Africa wants to get out of the climate injustice it has been suffering for years. This is the main objective of the African Climate Week, one of the preparatory meetings for the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), scheduled for November in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The aim of this week, which opened on 29 August 2022 in Libreville, Gabon, is to unite African negotiators at COP27 around a common plea.
“The time has come for us Africans to take our destiny into our own hands,” says Gabonese Head of State Ali Bongo Ondimba, deploring the climate situation in Africa in unison with all the speakers. The continent is responsible for less than 4% of global CO2 emissions, but pays the highest price for global warming.
“Africa is obliged, with limited resources and a very low level of support, to spend 3% of its annual GDP to adapt to these impacts”, Sameh Choukri, the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs and President of COP27, added. He also denounced a “climate injustice” and blamed “many developed countries that have reneged on their commitments”. “There will be no reprieve or plan B at COP27,” warned the Egyptian diplomat.
100 million dollars per year is no longer enough
The pressure announced on the G20 countries by the COP27 negotiators is all the more relevant as the effects of climate change are expected to be more severe in Africa.
According to the latest analysis from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development’s (IGAD) regional climate prediction centre, the terrible drought in the Horn of Africa, the worst in 40 years, is likely to get even worse. The rainy season, which runs from October to December with almost 70% of the annual rainfall in some areas, such as eastern Kenya, will be late and with less rainfall, according to Igad.
Lire aussi-COP27: Africa receives only 12% of the climate finance needed
For Tanguy Gahouma, the chairman of the African negotiating group at COP 26 in 2021 in Glasgow, “the $100 million per year that was promised is no longer relevant because it no longer corresponds to the current objectives. They were promised in Copenhagen (COP15 in 2009, editor’s note) and now we need to move on to new targets that are in line with the realities on the ground. The roadmap from the African Climate Week will be Africa’s common position at COP27.
Boris Ngounou