A place we can be proud to defend when called upon
Join the race, this is the time
This is our world to make or mar it
It is a gift to us all from God
Let’s do our best to keep it fit for all
Join the race, now is the time
You can do it, I can do it
Don’t let’s wait for somebody somewhere
That somebody somewhere is you and I
Why not rise and join the race now
Now is the time to join the race
Now is the time for us to connect to nature
The time to connect nature to people
Join the race and let’s all make it happen
Officials of CEGDEC with members of the Young Professionals Fellowship (YPF) observing the World Environment day
Titled: “Join the Race,” the poem above was composed by Yemisi Adedigba, Programme Officer, Conservative Environmental Growth and Development Centre (CEGDEC), in the spirit of this year’s World Environment Day (WED).
The WED 2017 was commemorated by CEGDEC with the Young Professionals Fellowship (YPF), a platform of diverse professionals in Lagos on Saturday, June 3, 2017 during a seminar organised to connect with nature.
An interactive seminar commenced with the poem, which appears to challenge everyone to play a good role in keeping planet Earth safe.
“Professionals with standard and genuine winning in what they do for the nation cannot but take cognisance of the environment and everything nature has offered,” says Maryam Temitayo Olayeni, Executive Director of CEGDEC.
A professional, according to Adekunle Raphael-Monehin, founder of the Adorable Vision, is one with an immense value, who is winning in what he or she does by adding values to the human race.
“The environment plays a great role in supporting every man’s pursuit, so, it must be treated well. A clean and beautiful environment is always pleasing to the eyes and mind. A school of thought even agrees that it is therapeutic,” notes Adedigba. “Therefore, the time to take positive steps to appreciating nature and its constituents is now.”
Adedigba further states: “Practical steps to identify with nature by professionals and everyone alike can be developing a culture of Reuse, Reduce and Recycle (3Rs) of waste management. In offices, do not throw away waste paper, instead, shred and give them to recyclers. We do not have to buy paper bag each time we go shopping, so, do not dispose of the paper materials used for packaging your newly purchased items, rather, give recyclers. Make a conscious effort to separate paper from other domestic wastes and give it to recyclers near you. You can pioneer one if they are not available.”
Olayeni stresses: “The inspired professional champions have passion for God, the creator of all gifts and talents to help them on accelerating their professional purposes and also appreciate nature, the handiwork of the creator.”
Waterside and slum dwellers, under the aegis of their umbrella body, the Nigerian Slum / Informal Settlement Federation (Federation), say they stand with the families of two of their colleagues who were slain in the course of the violent April 2017 forced evictions at Otodo Gbame community in Lagos.
Mourners beside the coffin of one of the two person slain in the course of the violent April 2017 forced evictions at Otodo Gbame community in Lagos. Photo credit: Omoregie Osakpor
At a funeral procession on Saturday, June 4, 2017 for the late Daniel Aya and the late Elijah Avonda, the mourning settlers called for justice for their families and all Otodo Gbame evictees.
“We stand together with all our brothers and sisters from Otodo Gbame community to call for justice for their families and for all persons forcibly evicted from November 2016 and April 2017,” they chorused.
Described by the settlers as a “violent land grab”, the activities that resulted in the forcible eviction of over 30,000 residents of Otodo Gbame began on November 9-10, 2016, during which an excavator and arson attack destroyed the vast majority of the community, with at least 11 people reported drowned fleeing into the Lagoon.
The Lagos State Government allegedly resumed demolitions on March 17-21, 2017, before peaceful protests by residents temporarily stopped the forced eviction.
“But, the state government finally returned on April 9, 2017 to chase all remaining residents off the land and the waterfront that was their only home, shooting bullets and teargas and setting all remaining homes ablaze with kerosene,” the Federation claimed in a statement.
Aya, a young man reportedly born and raised in Otodo Gbame, was said to have been shot in the neck by policemen attached to the Lagos State Task Force as he tried to salvage his family property during the violent evictions of April 9, 2017. Although residents tried to carry him to hospital, he died from profuse bleeding before he could reach medical treatment. He leaves a wife and two young children.
The statement further reads: “Five others were shot that day as Task Force recklessly sprayed bullets to scatter fleeing evictees, among them Monday Idowu, a 17-year-old student who was shot in the chest. Unlike Aya, these were able to reach medical treatment before it was too late and survived their wounds.
