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PAN AFRICAN CLIMATE JUSTICE ALLIANCE CALLS
FOR 1C
Posted
on February 25, 2010 by corymorningstar
PAN
AFRICAN CLIMATE JUSTICE ALLIANCE
African
Climate Justice Manifesto
We, the
undersigned people and organizations of Africa, call on the Heads of
State and Government representing the nations of Africa to embrace the
cause of climate justice, and to ensure outcomes to the climate
negotiations that implement the Kyoto Protocol and ensure the full,
effective and sustained implementation of the UN Climate Convention.
Africa
stands on the frontline of climate change. Across our continent, in
villages, in towns, on coastlines and deep in the heart of Africa,
people battle daily with a growing climate crisis. Our rivers run dry.
Our crops turn to dust. Seasons shift and change. The effects of climate
change are reflected in the expectant eyes of hungry children. In the
lengthening footsteps of women carrying water.
Across
Africa, a growing congregation of people suffers starvation and disease
while others, after freeing themselves from the grip of grinding
poverty, are shackled again by an increasingly hostile climate. It is a
cruel irony indeed that a people who have lived for so long in harmony
with nature, imprinting the lightest of carbon footprints on the earth
are now suffering and living in abject poverty due to the damaging
effects of greenhouse gases emitted by developed countries.
The
effects of climate change are real, we are seeing the consequences; but
they are not of our making. For over two centuries the industrialized
world became wealthy by drenching the atmosphere in carbon. They
plundered resources from every region of the world. On mountains of coal
and oil, they built cities of plenty. In great buildings they
constructed while triggering the climate crisis they shelter from its
effects. Those left outside are now told seek another path to
prosperity, while the sun beats down, or a perfect storm – not of their
making – gathers on the horizon.
Responsibility for the causes and consequences of climate change lies
principally with the developed countries. More than 70% of CO2 from
industrial sources was emitted by the 20% of people living in the
industrialized world. Africa’s contribution is less than 4% but still
home to close a billion people. It’s the industrialized world emissions
that occupy the atmosphere and consume the capacity of oceans and
forests in Africa and elsewhere to absorb greenhouse gases.
The
developed countries seek to continue their excessive emissions, while
neglecting their historical responsibilities. Based on their current
proposals, the 20% of people living in developed countries would consume
over 60% of the Earth’s atmospheric space (historically to 2050) while
the 80% who are poor will be consigned to live within the remaining 40%.
Through a global carbon market, the wealthy would purchase more of the
South’s fraction to “offset” their pollution.
Economists from the developed countries have valued the Earth’s
atmospheric space or “emissions budget” annually at more than a trillion
dollars. At stake in the climate negotiations is among the biggest
distribution of resources among rich and poor countries in modern
history. As said by one official, “olden-day land-grabs are replaced by
modern-day sky-grabs”.
To
achieve their objectives, developed countries are seeking to end rather
than implement the Kyoto Protocol, in violation of international law,
while they build a new treaty under the Bali Action Plan. They propose
global goals that risk untold suffering in Africa, while offering
insufficient emission reductions, and inadequate funding. Expectations
are downgraded. Processes are delayed. Pressure is mounting on
developing countries. Those who suffer the injustice of climate change
are encouraged to be “constructive”, while those who caused it “divide
and rule” through new country categories (e.g. “most vulnerable”), or
offers of early – but profoundly inadequate – finance, or other means.
We, the
undersigned people and organizations of Africa, call for a fairer and
more science-based solution to climate change. We, as Africans, stand
ready to play our part. But cooperation must be based on justice.
Climate protection cannot be negotiated and our development cannot be
sacrificed. We see the Earth’s atmosphere as a shared “global commons”
that should be fairly enjoyed by all – including the poor, future
generations and all of life. The people of Africa have a right to a fair
share of this commons and to the means to live well within it.
As the
basis of this approach, we call on developed countries to honor a
two-fold climate debt to developing countries:
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We
call on developed countries to acknowledge they have already used
more than a fair and sustainable share of the Earth’s atmospheric
space. They must repay their debt through deep domestic emission
reductions and by transferring the technology and finance required
to enable us to follow a less polluting pathway, without
compromising our development (an emissions debt).
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We
call on developed countries to compensate us for the adverse effects
of their excessive historical and current per-person emissions,
which are burdening us with rising climate-related costs and damages
(an adaptation debt).
The
outcomes agreed at the climate negotiations in Copenhagen must ensure
that developed countries address their historical responsibilities and
debts, while implementing the Kyoto Protocol (through the Kyoto Protocol
negotiations) and the Climate Convention (through the Bali Action Plan).
To advance the interests of Africa they must at a minimum secure the
following demands:
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1.
A
double deal in Copenhagen: “Save the Kyoto Protocol”.
Copenhagen must deliver a double deal: 1) a legally binding
agreement to implement the Kyoto Protocol; and 2) an agreed outcome
to implement the Climate Convention under the Bali Action Plan.
Developed countries must honor their legally binding obligations for
a second period of commitments under the Kyoto Protocol commencing
in 2013. We oppose the efforts of developed countries to end rather
than implement the Kyoto Protocol and to undermine the fundamental
principles of the Climate Convention.
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Mitigation: “Rich countries to cut over-consumption and
pollution”.
