Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo has criticised Western nations over their low financial commitment to addressing the devastating impacts of climate change on the continent.
For several years, African leaders have said that the continent is being made to pay a heavy price by cutting off usage of fossil fuels, despite its low emissions compared with the rest of the world.
Recall that In June, just weeks after the G7 pledged to end public financing for foreign fossil-fuel projects by the end of 2022, Nigerien President Muhammadu Buhari said that the continent was “being punished”.
Although Africa emits just 2 to 3 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions despite being home to nearly 17 per cent of the world’s population, It is already experiencing temperature increases of approximately 0.7°C over much of the continent, and “with predictions that temperatures will rise further.
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A United Nations report has shown that the continent is facing a wide range of [climate change] impacts, including increased drought and floods.
Although Western countries have pledged to spend about $25bn by 2025 to boost Africa’s efforts to adapt to climate change, their pledges in Rotterdam fell short.
In his reaction, Akufo-Addo said “It is a lot, of course, but it is derisory,” reminding that G20 countries “are responsible for 80 per cent of [gas] emissions”.
Akufo-Addo who is on a six-day visit to France where he is expected to meet President Emmanuel Macron, was further quoted as saying that “$55m for 54 countries is not fair. He was referring to commitments made during a climate summit in Rotterdam last September – $23m from the United Kingdom, $15m from Norway, $10m from France and $7m from Denmark.
“The adaptation summit had the mission of mobilising $25bn by 2025 … ridiculously, while the G20 countries are responsible for 80 per cent of emissions, Africa left Rotterdam with pledges of up to $55m,” the Ghanaian president said.
The Rotterdam summit was set up to among other things, discuss climate change financing for Africa and took place ahead of the 27th annual summit of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) to be held this November in Egypt.
The Rotterdam meeting – attended by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa and International Monetary Fund head Kristalina Georgieva – heard from representatives of African nations, small island developing states and other climate-vulnerable countries. It came on the heels of a warning from the UN climate science panel that extreme weather and rising seas are hitting faster than expected, prompting calls for more money and political will to help people adapt.
Story was adapted from Aljazeera.
