A modern e-library donated by Shell to the Port Harcourt Literary Society has opened its doors to book lovers and other literary enthusiasts. The N1.03 billion library is one of the N2 billion social investment projects Shell sponsored in the Niger Delta to mark Nigeria’s centenary anniversary. The others are a hospital and sports centre in Bayelsa and Delta states respectively. Shell spent N790 million on the project that was implemented via a Memorandum of Understanding with the Port Harcourt Library Society, which contributed an additional N240 million.
The e-library donated by Shell to the Port Harcourt Literary Society
“SPDC invested exclusively on this library project because of its strong conviction that it will deliver significant benefits and positively impact the lives of the people,” said Osagie Okunbor, Managing Director of The Shell Petroleum and Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) and Country Chair Shell Companies in Nigeria, at the commissioning ceremony. “We are pleased to deliver an ultra-modern public library that would rank as one of the biggest and most IT-driven in the country. The feedback we’re receiving shows that the literary scene in the Garden City has already changed.”
Nigeria’s National Librarian, Prof Lenrie Aina, told journalists that the facility, named Port Harcourt Literary Society Library, is the “first complete public library in Nigeria,” because, aside from Shell ensuring supply of power, books and cooling, every comfort of book lovers was considered in the design and construction of the library.
Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, in a speech delivered by her Senior Special Assistant, Mrs. Inegogo Fubara, thanked SPDC for supporting the state government’s desire to provide sustainable and affordable education to the people.
Managing Director SPDC/Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor; representative of the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Ine Gogo Fubara; and Chairman, Board of Trustees Port Harcourt Literary Society, Chidi Amuta, at the inauguration of the Port Harcourt Literary Society Library donated by Shell to mark Nigeria’s centenary anniversary in Port Harcourt recently.
Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Port Harcourt Literary Society, Dr Chidi Amuta, said the library was designed to be the heart of the Port Harcourt Book Centre that was originally conceived to commemorate the recognition of Port Harcourt by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as the 2014 World Book Capital.
He added: “Oher structures awaiting donor evaluation and sponsorship include a writers’ hostel, an event centre/exhibition hall and a theatre. The Book Centre, like the Muson Centre in Lagos along which it is modelled, is conceived as a centre of culture and enlightenment.”
An elated Senator Magnus Abe said: “In everything Shell has done in the Niger Delta, today they have made a statement that will never go away. They have set us as a people as partners, in truth, because it is books that will develop the Niger Delta. So having associated themselves with books today in the lives of our children and in the lives of our youths, Shell has made an indelible contribution to the true development of this region. We will never forget you.”
The cynosure of all eyes at the event was 10-year-old Shawn Ene, who single-handedly raised over N250,000 for the donation of children’s books under the special support programme of Shell Nigeria staff’s volunteer group, Shell Employees Care. There were also poetry and drama performances at the commissioning of the library.
Delegates from 196 countries on Monday held up solar lanterns in a show of solidarity symbolising the transformation to clean technology which is essential to achieve the Paris Agreement goals.
Delegates holding their solar lamps during the opening ceremony. The gesture is a show of solidarity symbolising the transformation to clean technology which is essential to achieve the Paris Agreement goals
This took place as the 22nd Session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) began Monday morning in Marrakech, Morocco.
The solidarity show was at the behest of Morocco’s Foreign Minister and newly-elected COP22 President, Salaheddine Mezouar, who underscored his country’s willingness to host the conference as a demonstration of Africa’s commitment to contributing to global efforts at tackling climate change.
“It emphasises Africa’s desire to take its destiny in hand, to reduce its vulnerability and strengthen its resilience,” he said.
Together with Ségolène Royal, French Environment Minister and President of last year’s Paris UN Climate Change Conference, Mezouar handed out solar lanterns to all delegates at the opening ceremony.
Ratifying Paris Agreement
Acknowledging that the fact that the Paris Agreement is yet to put the world on track towards the goal of a maximum global average temperature of 1.5 to 2 degrees, as agreed by the international community in Paris last year, COP President Mezouar urged government delegates “to be more ambitious than ever in your commitments.”
“All over the world, public opinion must perceive change. It has to be a change at all levels, from local projects through to those that cross international borders and it must create genuine win-win partnerships,” he added.
