The curtain fell on Friday, December 14, 2018 on COP24, this year’s global UN climate summit held in Katowice, Poland. However, negotiations continued throughout the weekend to reach agreement on specific parts of the ‘rulebook’ to be applied  from 2020 by the 197 signatories of the Paris Agreement, to limit global warming to 2°C-1.5°C relative to pre-industrial levels.

For two years, the 50 African countries that have ratified the Paris Agreement focused on the need to construct a specific, transparent framework for climate finance. African negotiators – including the AGN, supported by the bank – have also been negotiating to have  developed countries, largely responsible for global warming, to implement their  commitments. Developed countries are required to help developing countries conduct their ecological transition in line with the Paris Agreement made in December 2015.

During the two weeks of the conference, the African Development Bank assumed its role as primary champion of African interests and a steadfast supporter of African negotiators. In addition to its role as purveyor of knowledge, experience and expertise, it organised 50 panel discussions and conferences at its Pavilion,which bubbled with a wealth of views shared by 30  experts who led discussions across the subject of climate change in all its dimensions: water and sanitation, agriculture and forestry, transport and urban development.

The gender dimension, the role of civil society and the private sector, meteorology and related technologies, renewable energy and implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions, were other topics discussed.

“We see women who are losing their livelihoods; we see hungry children; we see communities reduced to dust by tornadoes and hurricanes. That’s what motivates us, that drives us, that makes us redouble our efforts to work to reduce the adverse effects of climate change on our communities,” said Anthony Nyong, Director of the bank’s Climate Change and Green Growth Department at COP24.

Nyong continued, “We will continue to work with those who are conscious of the urgency and the need to respond to the challenges facing Africa, and that is what we’re going to focus on: ensuring that Africa has the resources it needs, so that climate change does not completely negate the progress that the continent has made. We want to carry on building on the gains made, not make them all over again to then see them destroyed.

“Because the urgency is right there… the final decision of the COP ‘insists on the urgency of greater ambition’, but it does not lay down any time span and this does not bode well for developing countries in general or for African countries in particular, since they are amongthe most affected in the world by climate change.

“So, COP25, to be held in Chile, is already in our diaries.

“For the African Development Bank, the ‘fight’ continues, and the bank is determined to stay on the front line – always defending the interests of its 54 Member States and their people.”

South Africa on Tuesday, December 18, 2018 welcomed the balanced outcome of the recently concluded climate change talks in Katowice, Poland, the Minister of Environmental Affairs, Nomvula Mokonyane, said in a statement.

South Africa is comfortable that decisions adopted at the talks provide developing countries with flexible arrangements that allow space for institutional and technical capacity building on communication and reporting obligations under the Paris Agreement, Mokonyane said.

The talks, known as the 24th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC C0P24),was hosted by Poland, the COP Presidency, from Dec. 2, to Dec. 14, in the city of Katowice.

The outcome of the talks “resulted in balanced implementation guidelines for the Paris Agreement,” Mokonyane said.

“In this regard supporting the development of capacity is a key enabling aspect of the Paris Agreement,” she said.

The minister added that South Africa particularly welcomes the decision to extend the mandate for capacity building support for reporting by developing countries by the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) until 2026.

The CGE will play a vital role in enabling effective reporting by developing countries, thus enhancing transparency of climate action and support and ultimately enabling more climate action, the minister said.

During the climate change talks in Katowice, negotiators from nearly 200 countries agreed on a package of the implementation guidelines,or a common rulebook of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

The agreed guidelines mean that countries can now establish the national systems that are needed for implementing the Paris Agreement starting from 2020.The same will be done at the international level. 

A don, Prof. Magnus Ojeifo, has urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to reduce the impact of climate change in the country.

Ojeifo, a professor of Geography and Environmental Management at the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Edo State, made the call at a workshop on “Climate Change Impact: Mitigation and Adaptation Measures”.

The programme was organised by Inter-Africa Committee in conjunction with the Global Environmental Facility (GEF).

“The effect of climate change has challenged governments and organisations to take certain actions with the view to curbing global warming and reducing its effects.

“Efforts must be made by government to stop or reduce gas flaring and oil spills in oil producing communities,” he said.

Ojeifo said that programmes at curbing gas emissions had not been properly initiated because of lack of technology, poverty, poor legislation and policies.

According to him, climate change is the rise in the earth’s surface temperatures globally due to anthropogenic or human activities.

“Climate change, also known as global warming, begins with the greenhouse effect caused by the interaction between the earth’s atmosphere and incoming radiation from the sun.

“Its effect is increased through anthropogenic activities.What this means is that the atmospheric gases are primarily responsible for the greenhouse effect known as greenhouse gases.

“When water vapour, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4) and Nitrous Oxide (N2O) are released in large amounts into the atmosphere through human activities, it increases the natural greenhouse effect which results in rising temperatures globally,’’ he said.

The don described climate change as the most disturbing global environmental challenge, adding that the activities include burning of fossils, improper waste disposal, bush burning and deforestation.

He said that scientific evidence showed that climate change was likely to have negative impact on the global effort to achieve the United Nations’ SDGs.

“In particular, climate change will obstruct efforts to reduce the existing poverty being experienced by some of the world’s population.

“Climate change is also likely to lead to changes in the ecosystem, which will consequently contribute to degradation and reduce availability of water and food globally.

“It is therefore more likely to become the world’s major driver of increased human conflict,’’ he said.

Ojeifo also called on Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to tackle climate change challenges to improve and sustain the nation’s climate and environment.

He added that government should encourage initiative at developing modern technology that involved the manufacture of solar and programmes to support technological initiative for climate change.

In the same vein, the don said intensive agriculture, landuse planning, infrastructural provision, tree planting, and modern methods of farming as some of the adaptation necessary for sustainable growth and development.

Earlier, the Edo Project Coordinator, Inter-Africa Committee, Mr Felix Okoanegbete said that the organisation “is a grassroots one with actions that address global environmental problems ranging from deforestation to climate change.’’

“IAC is aimed at identifying community-based approaches that are relevant to the needs of the people.

“The organisation also supports projects that are relevant,effective and efficient in addressing grassroots issues of livelihood, poverty,gender equality and women empowerment in achieving global environmental benefits,” he said.

The IAC is an NGO operating in 28 states. 

By George Edomwonyi