Twenty four African leaders have urged wealthier nations to fulfil their aid pledges for tackling climate change.
They contend that this will enable the African continent to enhance the fight against climate change effects for which it shares little blame.
The African ministers made the demand in a communique at the close of a three-day forum in the Egyptian capital Cairo.
It comes two months before Egypt hosts the crucial COP27 climate conference in Sharm El-Sheikh in November.
In the communique they urged “developed countries to fulfil their pledges in relation to climate and development finance, and deliver on their commitments to double adaptation finance, in particular to Africa”.
Former UN chief Ban Ki-moon revealed this week that the African continent emits only some three percent of global CO2 emissions.
And yet African nations are among those most exposed to the effects of climate change, notably worsening droughts and floods.
The African leaders said the financial aid was needed in view of “the disproportionate impact of climate change and nature loss on the African continent”.
“Africa not only has a low carbon footprint, but it also plays a key role in capturing greenhouse gases, including in the Congo Basin, which is home to the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest after the Amazon”, they said in the closing statement.
The communique urged rich countries to meet and expand climate pledges, and said poor countries should be able to develop economically while receiving more funds to adapt to the effects of climate change.
The document stressed “the need to avoid approaches that encourage abrupt disinvestments from fossil fuels, as this will…threaten Africa’s development”.
Source: Africafeeds.com