“Avonda Elijah, a 42-year-old fisherman, was shot and killed the morning before the final demolition of Otodo Gbame. On April 8, 2017, a gang of thugs invaded the community and attacked a group of residents, attempting to abduct one of them. Avonda Elijah, who was just returning from fishing, chased them and was shot severally in the course of rescuing his neighbor. He died on the spot, leaving two wives and 10 children bereft and without their breadwinner.
“The murders of Aya Daniel and Avonda Elijah were promptly reported to the police and their bodies taken to the mortuary where required autopsies have been performed. However, up to day no arrests have been made in connection with their murders and no one charged. We demand swift action by the Nigerian Police Force to bring their killers to book – especially those from within the police force – and see that justice is done so their families can have rest of mind.
“The tragic loss of life and forced displacement of over 30,000 people is to make way for an upscale real estate development called the Imperial International Business City, a joint venture between the Elegushi Royal Family and ChannelDrill Resources Limited. The project is advertised as ‘an exclusive peninsula’ between Lekki Phase I and NICON Estate – one of the most valuable pieces of real estate in the city – and a number of foreign investors and companies are already involved. The Lagos State Government has confirmed its approval of and support for the project.
“We condemn – and call on others to join us in condemning – the violence, impunity, and brazen disregard for the rule of law being demonstrated by the Lagos State Government, which is incongruous with a democratic society and the aspiration to be a global leader among megacities.
“A true global megacity cannot be successfully built on the blood of the urban poor. A true global megacity must be inclusive and harness the talents of all its residents to bring development to all. We must all stand with Otodo Gbame to ensure they see justice and a return to the rule of law, and to enable us to build Lagos as an inclusive megacity we can all be proud to call home.”
Speaking at the G7 Bologna Environment Ministers’ Meeting on Sunday, June 11, 2017, the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Patricia Espinosa, said that the national climate action plans (“Nationally Determined Contributions”, or “NDCs”) governments have put forward under the Paris Climate Change Agreement are as much sustainable development plans as they are climate action ones. According to her, the climate agenda requires solutions from every ministry in order to speed faster and at scale
Patricia Espinosa with G7 Environment Ministers in Bologna, Italy
These are two topics, but one agenda – namely how, on a planet of over six billion people rising to over 10 billion by 2050, can we implement a holistic and integrated development path that minimises environmental damage and degradation and maximises economic and social opportunities for all.
In 2015, nations adopted the Paris Climate Change Agreement and a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Goal 13 refers specifically to climate action; however, achieving all 17 goals requires efforts to address climate change.
These two inseparable pathways are our shared vision of a better, less risky, less insecure, and more peaceful and prosperous future for this and the next generations.
I am grateful for the opportunity to provide a UN perspective and to outline briefly where we are on this transformational journey and what needs to be done now.
I would also like to thank Italy and Connect4Climate for the All 4 the Green initiative, which supports public awareness about sustainability. Bringing people into this discussion is crucial.
We need governments, we need business, we need cities, territories and regions to all act in concert. But we also need an aware and an engaged public to make their contribution and to motivate us all to take the next, ambitious steps.
Because in the end, and however you look at these interlinked issues, it is all about people.
I was just in New York for the Oceans Conference where, with UN Deputy Secretary General Amina J Mohammed, we received a petition with two and a half (2.5) million signatures of people who support the Paris Climate Change Agreement and action on oceans.
We were also with Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of the Pacific island of Fiji and incoming president of the next UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany in November, who said: “Rising sea levels, as well as ocean acidity and warmer waters have a direct effect on our reefs and fish stocks and the prosperity of our coastal communities.
“So oceans and climate change aren’t separate. They are interlinked,” said Mr Bainimarama, again underlining the inseparability and interconnectedness of the new journey the world is on.
Let me share with you what has happened since the Paris Agreement and the SDGs were adopted in December 2015 and spotlight some issues that require your help and your guidance.
As you know the Agreement entered into force in less than 12 months. Right now, the number of Parties who have ratified the Paris Agreement stands at 148 – and more are ratifying monthly.
It signals an incredible sense of enthusiasm and ownership by nations North and South, East and West.
But the job is not complete. The Agreement needs implementation guidelines, or some might say an “operating manual”, so its full potential can be harvested now and over the years and decades to come.