Developed countries’ historical emissions are denying Africa its
fair share of atmospheric space. To curb the growth of their
emissions debts, developed countries must halve their emissions by
2017 and go beyond carbon-neutral well before 2050. They must do so
under the Kyoto Protocol. The United States, which continues to
refuse to join the Kyoto Protocol, must find a solution under the
Convention and Bali Action Plan. We oppose any effort to appropriate
Africa’s fair share of atmospheric space or to create a global
carbon market to buy a further share.
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3.
Adaptation: “Compensate for climate harms”.
Developed countries’ historical emissions are contributing
disproportionately to climate change and its adverse effects on
Africa. The costs of climate change have been grossly
underestimated. Damage from disasters, droughts and other adverse
effects in Africa are rising rapidly. To limit and repay their
adaptation debts, developed countries must compensate Africa for the
full costs of: 1) avoiding harms (where possible); 2) actual harm
and damage; and 3) lost opportunities for our development. We oppose
any effort to establish adaptation as an obligation not a right, or
to use adaptation as a means to divide or differentiate between
developing countries.
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4.
Finance: “Polluter not poor pays”.
Developed countries have prospered through “cheap carbon” growth
while externalizing their costs to the atmosphere and to developing
countries. The costs are now born by Africa, as we mitigate and
adapt to a crisis we played little role in causing. To avert a
climate catastrophe and enable mitigation, adaptation and technology
transfer to developing countries, developed countries must make
available financing of more than 5% of their GDP. We oppose efforts
to shift the burden of financing away from developed countries and
towards developing countries or the market. We oppose the creation
of “unsupported” or “market” NAMAs (actions) as inconsistent with
the Convention.
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5.
Technology transfer: “Transfer the tools to adapt and develop”.
Curbing global emissions within a decade requires technology
transfers on a scale never before considered. We need a Marshall
Plan for Africa and for the Earth. Developed countries must remove
intellectual property rights and pay “full incremental costs” of
technology transfer to protect developing countries and to peak and
decline global emissions. As stated in the Convention, the extent of
developing countries’ implementation depends on developed countries’
implementation of financing and technology. We oppose efforts to
sell rather than transfer technologies, or to strengthen rather than
relax Intellectual property rights.
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6.
Institutions: “Equitable and accountable to Africa”.
We
call for new and enhanced institutions under the Conference of
Parties. We must move beyond the donor-driven arrangements of the
past to build institutions accountable to all. We call for the
following:
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o
Adaptation. To enhance action on adaptation, we demand:
1) a new Subsidiary Body on Adaptation; 2) an Adaptation Fund under
the Convention; and 3) a Work Programme on Adaptation.
-
o
Technology. To enhance action on technology, we
demand: 1) a new Subsidiary Body on Technology (an Executive Body);
2) a Technology Fund under the Convention; and 3) Technology Action
Plans in all sectors and all stages of the technology cycle.
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o
Finance: To enhance action on finance, we demand:
1) an enhanced Financial Mechanism (and Operating Entity); 2) an
Executive Board and Trustees; 3) funds for adaptation, mitigation,
technology and forests.
We
oppose efforts to extend the role of the World Bank or Global
Environment Facility. In light of their donor-driven governance, and the
persistent concerns of developing countries, these should be “rolled
over” into new and accountable institutions under the authority of the
Conference of Parties.
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7.
Other issues: “Fair not false solutions”.
We
oppose the use of false and unfair measures by developed countries.
They must not shift burdens to developing countries, or seek to
“divide and rule” the countries of the South, or to penalize
developing countries through trade or other measures. We oppose the
creation of global carbon markets or sectoral trading mechanisms, by
which the developed countries will take more of Africa’s rightful
share of atmospheric space.
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Shared vision: “Keep Africa Safe”.
We
call for a shared vision that keeps Africa safe. We demand binding
global goals for: 1) finance of more than 5% Annex I GDP; 2)
technology transfer to peak and decline global emissions; and 3)
adaptation compensation at full costs. These global goals must
secure the full repayment of climate debts. And they must be
sufficient to keep temperature increases on the African continent
well below 1°C (as a 1.5°C temperature rise in Africa will have
devastating effects, and as Africa will warm around 1.5 times the
global average). We oppose a goal of “less than 2°C” as threatening
Africa with catastrophic harm.
The
outcomes of the Copenhagen climate conference must advance Africa’s
interests. Africa must sign no suicide pact. Our longer-term interests
must under no circumstances be sacrificed to short-term financing or to
“beggar thy neighbor” outcomes that pursue the interests of some
developing countries at the expense of others.
We call
on our leaders to stand in solidarity with the leaders of any nation who
seek a solution to climate change that is founded on justice, builds on
the best available science, and ensures the well-being of Africans and
other peoples and countries. We will stand in solidarity with you.
For more
information please contact:
Mithika
Mwenda
Coordinator
Pan African Climate Justice Alliance
C/o All Africa Conference of Churches
Waiyaki way
P.O.Box 14205 00800 Westlands, Nairobi
Kenya.
Tel: +254-20-4441483, 4441338/9
Fax: +254-20-20-4443241,4445835
Cell: +254724403555
Email:
info@pacja.org
Web:
http://www.pacja.org
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