In her last address before handing over the stewardship of the climate forum to her Moroccan counterpart, Ségolène Royal announced that 100 countries have ratified the Paris Agreement, which entered into force last Friday, a record time for an international treaty.
“We have made possible what everyone said was impossible, I therefore call on other nations to ratify the Paris agreement by the end of the year,” said French environment minister.
UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Patricia Espinosa, reasoned that whilst the early entry into force of the Paris Agreement is a clear cause for celebration, it is also a timely reminder of the high expectations that are now placed on governments: “Achieving the aims and ambitions of the Paris Agreement is not a given. We have embarked on an effort to change the course of two centuries of carbon-intense development. The peaking of global emissions is urgent, as is attaining far more climate-resilient societies.”
The place of climate finance
According to the UN climate chief, climate finance has to reach the level and have the predictability needed to catalyse low-emission and climate-resilient development. This clearly resonates with African Development Bank’s plan to triple its climate financing to $5 billion per year by 2020.
President of the bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, believes that its game-changing plan, the High 5s carries the prospects of tacking the impact of climate change on agriculture and how agriculture fuels climate change through a multi-pronged approach.
The first priority, Light up and Power Africa also deals with climate finance, adaptation and low carbon development. The bank has committed to triple its climate finance to US$5 billion a year by 2020, including by leveraging more finance from climate funds,”Adesina says.
Amid growing alarm at the gathering pace of climate change and its impacts – rising seas, deadly storms, drought and wildfires – the world’s nations have moved quickly over the last year to tackle the still-growing problem.
US election shadows
As 15,000 negotiators, CEOs and activists settle in for the 12-day talks in Marrakesh, all eyes are on the United States, where voting Tuesday could thrust Trump into the White House. When it comes to global warming, the stakes could hardly be higher, US President Barack Obama has warned.
“All the progress we’ve made on climate change” – including the Paris pact, decades in the making – “is going to be on the ballot,” he said.
Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has vowed to uphold Obama’s domestic energy policies and international climate commitments. Experts in Marrakesh say the Republican candidate cannot carry out his threat to “cancel” the still-fragile accord, but a Trump victory might cripple it.
“It would be a shock, and I hope we don’t see it,” Laurence Tubiana, France’s top climate negotiator declared. “But if Trump is elected, I am sure that Wednesday morning you will hear everyone at the COP say, ‘We’ll stick to the Paris Agreement’,” she added.
Engaging Non-state stakeholders
Latching on the call made by the UNFCCC Executive Secretary on full engagement of non-state actors, the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) representing small holder farmers, trusts, pastoralists, women and youth groups from across Africa made public today their expectations for COP22.
Demanding acceleration on actions to address climate change with real, measurable actions and rhetoric, Secretary General of the Alliance, Mithika Mwenda, urged delegates to provide a roadmap on the provision of adequate and predictable financial resources from developed country Parties to developing countries to enable them meet their commitments in their NDCs as stated in Article 9 of the Paris Agreement.
The civil society group also underlined the urgency in establishing a common and agreeable reporting and accounting framework for financial support to enhance transparency of actions and avoidance of double counting provide the required capacity building support to assist African Country Parties to meet their NDCs mitigation and adaptation commitments in the Agreement.
COP22 President, Salaheddine Mezouar, has promised that the Moroccan COP Presidency will be one focused on inclusiveness and transparency.
COP22 President, Salaheddine Mezouar
Mezouar, who made the submission on Monday at his first press conference as COP22 President on the opening day of the UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech, highlighted the positive energy from the opening ceremony earlier in the morning that marked the transition from COP21 Presidency to COP22 Presidency. He thanked outgoing COP21 President, Segolene Royal, for all of her collaboration over the past year in preparation for COP22.
He pointed to remarks from HM King Mohammed VI made on the anniversary of Morocco’s Green March (November 6) in which he called for Marrakech to be the COP of action. According to him, “southern” countries have high expectations from the Marrakech conference in terms of climate finance, capacity building and technology transfer.
He alluded to the fact that there would be several announcements made over the next two weeks particularly in the areas of capacity building and adaption, including the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Partnership designed to facilitate and strengthen capacity building support from developed countries towards developing countries.
The question around finance was raised, especially as related to projects in Africa. The COP22 President stressed that while the $100 billion dollar climate finance roadmap by 2020 for developing countries is a great start to leverage private financing, more needs to be done.
