girls and women exposed to sexual abuse and exploitation due to what has become known as 'period poverty' in parts of Africa.

 

Afia’s mother got sick when she was 12 years old. She had to move in to live with her aunty at Techiman in the Bono East region of Ghana where she was enrolled in a school.

 

It was at the school she first had her menses, something she lacked knowledge about. She soiled her uniform and boys in her class made fun of her.

 

When Afia got home and informed her aunty of her experience, she was emotionally abused and received no support; neither education on her menstrual cycle nor access to sanitary pad.

 

She resorted to using toilet roll and went back to school after two weeks.

 

During her second menstruation, she soiled her dress again. This time, a man in his 30s saw her in her state of distress and invited her home to wash down.

 

“I saw him as a father figure in the community and saw no harm in following him,” said Afia.

 

The man assured her of his support to provide her with sanitary pads every month, in addition to a daily stipend of Gh1.50. But this was a bait.

 

Afia needed to become his girlfriend as a condition for the provision of sanitary pads when it’s that time of the month.

 

“At that time I was very young and didn’t know anything,” she said. “He told me he likes me and will be buying me more pads and he will be giving me money to school and would increase the money to 3 cedis if I become his girlfriend,” she narrated.

 

Defiled and shattered

 

Afia agreed to the man’s proposal to come out of the shame she had to endure anytime she was in her menses.

 

 

She was defiled and later got pregnant at age 14. During antenatal, she was tested HIV positive.

 

Her aunty was least interested in her affairs. The man denied any responsibility when Afia’s mother confronted him.

 

“At that time I ignored my mum. I told her it’s her fault. Why did she get sick for me to go there for something like this to happen to me?” a teary Afia retorted.

 

This drove her to almost commit suicide.

 

“In my mind I said I was not going to take the [anti-retroviral] drugs. I will just wait for death to come and take me,” she said. “I only took the medicine so I will give birth for the baby to be healthy, but in my 9th month when I went to the hospital I was told I lost the baby in my womb”.

 

Unfortunately, such cases of abuse and defilement are not reported for appropriate redress.

 

Afia, now 19years, could not further her education after completing junior high school.

 

She believes she would not have fallen prey and suffered such an ordeal if she could access a sanitary pad at her tender age.

 

“I had a dream to achieve; I wanted to become a journalist and an author of books. If I had the opportunity to be in school, my life would be far better than it is today,” she sobbed.

 

Hazardous menstrual care

 

There are tales of girls folding newspapers to absorb blood during menstruation. Some tear their exercise books for the purpose and others use polythene bags.

 

In other instances, girls use their socks, polythene bags, leaves and paracetamol to control their menstrual flow.

 

These are some of the untold stories of girls who cannot access sanitary pads.

 

“These girls are from poor homes and so cannot afford the cost of sanitary pads. This is why we ask the government to subsidize the price of sanitary pads,” said Josephine Kwarteng, Girls Coordinator at the Ghana Education Service in the Amansie Central District.

 

May 28 is World Menstrual Hygiene Day, commemorated with the objective of combating period poverty – a state of girls’ inability to afford sanitary pads at that time of the month.

 

Individuals, groups and institutions are encouraged to spearhead the free distribution of sanitary pads to girls in deprived communities.

 

The compassionate exercise is to help end period poverty and its associated challenges of infections, reduced school hours, stigma and abuse of dignity.

 

By Kofi Adu Domfeh