Review Of Climate Chance Declarations

REVIEW OF THE CLIMATE CHANCE DECLARATIONS AS CLIMATE CHANGE ACTORS CONVERGE IN ACCRA FOR 2019 AFRICA CLIMATE CHANCE SUMMIT.

About three decades ago, the world converged in Rio, Brazil to mark a significant footprint of the international community’s concern about Climate Change induced risk on humans and development. Since then, Climate Change which manifests in global warming has gained prominence in international development discussions, culminating in the creation of a dedicated convention under the auspices of the UN – The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC. The convention is mandated to mobilize and coordinate the efforts of Member States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The UNFCCC, since its establishment, has facilitated a number of global gatherings in search of action steps towards averting climate change and its impacts. However, conclusions from these global forums have often times hit a snag, arising from contestation by ordinary citizens. Not only have these conclusions been described as inadequate, but they are also sometimes considered warped and false in providing real solutions for addressing the fundamental reason behind climate change. Besides, the conduct and organisation of the global gatherings create an atmosphere for exclusion, narrowing the space for citizen’s participation. The systemic evolution of this development does not provide a window for the ventilation of citizens views and concerns.  Increasing the frontiers of inclusiveness for Non-State Actors was recognised under the climate convention in Paris and subsequently incorporated into the Paris Agreement. In spite of global actions, Climate science records in 2015 and 2016 suggest a rather worrying trend in global warming. This called into action increased dynamism in efforts and the boldness to adopt true and responsive measures to abate climate change and impact. The dynamism must focus on addressing the fundamental driving force behind the climate change phenomenon.

Climate Science sufficiently informs that there is a correlation between fossil fuel development orientation and climate change.  So far two Climate Chance Summits have been held in Africa where declarations were made. These were the 2017 Non-State Actors declaration in Agadir, Morocco and subsequently, the Abidjan declaration in 2018. Essentially, both declarations took cognisance of the synergy between Financing and Adaptation and deployment of pro-adaptation local policies and actions. Another area of interest to the two declarations is energy. While the Agadir declaration was upbeat about a Just Energy Transition to propel a positive economic and social transformation, the Abidjan declaration was about access. The Just Energy Transition proposal is a propeller for future development and progress. Working closely with other actors remains appropriate, specifically with the scientific community in carrying out experiments designed to support climate resilience. This call has become more relevant in the face of a creeping momentum for technologies with questionable capacities to mitigate the effects of climate change. These include agriculture technologies such as Genetic Modified Crops and implications for biodiversity and climate change, Synthetic Biology and Nanotechnology. Climate Chance must endorse the civil society-led proposal for a dedicated Technology Assessment Platform that will interrogate technologies on sale and suitability for Africa. Let us be mindful of these proposed solutions to the climate change crisis. The solutions are in renewable energy sources and the world’s focus must be there.

BY NOBLE WADZAH, COORDINATOR OIL WATCH GHANA AND A MEMBER OF PIAC.