That work is underway and will continue in earnest at the November UN climate conference: it needs to be completed by the end of 2018 at the following UN climate conference in Poland.
Your leadership and support can play a crucial role in ensuring this process is on track and delivers on time.
2018 is also a key year for governments to assess and take stock of how they are doing in terms of meeting the Paris Agreement.
Currently we know that what countries have pledged collectively will not, as yet, meet the goal of a better, more secure and prosperous world.
So collectively, we need to raise our sights and our ambition and 2018 is an opportunity for ministers to articulate this.
2018 will also see a scientific assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on prospects and scenarios for keeping a global temperature rise to not just well below 2 degrees C, but 1.5 degrees C. I feel privileged to participate in today’s dialogue with the President of the IPCC, Dr. Lee, whose work has been fundamental for our process.
For the peoples of many small islands like Fiji, but also those living on vulnerable coastlines across the globe, keeping a temperature rise as low as possible may be crucial for their very survival.
These enabling frameworks of the Paris Agreement, including support to developing countries to achieve their plans, are going to be key for scaling-up ambition at speed and at scale across nations, economies and sectors.
It is happening – let me give you a few examples.
In April this year the UN Environment released their annual assessment of renewable energy.
It showed that in 2016 new renewable power capacity installed world-wide was up 8 percent as costs continued to fall for each unit of electricity.
The growing penetration of clean energy globally was cited by the International Energy Agency this year as one reason why, by some measures, greenhouse gas emissions have stayed flat for three years running despite global economic growth rising by over 3 percent.
Oil and gas is on board. Saudi Arabia announced a $50 billion push to develop renewables; the head of OPEC confirmed support for the Paris Agreement and Exxon shareholders recently voted to review climate-related risks.
In transportation – countries are now switching to all-electric car sales, international aviation is flying thousands of bio-fuel flights annually and car shares, bike lanes and electric fleet vehicles are transforming transport in communities.
In finance – green bonds, carbon risk disclosure and the environmental, social, and corporate governance principles are promoting long-term prosperity.
In businesses – sustainable supply chains, efficient operations and clean energy, all make a real, bottom-line difference at a moment when consumers want responsibility.
In local government and legal structures – cities and regional governments with billions of people and a huge percentage of global GDP are acting on climate change. And we now have more than 1,200 climate-related laws globally, which is key for accountability.
This momentum is also seen in the increasing understanding of the wealth to economies and the contribution to human well-being, of what you might call “soft-infrastructure” – the world’s forests, soils and agricultural systems.
Again, how we manage these nature-based assets can either slow or accelerate the sustainable development of nations and the security of our only home: Earth.
Just look at the benefits of better managing and conserving mangroves, salt marshes and sea grasses. These ecosystems form a natural barrier against extreme weather and promote healthy lives and livelihoods as fish hatcheries, feeding millions and providing jobs – and absorbing the equivalent of perhaps half the world’s transport emissions.
Indeed every positive action on climate has positive sustainability benefits and vice versa.
The move to clean energy reduces air pollution, improving public health while generating millions of new kinds of decent jobs.
Sustainable, low-emission transportation connects people and products across the world in ways that cut costs and reduces environmental harm.
Greening the financial architecture provides stable returns and ensures one person’s retirement doesn’t come at the expense of the next generation.
So there are many, many examples of good news – and there needs to be, because time is not on our side.
NASA, the US space agency, reported in March that the extent of sea ice in the Arctic and around Antarctica hit record lows.
The UN’s World Meteorological Organisation this year confirmed that 2016 was the warmest year on record – a remarkable 1.1 °C above the pre-industrial period, which is 0.06 °C above the previous record set in 2015
The World Meteorological Organisation’s report also underlined that levels of greenhouse gases continue to rise in the atmosphere and that climatic impacts are being felt in many parts of the world.
As the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said only a few days ago, climate change goes to the heart of the UN’s mission: “The moral imperative for action is clear. As regions become unlivable, more and more people will be forced to move from degraded lands to cities and to other nations”.
“We see this already across North Africa and the Middle East. That is why there is also a compelling security case for climate action,” he said.
Climate action is squarely at the centre of sustainable development as action on sustainable development is at the centre of climate.
The Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs Parties have put forward are as much sustainable development plans as they are climate ones. At the national level, this agenda requires solutions from every ministry in order to speed faster and at scale.
I therefore encourage you all to engage with other ministers – of finance, of energy, land use, transportation and more to find solutions that work for your country and inspire others.
Let me be candid, the transformation envisaged in the Paris Agreement and the SDGs will not be plain sailing, there will be bumps along the road: political, economic and social. But we at the United Nations are committed to continue working with all governments and partners to fast forward climate action and strive towards our common sustainable development goals.
As members of the G7, you have a great deal to contribute that can benefit your economies and support the rest of the world.
Let me close by mentioning finance, because this transition will not happen without it.
A new report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Investing in Climate, Investing in Growth argues that “bringing together the growth and climate agendas” could add one percent to average economic output in the G20 countries by 2021 and lift 2050 output by up to 2.8 percent.
If the economic benefits of avoiding climate change impacts such as coastal flooding or storm damage are factored in, the net increase to GDP in 2050 would be nearly 5 percent
Infrastructure is at the heart of economic growth and yet there has been chronic underinvestment in most G20 countries
Limiting the global temperature rise to below 2 degrees, in line with the Paris Agreement, will require $6.9 trillion per year in infrastructure investment between now and 2030, only 10% more than the carbon-intensive alternative
However, climate-friendly infrastructure is more energy-efficient and would lead to fossil fuel savings totaling $1.7 trillion annually, more than offsetting the incremental cost, says the OECD report
Sustainable development is this generation’s responsibility and its opportunity. It goes to the heart of the kind of world we all want.
Beyond the numbers, we can protect the wellbeing of every living being – every man, woman and child – on this one planet we all share and we all ultimately depend upon. This must be the legacy we leave and the inheritance we hand on to our children and grandchildren.
I look forward to welcoming you to our home city of Bonn in November this year for the next round of negotiations, where we can together write the next inspiring chapter of history, security and prosperity in the making.
In an effort to transform Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) into a smart city, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has undertaken an initiative aimed at developing a five-year (2018-2022) strategic physical plan for the showpiece city.
Abuja
The plan, it was gathered, is aimed at transforming the FCT into a modern city and making it compatible with the current realities like climate change.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the EnviroNews last week in Abuja during a three-day Consultative Meeting on the Development of the Five-year Strategic Master Plan for the FCT, the Deputy Director in charge of International Cooperation of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Mohammed Lawal Abubakar, disclosed that the strategic plan would guide the development of the FCT.
He explained that subsequent budgets of the FCT would be tailored towards making the FCT one of the best capital cities in the world.
He noted that even though there are sectoral plans for the FCT which are being implemented over the years, the strategic plan is a holistic one that will enable the capital city to develop fast and make it compatible with modern realities of the time.
While applauding the UNDP for the support in developing the strategic plan, Abubakar said: “This is just the beginning. After this, we are going to have the validation process, wherein the minister, the permanent secretary, the directors and the secretaries will sit and look at what we have done here and agree with it.
“This is just like the stakeholdership. They want to hear from the FCT, what they want to do and how they want to do it. After this, there will be another phase using this document. The resource persons will go round all these Secretariat, Department and Agencies (SDAs) and work closely with them to bring out the facts and figures about the strategic plan.”
Participants at the Consultative Meeting
On his part, the Team Leader, Governance of Environmental Resources and Risks Programme of the UNDP, Muyiwa Odele, disclosed that the strategic plan, when developed, would integrate waste management system in the FCT to take care of the growing population.
He disclosed that the meeting was premised on the recent high level engagement between the Minister of the FCT and the UN Resident Coordinator, Edward Callon.
The two leaders, according to him, during the high level engagement, reached a consensus on the need to transform Abuja into a modern city with the support of UNDP.
“The vision, actually is to develop a strategic plan that will help to transit Abuja into a smart city and use the opportunity to take stock of the level of implementation of the Abuja Master Plan, review it and make it compatible with the realities like making it climate change compatible, urban development plan that can then be resourced, guide investment and fully functional city working and efficient waste management system.
“This is the first stage in the entire process which is bringing together all the entire ministries to brainstorm and identify the gaps and what they feel should be the content of the strategic plan.
“We will have the strategic plan and have the review of the Abuja Master Plan and then have what we have called an integrated waste management system in Abuja to take care of the growing population.