He expressed optimism about the emergence of green finance, including the Green Fund and said that COP22 would also concentrate on finding ways to optimise climate friendly financing, especially towards adaptation projects.
He noted that COP22 would be a COP of solutions, where partnerships, initiatives and projects will be made to reinforce capacity at the project level to help make them more “bankable.” According to the COP22 President, the key areas for climate finance to be addressed during COP22 are in renewable energies, water, agriculture forests and climate adaptation.
He added that one of the major initiatives that will be focused on during COP22 would be Morocco’s Adaptation of African Agriculture “AAA”. This initiative is designed to drive climate finance and technology solutions to smallholder farmers across Africa in order to boost sustainable agriculture on the continent.
The UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech kicked off on Monday (November 7, 2016), just three days after the Paris Climate Change Agreement entered into force.
COP22 President and Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Salaheddine Mezouar (left), with COP 21 President and France’s environment Minister in charge of climate related international relations, Ségolène Royal, at the opening of COP 22 in Marrakech, Morocco. Photo credit: UNFCCC
At the opening, Morocco’s Foreign Minister and newly-elected COP22 President, Salaheddine Mezouar, underscored his country’s willingness to host the conference as a demonstration of Africa’s commitment as a whole to contribute to global efforts to tackle climate change. “It emphasises Africa’s desire to take its destiny in hand, to reduce its vulnerability and strengthen its resilience,” he said.
President Mezouar pointed to the groundswell of momentum building around the world. At the same time, he acknowledged the fact that the Paris Agreement does not yet put the world on track towards the goal of a maximum global average temperature of 1.5 to 2 degrees, as agreed by the international community in Paris last year.
Addressing government delegates, he said: “I would like to invite you over the coming eleven days to be more ambitious than ever in your commitments. All over the world, public opinion must perceive change. It has to be a change at all levels, from local projects through to those that cross international borders and it must create genuine win-win partnerships.”
Together with Ségolène Royal, French Environment Minister and President of last year’s Paris UN Climate Change Conference, Salaheddine Mezouar handed out solar lanterns to all delegates in the room, as a symbol of the transformation to clean technology which is essential to achieve the Paris Agreement goals. The delegates then held up the lights in a show of solidarity.
In her opening address Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, said that whilst early entry into force of the Paris Agreement is a clear cause for celebration, it is also a timely reminder of the high expectations that are now placed on governments.
“Achieving the aims and ambitions of the Paris Agreement is not a given. We have embarked on an effort to change the course of two centuries of carbon-intense development. The peaking of global emissions is urgent, as is attaining far more climate-resilient societies.”
Ms. Espinosa underlined five key areas in which work needs to be taken forward, notably on:
Finance to allow developing countries to green their economies and build resilience. It is flowing and has to reach the level and have the predictability needed to catalyse low-emission and climate-resilient development.
Nationally determined contributions – national climate action plans – which now need to be integrated into national policies and investment plans.
Support for adaptation which needs to be given higher priority, and progress on the loss and damage mechanism to safeguard development gains in the most vulnerable communities.
Capacity building needs of developing countries in a manner that is both tailored and specific to their needs.
Fully engaging non-Party stakeholders, from the North and from the South, as they are central to the global action agenda for transformational change.
“Our work here in Marrakech must reflect our new reality. No politician or citizen, no business manager or investor can doubt that the transformation to a low-emission, resilient society and economy is the singular determination of the community of nations,” she said.
The 22nd Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP22) and the 12th Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP12) opened on Monday, November 7, at the Bab Ighli village site in Marrakech with the election of COP 22/CMP12 President Salaheddine Mezouar and the official transition from the French COP21 to Moroccan COP22 Presidency.
Left to right: Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Hoesung Lee; UNFCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa; COP 22 President Salaheddine Mezouar; and COP 21 President Ségolène Royal at the opening of COP22 in Marrakesh, Morocco, which officially assumed the COP22 presidency. Photo credit: UNFCCC
The official opening ceremony to the Marrakech Climate Change Conference featured remarks by COP22 President Salaheddine Mezouar, COP21 President Segolene Royal, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Chair, Hoesung Lee and the Mayor of Marrakech, Mohammed Larbi Belcadi, followed by a performance by a group of local drummers to set the beat for climate action over the next 11 days of the conference.
