Paris COP21: Hon. Awudu Mbaya Presents Africa’s Position to the Press

 By Tukuruh Rashid at the National Assembly

« One Africa, One Voice and One Position » is the slogan carried by the 38 member countries of the Pan

Hon. Awudu Mbaya

African Parliamentarians Network On Climate Change (PAPNCC) aimed at bringing to light Africa’s opinion on climate change at the Paris COP21 Summit scheduled for December 2015.

Honourable AWUDU MBAYA Cyprian, PAPNCC Executive President in a Press Conference at the National Assembly has 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.

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