“Therefore, UNDP is working with the FCT under the leadership of the minister as well the UN Resident Coordinator as a result of that high level engagement where they both identified the need to make Abuja a more efficient city, a cleaner city and a smarter city.”
While explaining the rationale behind the review of the Abuja Master Plan, Odele said: “Now there are new realities about climate change, energy efficient buildings, integrated solid waste management, sustainable cities that are integrated, application of ICT with cities, rail system, to make the city efficient and functional.
“It is not that there is anything wrong with the former plan, there are new realities, new technologies and it will not be to anybody’s interest not to review the plan.”
Responding to questions from EnviroNews, a consultant who pleaded not to be named commended the UNDP and the FCT for the initiative to have a strategic plan for the capital city.
According to him: “For many years Abuja, the FCT has been operating without a strategic plan and even when they have, because of the dynamic nature of the world and the society, there is the need to constantly review the plan.”
The strategic plan, he noted, “will define where you want to go and how you want to get there.
“A lot of things are changing in the world and a lot of cities are becoming smart. Nigeria has been talking about becoming among the first 20 countries in the world by the year 2020, but the year 2020 is already at the corner but we are not yet there.
“Defining the strategic plan is how to get to the best; that is why we are here to define a five-year strategic plan for the FCT.”
He further explained that the consultative meeting is for the stakeholders to define how they want to get there to make the Abuja city what they are thinking.
He, therefore, called for regular consultation and awareness creation to enable the stakeholders key into the strategic plan.
The consultant called on the other states of the federation to review their plans to make their capital cities a model one and compatible to modern realities.
“I appeal to other cities and state capitals to toe the same line to continue to redefine their strategic plans for the good of our people,” he said.
Ahead of the writing of the Paris Rulebook and preparations for the 2018 Facilitative Dialogue, Major Groups attending this year’s Pre-AMCEN sessions have called on African governments to take stock of the current status of implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and identify barriers that need to be addressed with a view to enhancing ambition beyond what currently exists as NDCs.
Samuel Ogallah Samson of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA)
Speaking at the African civil society workshop heralding the 16th session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment in Libreville, Gabon, Sam Ogallah of the Pan African Justice Alliance (PACJA) stressed the need for the 2018 Facilitative Dialogue (FD2018) to specifically highlight potential opportunities where countries can increase their ambition.
“The FD2018 process should as matter of priority recognise that collective ambition in current NDCs remains inadequate to pursue effort to limit warming to 1.5°C or 2°C. It should enhance ambition and commitment from Parties to make new pledges and submit updated or new NDCs ahead of 2020 which should be sufficiently ambitious to close the emission gap, and identify what further work is needed to enable countries to enhance their ambition, especially in countries with lower capabilities,” he said.
According to Ogallah, “African leaders must use the FD2018 to leverage lessons and best practices, in identifying ways to overcome barriers and opportunities to enhance the enabling environment, and engage in win-win climate and sustainable actions for Africa.”
Robert Chimambo of the Zambian Climate Change Network (ZCCN) believes that the facilitative dialogue provides “a veritable opportunity to collectively look into options on how current NDCs can be revised and new ambition generated to strengthen individual Parties’ contributions by 2020.”
Chimambo called on African ministers and negotiators to identify ways in which Parties could implement climate action in areas not covered by their NDC or surpass the ambition level outlined therein while exploring ways of fast-tracking the implementation of NDCs and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Many of the stakeholders who addressed the workshop urged African leaders, mayors, negotiators, private sectors, and other non-state actors to engage fully into the 2018 Facilitative Dialogue, and lead or champion specific actions and initiatives in various sectors.
They also called for the inclusion of non-Party stakeholders who are always at the front-lines of implementation in the facilitative dialogue’s examination of barriers and opportunities for greater ambition.
According to the African Major Groups, action from non-state actors can contribute to the achievement of NDCs, and can also increase their level of ambition.
2018 Facilitative Dialogue
The Conference of the Parties (COP) at its 21st session in Paris decided to conduct a Facilitative Dialogue in conjunction with the 22nd session of the COP to assess the progress in implementing certain COP decisions.
These decisions border on identifying relevant opportunities to enhance the provision of financial resources, including for technology development and transfer, and capacity-building support, with a view to identifying ways to enhance the ambition of mitigation efforts by all Parties, including identifying relevant opportunities to enhance the provision and mobilisation of support and enabling environments.
