Accelerate Negotiations on the New Climate Deal. African CSO’s tell COP 21.

  Aaron kaahYancho (PAMACC TEAM PARIS)

The African civil society led by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) has called for an acceleration of a final climatedeal and for the provision of more fundsfor the protection of the rights of indigenous people in Africa. Thiscall was made during a press briefing which held over the heels of their protest rally that happened on the side lines of the ongoing Climate change negotiation in Paris.

Reflecting on the red lines for Africa Augustine Njamnshi from BCDP, Cameroon and Technical/Political Affairs Chair of Pan Africa Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) lamented the slow pace of the negotiations and said African civil society protest to demand for urgent action; adequate adaptation finance was in orde. “We were promised that emission cuts would be strengthened this year, they weren’t. Instead African countries are been saddled with additional load of paying for climate debt which they least contributed”. Njamnshi said.

Looking at what 1.5 means to a binding deal, Robert Chimambo, of Zambia Climate change Network said Africans stand point on this was clear and need no compromise. Robert  called on the developed countries to refrain from the tactics of playing for time, to one of action and concrete solutions. “We demand equity, fair deal and a legally binding agreement” Robert said adding that time was of the essence. He further added that developed countries must be mandated to pay their contributions on all elements including provisions of money for adaptation to developing countries.

Assessing the tortoise path so far taken by African civil society observers on COP deliberations MithikaMwenda, Secretary General of Pan African Climate Justice Alliance PACJA decried the slow pace of the negotiations. While frowning that more talking was going on than action Mithika challenged Africans to    stay united and strong in view of a new text from the Paris meeting. Mithika said any mistakes on Paris were a legalization of    a death sentence for Africa. “Any climate change deal that is leading to 3*C will cause untold problems of hunger, starvation, disasters, conflicts and wars in Africa and should be rejected”. The PACJA boss warned. Mithika called on all African Civil society observers to keep on tracking the events without compromise for the sake of the continent

Decrying while the developed countries were showing no sense of urgency in formulating a a new climate deal, Sam Ogallah of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) attributed this  to an  issue of self-interest and the horse trading that goes behind the negotiations. Sam charged that Africa will not be deceived by technical or procedural tricks in asking for a deal that is ambitious and with equity.

Reacting to the news that the US government was excluding itself from any future compensations on loss and damage, Panelists during the briefing all concluded that it was a retreat from the previous negotiations and advancement to a new climate deal. “We need to be alert”. Mithika remarked.Panelists during the briefing decried that this Paris climate talks could trigger even more serious   consequences for Africa if care wasn’t taken to protect the rights of the indigenous people. The Press briefing also tasked the negotiators to hasten up the drafting of a new climate deal rather than the ongoing delay tactics that were prevailing to give room for critique and feedback.

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