The African Stand on Climate Change

Africa’s single Voice on Climate Change

   It was heart warming to hear various leaders from Africa speak with a single voice at the just concluded global summit on climate change.

    The issue of climate change no doubts will and has started affecting poorer countries more, especially; in Africa as a whole. The single voice and stance is seen as a new development. This is different from the past when the continent never had a single agenda on global issues at world forums.

   Stand 

    Leaders from the continent were expected to ask for billions of dollars in compensation and that rich nations cut emissions by 40%. 

  The stand was taken due to the fact that, most nations on the continent have seen their environment damaged, climate changes occurring rapidly.

  East & Central Africa 

   Reports from aid agencies indicate those droughts are getting worse while the climate becomes more uncertain.  Kenya seems to be hardest hit with reports indicating that some parts of the country are getting hotter while animals are dying, water sources dry up also. This leads to rural-urban migration and over stretching of already choked facilities in urban centers.

 China’s Effects

  There is no doubt that China is the leading trading partner in Africa it is also one of the biggest if not the biggest provider of industrial waste etc. on the continent. Perhaps it is time for African leaders to ask China to clean up their acts on the continent to save guard the environment. After all making money and providing job by damaging the continent in the long run will amount for nothing.

  The Issue of Aid

  Though the world may sympathize with Africa, I will however call for caution when the issues of aid crops up. The questions are is the aid going to be in cash or is it going to be in terms of technical assistance and new technologies. Cash in Africa has always caused ripples in many countries with accusation of corruption against government officials and agencies that spread wide across the continent.

   Relevant Aid 

   The aid which most African countries need from my point of view is that of technical assistance and in general new technologies to replace the old industries which produce the (CFCgases) These types of help/aid will go a longer way to slow/tone down corruption accusation which the nationals are tired of hearing, but will help in safe guarding the environment.  Thereby ;encouraging necessary changes, there is no doubt the new technologies are far away from our reach as a people  and now that most countries lack the basic of life, climate change is still to many a mirage only in areas where its tends to be more visible.

 Also the aid should see industrialized nations train nationals on how to monitor and check for signs concerning the environment just as it being done in the West.

 In so doing, the 25million that suffered from food crisis last year would have found better, safer and perhaps cheaper methods of cultivating land for agriculture.

 Magbegor Ovie

 odyoba@gmail.com