By Tukuruh Rashid
 |
| Hon. Awudu Mbaya |
The President of Pan African
Parliamentarians Network on Climate Change has said that one of the great
expectations of the Paris Summit should be geared towards the replacement of
the Kyoto Protocol. Hon. Awudu Mbaya made the statement will leaving Cameroon
for Paris ahead of the COP21 Summit which kick-started on November 30, 2015.
According to the Executive President of PAPNCC the protocol served as a good
start and should from now serve as a necessary step to achieving a further
international consensus that would prove to be more effective. The protocol he
added laid the base for such a future strategy by increasing the global
awareness of the issue, stimulating research into the area of global warming,
and providing an incentive for the development of science and technology to
help curb emissions. He however observed that the greatest challenge to that
end is that in 2001 the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, the United
States, responsible for 25% of the world’s greenhouse-gas emissions dropped out
of the Kyoto agreement. Environmentalists say the reason was that the drastic
curb of 7% on its emissions, as targeted by the Kyoto Protocol, would severely
harm the country’s economy. By withdrawing its support on mandatory emission
restrictions, one of today’s most influential countries is not acting as a good
example for the rest of the world.
« One Africa, One Voice and One
Position » whiich is the slogan carried by the 38 member countries of the
PanAfrican Parliamentarians Network On Climate Change (PAPNCC) seeks to bring
to light Africa’s opinion on climate change at the Paris COP21 Summit.
It should be recalled that in a Press
Conference recently Honourable AWUDU MBAYA Cyprian, PAPNCC Executive President
reiterated the fact that every individual, home, ethnic group and Nation must
join the struggle to mitigate fight climate change. According to Hon. Awudu
Mbaya, planting a tree nowadays is the most precious gift one can give to
humanity. Planting trees around water catchment areas he added can contribute
enormously in saving lives. He called on each and everyone to join given that
they (parliamentarians) are politicians and not scientist but have joint the
crusade.
Climate change has a negative impact on
national poverty eradication and sustainable developement, besides has
contributed a lot to global warming. Africa is a victim who suffers the effect
more as 75% of 350,000 people die annually as a result of climate change
related illnesses. Though climate change is an opposition to economic
prosperity, the Paris United Nations Frame Work Convention is battling to reach
a global agreement, which will replace the failed Kyoto protocol.
Hon. Awudu revealed to the Press that
Africa is going to the summit in one spirit and with resolutions arrived at the
Nairobi summit under the theme « Towards a common position on climate
justice and equity in the new world agreement on climate change ».
The Nairobi Summit he added called on
the developed countries compensate Africa on the damage they have caused them
through various means such as ; the Paris Agreement should ensure urgent
cuts in green house emission, and that an increase in the global average
temperature at all times should stand at 1.5°C above pre - industrial levels.
Also, in a bit to support the Green Climate Fund, developed countries should
indiscriminately contribute1.5% of their Gross Domestic Products (GDP) as
estimated by the World Bank. They should as well contribute the necessary
technology and finance to be able to compensate and transform Africa. But the
question remains how much money can be dispose that will be able to repair the
damage already done?
However, Hon. Awudu Mbaya concluded that PAPNC amongst other crusaders like the
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), Inter-Parliamentary Committee of the
West African Economic and Monetary Union (IPC-ECOWAS), are the eyes of
Africa in Paris looking deep to ensure that the declarations arrived at in
Nairobi is not made a death letter.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
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