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Africa Moyo Deputy News Editor
African countries want to take advantage of hosting the 27th climate conference in Egypt this year to make sure their concerns regarding the fight against climate change are taken into consideration.
Climate change is adversely impacting the continent and the rest of the world through the rising number of cyclones and erratic rains resulting in food insecurity, among other challenges.
Yesterday, member States of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) converged in Harare for a two-day pre-COP27 workshop to deliberate on their challenges and establish a common position they will take to the resort town of Sharm El Sheikh.
Representatives were drawn from Comoros, Madagascar, Djibouti, Sudan, Malawi, Zambia, Kenya, Burundi, Eswatini, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.
The workshop started yesterday and ends today. It comes after Zimbabwe hosted its own stakeholders pre-COP27 workshop on Wednesday.
Comesa member States are today expected to put in writing their expectations, which should be taken to Egypt.
Challenges with access to funding for climate adaptation and mitigation programmes topped the deliberations yesterday.
Mr Herrick Mwewa of Zambia, just like many other presenters, called for the speedy provision of funds to ensure African countries can move with speed to meet their climate obligations.
Developed countries pledged US$100 billion at last year’s COP26 held in Glasgow, Scotland, so that they transition from fossil fuels to renewable energies that don’t have impact on the climate.
But there are concerns that the money is difficult to access while it also requires increasing due to inflation.
Mr Mwewa said it takes up to three years for funding, even as little as US$200 000, to be unlocked.
A representative from Malawi said as the continent heads for COP27, there was need for research on the effects of coal on the environment but whatever decision taken should not impact on economic development and people’s lives as coal companies employ thousands.
A Uganda representative said all countries have “peculiar circumstances” such as level of economic growth and if one country discovered oil or coal today, it should not be prevented from exploiting the mineral resources on the basis of climate change especially in an environment where the developed countries take long to release funds for climate adaptation and mitigation programmes.
The director climate change management department, Mr Washington Zhakata, said there was need for “African countries need to fight in full force at COP27 to ensure funding is released on time”.
“We don’t want to come out of Egypt with empty statements, but strong messages to help us unlock funding,” he said.
A Comoros representative called on African ministers of Environment to work together during COP27 to ensure funding for climate adaptation and mitigation programmes was released swiftly to ensure the continent paces up the fight against climate change.
Comesa’s climate change programme manager, Ms Edith Tibahwa, said they were ready to support member States to ensure key messages from the workshop were conveyed to the Africa Group of negotiators and be taken to COP27.
In his remarks, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said for effective implementation of the Paris Agreement of the region, “some of the measures need to be undertaken in a coordinated manner and concurrently by member States”.
“In addition, the international climate change negotiations process require that parties dialogue within the framework of their regional groupings on common positions of matters that affect them and ascertain divergent views before each Conference of Parties (COP),” he said.
“COP27 to be held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt presents an opportunity for the Africa Group to present challenges related to effective climate action on the continent.
“The Egyptian presidency is emphasising the implementation of the Glasgow Pact (of 2021) call to review ambition in NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) especially by developed countries; placing adaptation at the forefront of global action, review of the progress on delivery of the annual US$100 billion so as to build more trust between developed and developing countries and increased international collaboration.”
Minister Ndlovu said the Comesa region’s climate change regional resilience framework recognises the region’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. This, he said, calls upon the region to enhance its early warning systems and mechanisms for early recovery, private sector involvement and risk financing for loss and damage, informed risk regulation across the whole Comesa region, and decisions and leadership informed by knowledge and innovation.
“These should tie-in with our national and regional positions on various matters on the agenda at COP27.
“Climate change will continue to have a profound impact on the region’s trade, economy and our ability to compete internationally. Some of our comparative advantages in agriculture, energy production and tourism are directly threatened. This meeting (two-day workshop) should produce key messages that should shape our deliberations at COP27 and deliberations by our principals during the Climate Implementation Summit.”
Climate change is also affecting the Comesa region through numerous disruptions on its socio-economic fabric.
Droughts, for instance, are reducing agricultural output and hydro-electric power generation whilst tropical cyclones are causing infrastructure damage, forced migration and loss of life in some parts of the region.
Similarly, the rise in sea level is threatening coastal infrastructure such as ports, cities and tourism establishments, adversely impacting on the health, wellbeing and incomes of the population.
Online Reporter