Paris COP21: Hon. Awudu Mbaya Speaks Out on Climate Change, Kyoto Protocol and New Challenges

 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.

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