Segolene Royal opened the session by celebrating the entry into force of the Paris Agreement on November 4 and praised the close coordination between France and Morocco over the past year in the lead up to COP22.
“The rapid entry into force of the Paris Agreement is unprecedented and sends a powerful signal of world’s commitment to combatting climate change,” underscored the COP21 President.
Salahedinne Mezouar welcomed all participants to Marrakech for two weeks of climate action including the historic first meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement that will take place on November 15. The COP22 President called on all participants to commit to concrete climate initiatives and actions to support the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change especially in Africa, least developed and small island developing states. He announced that during COP22 Morocco, along with a number of partners will launch the National Determined Contributions (NDC) Partnership to build capacity and direct climate finance flows towards the most vulnerable. He reiterated the importance of accelerating climate finance, innovation, transfer and capacity building to create the low-carbon economy the planet needs to stay below the 2 degree Celsius mark of global warming.
“Paris gave us a global commitment to climate change and COP22 in Marrakech will give us more ambitious climate action. We must all rise to the challenge in support of the most vulnerable countries in the fight against climate change” underscored the COP22 President.
Patricia Espinosa emphasised the historic significance of Morocco and Marrakech as host of the UN Climate Change Conference. COP7, held in Marrakech in 2001 produced the Marrakech Accords and COP22 will feature CMA1 and the first global climate action agenda that will feature thematic showcase events, dialogues and a high-level event to call on more coordinated and ambitious climate action between States and civil society.
“We need to work together with speed and scale on all fronts” said the UNFCCC Executive director.
The opening ceremony was brought to a close by an invigorating performance by a local traditional Moroccan drumming group, “Ostina Tono,” who set the rhythm for the two-week climate action conference in the Ochre City.
After a week of field investigations and discussions, the 6th Regional Conference on Human Rights and Agribusiness that held recently in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia issued a resolution calling for moratoriums to halt the further hand out of concessions throughout the region. The meeting noted how land conflicts as a result of agribusiness expansion are proliferating and urged a pause in the hand out of licenses while community and indigenous peoples’ land rights are secured.
Marcus Colchester, Senior Policy Advisor of Forest Peoples Programme
“We have noticed that there is a failure in protecting native customary rights in the region,” said Marcus Colchester, Senior Policy Advisor of Forest Peoples Programme (FPP). “Land grabbing continues and native people are losing their land and rights. This needs to change. There’s a need for political reforms to close the gaps.”
The conference, which is the most recent of a series of events organised by the FPP in collaboration with the South East Asia National Human Rights Institutions Forum over the last five years, aimed at discussing and developing frameworks which can ensure that human rights obligations are binding on transnational and national agribusiness companies.
The meeting also examined the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil’s Jurisdictional Approach to palm oil certification, which the state of Sabah in Malaysia is pioneering. This innovative and promising approach will apply the RSPO standard to all producers in the state. The aim is to make sure that by 2025 all palm oil produced in Sabah will be sustainable and RSPO certified. The conference made concrete recommendations on how to strengthen the process so it upholds UN principles on business and human rights and addresses the marginalized position that indigenous peoples and local communities have with government agencies in local and sub-national areas.
Before the conference, some participants had the chance to join two fact finding missions organised by the Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS) and indigenous organisations Partners of Community Organisation (PACOS) and Sabah Environmental Protection Association (SEPA), with the aim of investigating the challenges faced by communities in Pitas and Bigor, Nabawan (Sabah) due to the development of land-based projects in the areas. The results of the missions were shared and discussed at the event.
“The visits to Pitas and Bigor were an opportunity for the communities to look for solutions about the areas,” said Jannie Lasimbang, Secretary General of JOAS. “The message we would like to convene is that we are going for agribusiness but we also want to comply with international standards.”
Following the fact finding mission, participants to the meeting also called on the Chief Minister of Sabah to heed the appeals of the communities in Pitas, whose lands have been taken over by a shrimp-pond development project leading to the destruction of mangrove forests and loss of local peoples’ livelihoods. It also called for a revision of the law on ‘communal title’, to close loopholes that are being misused to favour corporate takeovers of community lands without proper consultation and without securing consent from the communities.
