The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), has called on African governments and delegates to CoP26 holding in Glasgow, Scotland to be resolute in their demand for climate change liability and payments for carbon debts by rich countries.
The call was made by the Executive Director, ERA/FoEN, Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo in a statement signed and made available to INFO DAILY wherein he said in recent times, rich countries have shown some appreciable effort to addressing climate change with a few countries as the USA, Germany and the United Kingdom taking the lead in renewed pledges to the UNFCCC climate fund to address mitigation and adaptation measures in developing countries.
He insisted that rich countries’ efforts so far have grossly fallen short of expectations and are unlikely to be on target to close the gap on limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
“A recent UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report warns that unless global greenhouse gas emissions fall by 7.6 per cent each year between 2020 and 2030, the world will miss the opportunity to get on track towards the 1.5°C temperature goal of the Paris Agreement,” he added.
According to him, to secure ambitious outcome, there is the need to addressing the lack of equity and fairness in addressing climate change impacts.
Ojo, noted that catastrophic events due to the impact of climate change compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic have continued to buffet vulnerable countries especially in Africa.
He stated that given the rate of fiscal responsibility and allocations in addressing climate events in Europe and America and the robust response to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an undeniable dichotomy between the rich and poor countries that betray the lack of equity and fairness in addressing these issues in the developing countries.
“According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, climate change impact will continue to be on the rise and with growing intensity hence the need for urgency.
The environmental rights organisation further disclosed that the historical carbon emissions released into the atmosphere jeopardises economic development of developing countries who must forgo their economic resources especially tarsands, coal, oil and gas potentials to combating climate change.
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The organisation added that it is “highly commendable that the UK government as host, has taken the decision to end support for fossil fuels sector overseas. This means that the government will no longer support the development of fossil fuel sector overseas including end to export finance and credits, funding for new crude oil, natural gas and coal projects overseas.
“Other developed and developing countries should embrace this UK policy while paying for the costs of alternative pathway in renewable energy options and the avoidance of potential carbon emissions from the production and consumption of such harmful development model,” Ojo said.
News5 days ago
