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Climate finance is essential in the fight against climate change
Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | The international community should honor financial pledges to support climate adaptation in Africa alongside debt relief as a means to secure a green and inclusive future for the continent, campaigners said on Tuesday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) underway in Glasgow, Scotland, the campaigners stressed that adequate financing, technologies and debt relief were a prerequisite in order to hasten green recovery in a continent reeling from extreme weather events.
Mithika Mwenda, executive director of Nairobi-based Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) said the continent deserved its fair share of climate financing, technology transfer and debt waivers in order to boost low carbon growth.
“Our special needs and circumstances as a continent that has borne full brunt of the climate crisis deserves attention,” said Mwenda.
“More importantly, we need green financing, debt relief and fair-trade practices as we chart a climate resilient future for our communities and ecosystems that sustain their livelihoods,” he added.
According to Mithika, African Group of Negotiators have been pressing for just and equitable allocation of climate financing at the Glasgow summit to support low carbon development in the continent.
He said there was a scientific, economic and political urgency to promote climate adaptation in Africa, cushion local communities from shocks including recurrent droughts, floods, cyclones, forest fires and communicable diseases.
Kate Nkatha, commercial director of Fairtrade Africa (FTA) said that robust financing combined with uptake of clean technologies is required to strengthen the resilience of the continent’s key sectors like agriculture and manufacturing.
Nkatha said that greening Africa’s supply chains and infrastructure should be a priority given the frequency and severity of climatic shocks in a continent whose contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions is less than 4 percent.
She called for investments in climate smart agriculture, less carbon intensive manufacturing and retail sectors in order to minimize negative impacts of rising temperatures on livelihoods.
Robert Muthami, a Nairobi-based climate policy analyst said COP26 presents an opportunity for African Nations to negotiate for a new funding package earmarked for nature-based interventions that accelerate green growth.
Muthami said that some of the climate resilience projects the continent should implement with speed include reforestation, adoption of renewable energy, climate-smart farming and water harvesting.
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Xinhua