“It is in our present mandate to stop the breaching of human rights in the agribusiness sector,” said Francis Johen, Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM). “This requires support from different stakeholders, most importantly the government.”
As the 22nd Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP22) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) gets underway at Marrakech in Morocco, Oilwatch International, a network of resistance to the negative impacts of the oil and gas industry on peoples and their environment, notes that, with entrenched fossil fuel interests represented in the talks, it is no surprise the Paris Agreement reinforces the ability of transnational fossil fuel corporations to continue to profit from the extracting and burning of fossil fuels.
Jubilation greeted the adoption of the Paris Agreement last December in Paris, France. But Oilwatch has denounced the global pact and demanded an urgent transition to a post-petroleum civilisation based on renewable and clean energy and respect of human and Nature rights. Photo credit: unfccc.int
It is now accepted that climate change is a major crisis that can turn catastrophic for the planet if real actions to avert it continue to be avoided. This crisis can only be effectively dealt with by tackling the root causes. The burning of fossil fuels by humans for energy is the primary cause. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, up to 80 percent of atmospheric capacity to absorb carbon emissions has been taken up by industrialised countries. The reality is that at least 80 percent of currently known fossil fuels must be left unburned to avoid catastrophic global warming and to avoid local destruction where fossil fuels are being extracted.
With these known facts, it would be expected that the Conference of Parties (COP) of the UNFCCC would focus on moving the planet from the pathway to catastrophic temperature rise. What has been seen, however, as exemplified by the Paris Agreement, is a clear denial of the fact that this crisis is rooted in the blind fixation on petroleum-dependent civilisation. The fact that the Paris Agreement did not as much as mention fossil fuels must not be lost on us. And neither must the reason. With entrenched fossil fuel interests represented in the talks, it is no surprise the agreement reinforces the ability of transnational fossil fuel corporations to continue to profit from the extracting and burning of fossil fuels.
Nations of the world have rapidly endorsed the Paris Agreement and now celebrate its record-breaking speed of coming into effect – a whole two years ahead of schedule. Oilwatch notes that this speedy endorsement of the Agreement is powered by the laxity it provides political leaders to appear to be climate champions and at the same time provide platform for carbon merchants, financial institutions and fossil fuel corporations to continue with business as usual.
Oilwatch International believes that the path to real climate action is the one built on the key principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) and of a strictly binding requirement for nations to cut emissions at source according to their current and historical responsibilities and capacities. The present platform of vague, conditions-ridden nationally determined contributions (NDCs) is comparable to fiddling while the planet burns.
Oilwatch International calls on the peoples of all nations of the world to pressure their leaders gathered in Marrakech, Morocco, for COP22, to wake up to the reality of the fact that the Paris Agreement is a business package that creates new market mechanisms under the cover of NDCs and allows for the final takeover of the world’s remaining forests. It is also a political document that avoids the actions that would avert worse weather conditions already assaulting vulnerable communities and nations across the world.
Oilwatch rejects the perverse celebration of an agreement that locks the world on the path of extreme extraction, destruction of territories, communities and of Nature. We call for the barring of the fossil fuel industry from the COP as a means of opening the door for real progress. We already have the example of the tobacco industry being kicked out of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), a critical pre-requisite for the success of its public health measures.
We denounce the Paris Agreement and demand an urgent transition to a post-petroleum civilisation based on renewable and clean energy and respect of human and Nature rights. The Paris Agreement positions the planet for a avoidable tragedy arising from a lack of both ambition and of action. Global warming is not waiting for politicians. Neither should citizens.
Oilwatch demands the recognition and payment of the climate debt as the true mechanism for climate finance and as reparations for centuries of pillage and ecological destruction.
Oilwatch salutes and stands in solidarity with citizens of the world fighting for justice at climate crime scenes, such as at Standing Rock (North Dakota, USA), Ogoni (Nigeria), Yasuni (Ecuador), the Sahrawi and those that have been displaced in order to grab rich lands for oil and mineral extraction.
We reiterate our call for the creation and recognition of Annex Zero communities, territories and nations that are KEEPING FOSSIL FUELS IN THE GROUND as true climate action that should be saluted rather than criminalised.
The time has come to end the petroleum civilisation and transit to a civilisation built on solidarity between humans and on deep respect for Nature.