According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the first part of the Facilitative Dialogue will offer space for an assessment of progress made, with regard to the enhancement of pre-2020 ambition, and the provision of means of implementation.
It will also provide opportunities to exchange relevant information on all aspects to be addressed in this Facilitative Dialogue, and particularly provide the space to showcase specific case studies or initiatives related to ambition and the provision of support.
The FD2018 will be a focal point of COP23 in November this year as it is mandated to take stock of the collective efforts of Parties towards the Paris Agreement’s long-term goal in Article 4 and to inform the preparation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs), the next round of which are due by 2020.
Wednesday, June 7, 2017 turned out to be a day to remember as beneficiary organisations to the Global Environment Facility’s Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) showcased in Abuja a range of successful initiatives being undertaken.
The GEF-SGP in Nigeria, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), provides grants as well as technical coordination support to poor, marginalised and vulnerable communities through national non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs) to implement local environmental initiatives that also enhance their (the communities’) livelihood while achieving global environmental benefits.
The environmental benefits are in five focal areas of operations listed to include: biodiversity, climate change, land degradation, international waters and persistent organic pollutants.
Wednesday’s GEF-SGP Nigeria National Knowledge Fair and Exhibition featured:
Exhibition of projects,
Network and learning opportunities with environmental NGOs/CBOs,
Success outcomes of waste-to-wealth at the grassroots,
Ideas for businesses in the environment sector, and
Ideas for corporate social projects.
Graced by dignitaries, the event also entailed partnership presentation, dance drama, dinner as well as presentation of prizes to winners of the programme’s Art and Essay Competition.
During the Art and Essay prize presentation, laptops printers, certificates and plaques were presented to the first winners in the various categories of the competition held as part of the activities of the Knowledge Fair.
Ashley Mofaz from Bellina College, Akoka, Lagos State won the first position for Junior Art category. Obinna Chidoka, Chairman, House Committee on Environment and Habitat, presented the Prize.
Caleb Nnamani of Eletu Odibo Senior High School, Yaba, Lagos, got the first position for the Senior Secondary School essay category. The presentation was done by Ms. Elizabeth Olofin, a member of the GEF-SGP Nigeria National Steering Committee.
Mr. Oladipo Osibo of the United Nations Development Programme, Nigeria, presented the prize award for the first position of the University Undergraduate Essay Category to Mrs. Funmilayo Adeagbo, a student of the University of Ilorin.
A cultural troupe entertained the guest with a Gbagyi dance, to create awareness of climate change and to further reiterate the message of “no indiscriminate cutting of trees”. Guests were later treated to a sumptuous dinner.
A grantee, Mrs Kolo Mohammed (right), sharing a point with observersNational Coordinator, GEF-SGP, Mrs Ibironke Olubamise (right), discusses with a participantMr Oladipo Osibo of the UNDP (right) presents a prize to winner of the Art and Essay Competition, Funmilayo Adeagbo, a student of the University of IlorinDr Peter Tarfa (Director, Department of Climate Change in the Federal Ministry of Environment), Nnimmo Bassey (Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation) and Oladipo Osibo of the UNDP with members of the National Steering Committee (NSC) of the GEF-SGPNetworking at the Knowledge Fair and ExhibitionExhibitors and observers interact at the Knowledge Fair and ExhibitionWinner of the Art Competition sheds some light on his work
Leading non-state actors and civil society groups from across Africa have called on African governments to kick-start the process of designing an African Rule Book for the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Discussants at the African Civil Society Consultative Workshop organised by PACJA ahead of the 16th Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in Libreville, Gabon. They called on African governments to kick-start the process of designing an African Rule Book. Photo credit: CSDevNet/atayibabs
The book, according to them, will help in galvanising a robust presentation of African perspectives in the Paris Rule Book which is being formulated.
The call was made on Sunday, June 11, 2017 at the ongoing civil society consultative talks which precedes the 16th session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) in Libreville, Gabon.
Recognising the strategic importance of the Paris Rule Book to the implementation of the climate agreement, the non-state stakeholders urged African environment ministers to ensure that the continent is not left behind in the efforts at crafting the regulatory framework for the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
“We want an African Rule Book for the implementation of the Paris Agreement that will better measure and manage climate action and support in the light of varying quality and level of information included in countries’ national climate plans (NDCs),” John Bideri, the Co-Chair of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), said.
