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Africa: Activists Call On Rich Nations to Do More in Climate Change Fight

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Glasgow — Wealthy countries are not doing enough to stop climate change and the world is unlikely to meet its targets in the fight against global warming, African activists have said.

Speaking in Glasgow during the ongoing COP26 summit, the activists said very little progress has been made in efforts to ensure the world takes the much-needed turnaround from the climate crisis.

Although over 100 countries, among them the United States, have so far pledged to cut methane emissions by 30 per cent between 2020 and 2030, the lobbyists said this was not enough.

Kenya’s Mohamed Adow urged the US and other developed countries to walk the talk and commit to ending the use of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas), which are the biggest causes of global warming.

“We have spent too long talking about emission reductions without highlighting clear steps to end fossil fuel supply. Fossil fuel phaseout and energy transition are clear necessities to avoid the worst of climate change, especially for African countries who bear the least responsibility and worst effects,” said Mr Adow, who is a director at Power Shift Africa.

A report released by civil society organisations on Wednesday in Glasgow, shows that by 2030, the industry is likely to extract twice as much fossil fuels as would be consistent with a 1.5°C rise in temperatures.

The report, Fair Shares Phase Out: A Civil Society Equity Review of an Equitable Global Phase Out of Fossil Fuels, pointed out that the wealthiest countries (US, United Kingdom, European Union countries and Japan) were still not contributing their fair share of global efforts.

Mr Adow said Africa would only accept leadership from the US if it commits to ending fossil fuel production.

Commenting on the contentious issue of financial pledges made by wealthy countries to help poor nations deal with climate change, the activists said the promises were yet to be met.

In 2009, during a meeting in Copenhagen, developed countries, who are majorly to blame for the climate crisis having built their economies on the back of fossil fuels, promised $100 billion per year by 2020.

Impacts of global warming

Additionally, developing countries have demanded compensation, saying in most cases the damage caused by climate change is irreversible.

Ms Ineza Grace, a climate activist from Rwanda, said it was time to address the needs of those suffering from the irreversible and unavoidable impacts of global warming.