Health, education, social interaction and business ventures are being boosted in insurgency-ravaged rural communities in Hong Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa State in Northeast Nigeria, where innovative solar energy systems are putting back smiles to the villagers’ faces, money in their pockets and, most of all, portending fresh hopes for the future.
Solar panels on the roof of a building powering fridge and lighting systems in a community in Hong LGA in Adamawa State
After experiencing deadly attacks last year by rampaging Boko Haram militants that resulted in considerable human and material casualty, returnee residents of the communities are now picking up the pieces of their lives, thanks to an initiative aimed at expanding access of local communities to modern energy services (such as solar energy) under the Sustainable Energy for All (Se4All) programme being promoted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN).
In every of the 12 benefitting communities, the project provides a solar-powered fridge-freezer in the local health centre, a solar-powered water borehole along with 10,000-litre capacity overhead tanks, as well as solar home and outdoor lighting systems.
In Garaha Mojili for example, the two fridges installed about six months ago at the Garaha Primary Healthcare Centre are helping to curb the Hepatitis B scourge in the community.
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. A major global health problem, the World Health Organisation (WHO) describes Hepatitis B as a potentially life-threatening liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus. The UN body fears it can cause chronic infection and puts people at high risk of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer.
A vaccine against hepatitis B has been available since 1982. The vaccine is 95% effective in preventing infection and the development of chronic disease and liver cancer due to hepatitis B. The vaccine is now readily available in the Garaha Primary Healthcare Centre, where it is stored (along with other drugs) in the solar-powered fridges.
Hitherto, the vaccine had to be transported from Hong, which is several kilometeres away, and its application to the needy was irregular.
Aminichi Edwards, a Junior Community Health Extension Worker (JCHEW) at the clinic, says: “Before now, we used to go to Hong to get immunisation. But, today, as we have this fridge, our immunisation can take place at any moment.
“If a child is delivered today, we are able to get and administer the Hepatitis B vaccine, which is supposed to be given 12 hours after birth or child delivery. We had problems with going to Hong to bring vaccines as it is quite a distance and the bikes and tricycles usually develop fault on the way as the roads are bad, especially during the rainy season. So the vaccines would get here very late and a times not in a very condition. But now, any day and anytime we need vaccines, we get them here.
“A child that is not given the vaccination at the right time can easily contact the Hepatitis disease, which is not good, and that is why we have been advising that it should be administered within 24 hours. It is a disease that easily transferred from one person to another, so this measure is a form of prevention from the child contacting the disease. So, thanks to the solar fridge, it is now readily available and any child delivered here immediately gets the vaccine. There are now no delays in the administration of this and other vaccines to patients.”
Besides the fridge, the clinic is also lit up by solar power.
“We used to make use of the lantern for use here, but we now use the solar light anytime any moment without any problem, no more need to buy batteries or traveling to buy anything, we can use the light anytime any moment. We no longer use the lantern. We used about 8 litres of fuel per day, which would not even take us for long. And the fuel is very costly now. Since we have the solar system, we no longer buy fuel. The system was fixed July 2016 and since then we’ve stopped using the generator,” adds Ms Edwards, listing other villages that patronise the clinic to Dabriah, Garaha Larh, Garaha Dutse and Shasha’u.
Chinapi Yoila, a resident of Garaha Mojili who accompanied his brother, who is a patient, submits: “There is a big difference now in this hospital. There is now fridge where drugs are kept and there is electricity here as well. It used to be difficult obtaining drugs before and I am aware that this was due to transporting the drugs and needed equipment down here from Hong because besides the difficulty of obtaining a bike, tricycle or taxi, the road is also not very good. Now drugs are readily available and there is constant light to enable the staff here to attend to patients.”
Commenting on the new water source of water supply in the village, Maxwell Shingu, rice farmer, says: “Without this solar water pump, we have no other place to get water. All the water hand pumps in this community are all broken down and there was no water. So we now solely depend on the solar water project. Before this facility was put in place, we were fetching water from the river. We actually dug a well close to the river. We have to trek several kilometres to the riverside to fetch water. We also purchase chlorine to treat the water from the river before drinking it. But we have no reason to treat the water from the solar pump as it is already very good for drinking. So we no longer spend money to buy chlorine to treat the water from the riverside before drinking, and our wives and children also no longer trek long distances to fetch water.”