“An African Rule Book will help in scaling up actions and support at the right pace as many of the NDCs submitted by countries are not ambitious enough to achieve the Paris Agreement’s objectives,” Bideri added.
The urgency of the call for an African Rule Book is further underlined by the latest UNEP Gap Report which revealed that the climate plans submitted by all parties to the Paris Agreement can only limit global warming to 3o degree C if fully implemented and the conditions highlighted in the submissions are met.
This alarming report, according to Yamide Dagnet of the World Resources Institute, justifies the readiness of civil society groups like PACJA and WRI to mobilise resources and partnerships capable of supporting the drafting of the African Rule Book by African governments.
The Paris Rule Book
At the recent UN climate negotiations in Bonn which featured the 46th sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 46) and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 46) as well as the session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement, negotiations on the key elements of the Paris Rule Book began in earnest.
According to Achala Abeysinghe, a long serving legal and strategy advisor to the Least Developed Countries Group (LDC), “The Paris Agreement is just an empty shell without the Rule Book”.
The Paris Rule Book seeks to establish the rules and processes needed to provide the operational guidance for fulfilling the ambition of the Agreement and providing clarity on countries’ efforts to reach the global goal.
The rule book comes on the heels of the Paris Agreement which created an international framework that outlines what governments and wider stakeholders are expected to do strengthening the global response to climate change and limit the temperature increase to 1.5 – 2 degrees C.
It therefore seeks to flesh out how the global response will be orchestrated.
By 2018 negotiators are expected to reach an agreement on the rule book which will include details on how countries will communicate their efforts with regards to adaptation, climate finance, transfer of technology and capacity building, and how they will be held accountable for their commitments.
It will also establish how collective efforts will be reviewed, leading to scaled-up actions and support every five years; as well as create a facilitatory process for the implementation of the agreement and promote compliance.
The 193 Member States of the United Nations unanimously agreed to a set of measures that will begin the reversal of the decline of the ocean’s health as the five-day Ocean Conference came to a close in New York on Friday, June 9, 2017.
The outcome document, together with more than 1,300 commitments to action, observers say, marks a breakthrough in the global approach to the management and conservation of the ocean.
President of the UN General Assembly, Peter Thomson
The Ocean Conference, the first UN conference of its kind on the issue, is believed to have raised global consciousness of ocean problems ranging from marine pollution to legal and over fishing, from ocean acidification to lack of high seas governance. By including all stakeholders in the discussions, the Conference, according to the organisers, produced a comprehensive and actionable range of solutions.
“The Ocean Conference has changed our relationship with the ocean,” said the President of the UN General Assembly, Peter Thomson. “Henceforth none can say they were not aware of the harm humanity has done to the ocean’s health. We are now working around the world to restore a relationship of balance and respect towards the ocean.”
Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and Secretary-General of the Ocean Conference, said the Conference marked a major step forward for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Participants from member States, NGOs, civil society, the private sector, the scientific community and academia engaged in wide-ranging discussion and shared state-of-the-art knowledge and latest information on marine science and challenges,” he said.
“They showcased and put forward many innovative solutions, which can help us achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14, and through its interlinkages the other SDGs and targets,” he added.
Conference Outcomes Recognising that the wellbeing of present and future generations is inextricably linked to the health and productivity of the ocean, countries collectively agreed in the Call to Action (hyperlink: http://bit.ly/2rbdtqi) “to act decisively and urgently, convinced that our collective action will make a meaningful difference to our people, to our planet and to our prosperity.”
While the ocean partnership dialogues focused on the multiple problems and challenges the ocean is facing, all participants offered solutions and commitments to reverse these challenges.
The Call for Action was formally adopted at the conclusion of the Conference, as well as the reports from the seven partnership dialogues that have focused on scaling up solutions, and the voluntary commitments to action.
In the Call for Action, countries agreed to implement long-term and robust strategies to reduce the use of plastics and microplastics, such as plastic bags and single use plastics.
