Doha must consider Africa’s challenges

By The NewsDay | Dec. 3, 2012 | 4 Min read

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference has convened this year in Doha, the capital of the oil-rich emirate of Qatar, on the Arabian Peninsula.

Opinion by Wisdom Mdzungairi

Dubbed the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP 18), an army of bureaucrats, business and greens are gathered – presumably to limit global greenhouse gas emissions to a level that scientists say will contain the global temperature rise to 2˚C and perhaps stave off a global climate catastrophe.

The World Meteorological Organisation released preliminary findings for 2012 highlighting extremes of drought, heat waves, floods, snow and extreme cold, as well as above-average hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin for the third consecutive year.

If past meetings are any indication to go by, national self-interest on the part of the world’s largest polluters, chief among them the United States, will trump global consensus when the meeting concludes this Friday.

In his victory speech on November 6 this year, just over a week after Superstorm Sandy devastated New York City and most of Eastern coastline lands, killing some 100 people, US President Barack Obama proclaimed: “We want our children to live in an America . . . that isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet.”

These are fine aspirations, but the problem is action is needed now to avert the very scenario that Obama has said he wants to avoid. The US, which remains the greatest polluter in world history, stands as one of the biggest impediments to a rational global programme to stem global warming.

While Africa’s voice has been growing in international negotiations, more focus is needed on climate change adaptation on the continent to protect those who rely on rain-fed agriculture for their livelihoods.

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Hence COP 18 must finally take the concrete steps needed to move towards a comprehensive agreement to address one of the world’s most pressing and immediate challenges.

Global citizens expect long-term vision and leadership from their governments to address the existential threats created by climate change. It is agreed that Doha presents one more critical chance for governments to stem the tide of emissions, step up support for countries bearing the brunt of climate change, and provide the financial assistance that these vulnerable states need to adapt and build resilience to a warming planet.

The COP 18 agenda is drawn from commitments made at previous COPs. Delegates are seeking a climate agreement positioned to begin in 2015, a second Kyoto Protocol period beginning immediately, and funds to support poor countries’ adaptation to life in a hotter climate.

These negotiations come at a time when climate science is clear and established on global warming’s impending threat to the planet. The world’s leading international climate change assessment body, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), strongly warns that the threat of climate change is real, and its impacts will become unmanageable if greenhouse gas emissions are not drastically reduced.

Despite scientific evidence, previous COPs have been characterised by mistrust of scientific evidence and by a general lack of urgency, discouraging a number of governments from taking action.

So a new spirit is needed at these talks – a spirit of trust, dialogue, urgency and collective effort to address climate change, which is one of the defining issues of our time.

Given the fact that the UNFCCC has just three years left to agree a fair, ambitious and binding agreement for the negotiations to succeed, leadership is needed.

Apparently, things have changed for Africa. Her empowerment in these international climate negotiations has really been growing over the last decade. The African voice is being heard more clearly and Africa has been much better about articulating and understanding where its interests are and pushing the climate change negotiators to pay attention to their issues. But the key issue is not being paid attention to, but adaptation to climate change. Many resources are being mobilised to reduce emissions and fewer to adaptation –that is a fact.

With approximately 70% of African farmers earning their livelihoods from rain-fed agriculture, the issue is critical for livelihoods.

If rainfall is going to increase, they need to be able to deal with more flooding. If rainfall is going to decrease in their areas, they need to be able to deal with more droughts. If there is increased variability, they need to be able to accommodate that, so they can get a harvest and get a meaningful livelihood every year out of their farming systems. And they need support in doing this.

A recent study by the Centre for International Forestry Research in Cameroon highlights challenges forest communities face in adapting to climate change, which could reduce their access to food, medicinal plants and firewood.