Philip Nathan, the community’s assistant Chief, offers: “The solar lamp after full charge can last for several days. It lights the home at night and charges mobile phones. Before now, we used torchlights and lanterns. We spent about N200 every two or three days replacing batteries for the torch. Now we save an average of N100 everyday as we no longer buy batteries regularly. And this development has improved our personal finances.”
Monday Benson, a trader and beneficiary of the solar lamp, states: “Before now, I spent about N200 every day to fuel the generator. I am now able to save more money as I no longer buy fuel for the generator. In fact, every month, I save about N5,000 in my account, something I was not able to do before. This is very good for me because I plan to get married very soon. I do not take the lamp home because it was given to me under a scheme meant to assist young entrepreneurs like me.”
Mrs Alpha Williams, farmer and business woman: “I now save a lot of money from constant purchase of batteries to power torchlights and kerosene for lanterns. Also, at night, my children read and do their homework with the solar lamp, which I at the same time use to charge my phone. Everything is so convenient and life is now so much easier for us. We also don’t need to go far to fetch water. As you can see, the water station is just by my doorstep. We say thank you to the UNDP and ECN for this kind and timely gesture.”
Okon Ekpenyong, an engineer and deputy director with the ECN, said: “Communities that have been driven away by insurgents are now returning. And now that they are returning, it’s like going back into darkness. And when these people return from exile, we at the UNDP/ECN now decided that they want to change the standard of living of the community by providing them with necessary energy for daily living, which include energy for lighting, energy for water supply, energy for primary health care delivery. In that case now we decided that we are going to provide them solar energy because in this case they will not need petrol or kerosene but they will use the natural sunlight. So now we are using this solar to provide them water supply. We are also providing them solar lightening with which they can use to charge their phones.
“In Garaha Mojili, the project has successfully provided about 2,403 people with solar lighting systems which would enable the villagers perform domestic duties effectively at night, charge their mobile phones in the convenience of their homes and help children read at night. With this, the villagers do not have to worry about buying kerosene or dry cell batteries for lighting. The portable water supply would help to improve the health condition of the villager by reducing cases of infection from water-borne diseases, and reduce the number of hours needed by women and children to fetch water from the stream.
“The project also trained some youths in the installation of the solar home systems, and the installation and maintenance of the solar powered borehole. This is a form of job creation for the youths who can now install and maintain some of these facilities for other communities.”
The 12 benefiting communities are: Kwakwa’ah, Shashau, Garaha Banga, Gahara Lari, Gaya Silkami, Fa’Gaya, Kubutava, Pella, Dilwachira, Mutuku, Gashala Mamud and Garaha Mojili.
The Population Health Environment Ethiopia Consortium (PHEE), in collaboration with Jimma University and Health Bureau of Oromia, has conducted a workshop on linkages of climate change, population dynamics and reproductive health/family planning (RH/FP) in river basins, forests, protected and pastoralist areas of Oromia Regional State in Ethiopia.
Negash Teklu, Executive Director of the PHEE
More than 100 people from research institutions, government organisations, house of people representatives and NGOs participated in the workshop in Addis Ababa.
Negash Teklu, Executive Director of PHEE, noted that they aimed at exploring the linkages among climate change, population dynamics, RH/FP, development issues and to recommend multi-sectorial partnership and share best practices in adapting to climate change challenges from the various regions taking in to account Oromia region.
Representative of the Minister, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said that integration to achieve the country’s Growth and Transformation Plan II (GTPII) in line with building Climate Resilient Green Economy is essential and thus appreciate efforts for the organisation of the workshop.
“Due to the fact that participatory natural resource conservation, reforestation and other related activities have been carried out during the past decade, Ethiopia’s forest coverage has been significantly improved,” Dr. Sheferaw says.
Speaking during this occasion, Dr. Taye Tolemariam, the Vice President of Jimma University, pointed out that research findings on river basins of Gilgil Gibe I Electricity Dam and Omo Gibe revealed the risk of siltation and said such research findings and measures which were taken should be expanded to other river basins and dams in the country.
“The main recommendation is to solve the existing problems that were raised in pastoralists, river basins and protected areas and thus a joint platform is necessary where a different line ministries, stakeholder NGOs, and universities take initiatives and discuss the issues to bring a tangible solution to the communities,” Negash says.