Countries also agreed to develop and implement effective adaptation and mitigation measures that contribute to ocean and coastal acidification, sea-level rise and increase in ocean temperatures, and to address the other harmful impacts of climate change on the ocean. The Call recognises the importance of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
The Call for Action also includes measures to protect coastal and blue carbon ecosystems, such as mangroves, tidal marshes, seagrass and coral reefs, and wider interconnected ecosystems, as well as enhancing sustainable fisheries management, including restoring fish stocks in the shortest time feasible at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield. Countries are called upon to decisively prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, and eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The commitments, in turn, address all the issues needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14 – Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources – and produced significant results:
Commitments made at the Conference indicate that the world is well on track to protect over 10 per cent of the globe’s marine areas by 2020. The commitments made during the conference add 4.4 per cent of marine areas to the existing number.
Many countries announced steps to reduce or eliminate various single use plastics, such as plastic shopping bags, which ultimately find their way to the ocean.
Numerous countries announced that they were stepping up their efforts to reduce the amount of sewage and pollution entering the ocean from land-based activities.
Many commitments focused on expanding scientific knowledge about the ocean and developing and sharing innovative technologies to address ocean challenges.
There were new commitments to protect and manage fisheries. Some countries announced “no-take zones” for certain fishing.
Commitments were made to establish systems that allow consumers to source sustainable fish.
New commitments were also made to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and to curtail fishing subsidies that are working to deplete fish stocks.
Ahead of the 16th session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) scheduled for 12th to 16th of June 2017 in Gabon, an Africa-wide civil society workshop on the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement, SDGs and Agenda 2063 began on Friday, June 9, 2017 in Libreville.
Participants at the pre-AMCEN talks in Libreville
Organised by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) in collaboration with the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Government of Gabon, the workshop is being attended by civil society groups from the five subregions of Africa.
The workshop aspires to provide an avenue for non-state actors in Africa to interrogate emerging global perspectives and actions on climate change and the implications of the Paris Agreement for Africa as well as the SDGs and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
According to Sam Ogallah of PACJA, “African civil society groups under the aegies of PACJA have vigorously engaged with different stakeholders on the urgent need to take forward and internationalise the Paris Agreement, implementation of the African Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa’s Agenda 2063.”
These engagements, according to him, are in recognition of civil society’s role in informing processes and influencing decisions taken by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) parties and African member states with a view to driving the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
“The Pre-AMCEN workshop offers us an opportunity to urge African governments to forge ahead with the implementation of the Paris Agreement regardless of United States’ exit from agreement as well as deepen our engagements with regards to the African Policy Dialogue on Climate Change, High Level Policy Dialogue on Sustainable Energy and Energy Access, African Parliamentary Roundtable on Climate Policy and Legislation, and the African Regional Post-COP22 Consultative Forum,” Ogallah added.
The AMCEN Process
This year’s AMCEN meeting comes after the 15th Session of AMCEN in Cairo, Egypt on March 2016; the UNFCCC-COP22 which held in Marrakech, Morocco in November 2016 and the just concluded UNFCCC-Bonn Climate Change Conference (SB46) which held in Bonn, May 2017.
The meeting provides an opportunity for African governments, represented by 55 African Ministers of Environment, to discuss challenges of the implementation of SDGs and Africa Agenda 2063 and a regional stocktaking of their performance at UNFCCC-COP22 and Bonn SB46 on the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Other key focus at this meeting will be on the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI), Africa Adaptation Initiative (AAI) and other issues closely related with the Paris Agreement which came into force on November 4, 2016.
The 2017 Pre-AMCEN Consultative Workshop is being held alongside the UNEP Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum ahead of the main 16th Session of AMCEN from Saturday, June 10 to Sunday, June 11, 2017.
According to the organisers, hosting the African civil society workshop at the sidelines of the AMCEN meeting is a recognition of the need to strengthen non-state actors analysis and contributions to respond in a timely and resolute manner to these key issues, focusing in particular on the role they expected to play in influencing governments, African Group of Negotiators (AGN) and related inter-governmental institutions such as African Union, UNEP, UNECA and Regional Integration Economic Blocs.
Wealthy Nigerians have been called upon to support the Federal Government in implementing the country’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) towards executing the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
Former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Professor Babajide Alo, who made the call during an interactive session with some environment journalists in Lagos, said Nigerians should be thankful to the present government for its decision to carry on with the Paris document regardless of the decision of US President Donald Trump to withdraw his country.