Ahead of the 22nd Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP22) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commemces in Marrakech, Morocco on Monday (November 7, 2016), civil society leaders from diverse constituencies around the world have voiced their concerns that countries are not doing enough to prevent catastrophic levels of global warming.
Some members of the Nigerian delegation (Dr Peter Tarfa, Mr Ochuko Odibo, and others) to the COP are already in Marrakech. They are seen here attending the First Prep/Coordination Meeting for G77+China
The Paris Agreement entered into force on November 4th, a day after the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released its annual Emissions Gap report, which analyses emissions reductions pledges by countries against current temperature targets. The Report found that if the Paris pledges are implemented fully the world will still see temperatures increase up to 3.4°C this century, a rise which has been described as “incompatible with an organised global community.”
The conference in Marrakech will see developed countries face the familiar challenge of needing to raise their levels of short-term climate targets and finance, which the Paris Agreement did not address. Scientists consider steep emissions reductions in the current decade as the key to achieving a just transition to a low-carbon global economy.
Augustine Njamnshi of the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA). He says that, in Marrakech, governments have to go further and take the good example of AREI global
Augustine Njamnshi of the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), which has member groups across the continent, notes: “The good news of the Paris Agreement is not so much in the early entry into force, because negotiators still have a long way to go in terms of figuring out the details of how it will be implemented. The good news is in the ambitious initiatives that have been launched as a result of the momentum generated. In Africa, we have the AREI which if rolled out properly can make a significant contribution to both emissions reductions and poverty eradication. In Marrakech, Governments have to go further and take the good example of AREI global.”
Asad Rehman of the England, Wales, and Northern Ireland group of the global Friends of the Earth federation, says: “UNEP’s report paints a bleak picture of hunger, floods and people being forced from their homes as we hurtle towards a devastating 3.5°C warming of the planet. The reality is that governments are drinking in the last change saloon when it comes to keeping the world safe from the worst impacts. Rich countries celebrating the Paris Agreement becoming law, whilst failing to deliver the ramp up of the critical pre-2020 action makes their Paris promises extremely hollow and sets us on a suicidal dash for disaster.”
Lidy Nacpil of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt & Development, a regional alliance of dozens of movements, community organisations, coalitions, NGOs and networks: “The UNEP Emissions Gap Report shows a shortfall of 14 gigatonnes of emissions reductions which really tempers the jubilation around the Paris Agreement. However, the reason there is an emissions gap in the first place is because developed countries ave refused to do their fair share of the global effort. The Paris Agreement clearly shows this with the low targets and lack of financial pledges. What they are doing is forcing the least responsible for causing climate change to take on much more than their fair share of the effort, and pay for it too.”
Meena Raman of the Malaysian-based think tank, Third World Network: “As we head into Marrakech, all the focus seems to be on the Paris Agreement. But that’s last year’s news story. This year we need to see real money flowing as climate finance – the “roadmap” put forward by developed countries is nothing more than a sleight of hand. Against estimated needs in the trillions, rich countries are promising $100 billion and having to resort to fudging the numbers even for that. Without finance the early entry into force of the Paris Agreement will be much ado about nothing.”
Azeb Girmai of LDC Watch, a global network with focal points in all 48 Least Developed Countries, states: “People in the Horn of Africa are not celebrating the Paris Agreement. To them it is just a piece of paper. In Somalia, 40% of the population are now in need of food aid as a result of drought-this will only get worse and more frequent as temperatures rise, destroying more livelihoods and forcing more people to abandon their traditional lands. The Paris Agreement recognised the need to address these impacts and tasked the Warsaw International Mechanism to take on this enormous effort. Now it needs to resources to get to work.”
Tamar Lawrence-Samuel, of Corporate Accountability International, stresses: “COP22 has been billed as everything from the ‘action COP’ to the ‘implementation COP’ but before any action can be taken or plans can be implemented, Parties must first address the elephant in the room: big polluters. At COP22, Parties will lay the groundwork needed to advance a policy that protects the implementation of the Paris Agreement from the influence of groups representing Big Oil, Gas, and Coal. Addressing these conflicts of interest will help to ensure that policies on every other issue, from finance to adaptation to loss and damage, will advance the interests of people and the planet, not corporate profits.”
