PAMACC on Radio France International

By Daniel Finnan

 

Journalists from across the globe gathered in Paris over the past two weeks to cover the Cop21 climate change conference. Africa has been high on the agenda during the conference with discussions about financing for clean energy initiatives and preparing for the impact of global warming. But coverage of these stories is frequently dominated by the powerful western media. So what do African journalists think, what are their audiences interested in and what has it been like for them to cover Cop21? RFI spoke with three journalists from the Pan African Media Alliance for Climate Change (PAMACC)

Click HERE to listen to the programme.

Africa demonstrates the possibility of a green economy

By Isaiah Esipisu

As curtains close on the 21^st session of the Conference of Parties (COP21) on climate change in Paris after 12 days of negotiation, Africa has demonstrated to the world that it is possible to invest and develop using climate friendly means.

With clear examples, several African countries demonstrated how they have invested in climate friendly projects such as renewable energy, climate smart agriculture, agroforestry, tree reforestation, and many other projects that limit emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

African Civil Society says the draft outcome of COP21 is unacceptable

By Isaiah Esipisu

The much-awaited draft text on the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP21) is out, but members of the civil society from Africa feel that it is unacceptable.

“We need to articulate our objection to our respective parties as chances of accessing the plenary are slim,” said Mithika Mwenda, the Secretary General for the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) – an umbrella organization that brings together over 1000 nongovernmental organisations from Africa.

Draft agreement on COP 21 Climate Change negotiations in Paris

After 10 days of negotiations, climate scientists, politicians, gender representatives, representatives of indigenous people have finally come up with a draft text that will be the basis for a new deal to be struck in the in Paris.

Click here to see the text

Solving climate crisis will require more dissemination of skills

By Isaiah Esipisu

PARIS France, (PAMACC News) – As Africa prepare to embark on the path towards green development, technocrats on the ninth day of climate change negotiations in Paris have observed that there will be need to invest much more in training particularly the youth, who are drivers of the future economy.

In an event hosted by the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) to discuss skills and human capital development for green growth and climate adaptation in Africa, Guy Ryder, the Director General for the International Labour Organisation (ILO) said that solving the climate crisis and solving the global unemployment crisis are two interrelated challenges that must be integrated.

Climate Information to be used for Adaptation

By Isaiah Esipisu

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) – Availing climate information to households on the ground is one of the best ways of adapting to climate change; delegates at the 21^st session of climate negotiations (COP21) have been informed.

Speaking at a side event on the eighth day of the negotiations in Paris, scientists, lawyers, policy makers donors and members of the civil society observed that there exists a gap, which makes it difficult for climate information to flow from the scientists and members of the community.

Can Africa’s regional flagship programme change its development narrative?

By Elias NtungweNgalame

PARIS, France (PAMACC Africa) - ‘If we want Africa to achieve land degradation neutrality by 2030, if Africa must transform its agriculture and drive its development priorities to acceptable levels, then we have to take the regional flagship programmes outlined by NEPAD and partners very serious » cautioned Estherine Fotabong, Director of Programmes NEPAD Agency, as she opens the curtains for a panel discussion on Africa’s Green Growth Strategies at a side evet at COP21 December 5, 2015.

Zambia stands with Africa for greater climate financing transparency

By Friday Phiri

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) - Zambia supports the position of the African Group of Negotiators for greater transparency on the global financing mechanism in the new climate agreement that is being negotiated in Paris, France.

Highlighting some key emerging issues as outlined by the AGN’s briefing to the African Ministerial Conference on Environment-(AMCEN) at the Africa Pavilion, Zambia’s focal point person at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Richard Lungu said greater transparency in the new agreement will be a crucial component in moving forward.

Paris talks: Its a binding legal agreement or nothing—African ministers

By Sellina Nkowani

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) - African environment ministers under the auspices of the African Ministerial Council on Environment (AMCEN) have restated their resolve to collectively demand for a binding legal agreement from the ongoing Paris climate conference.

The ministers met today on the sidelines of the COP21 conference after a brief meeting with UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon.

The meeting which was also a platform for ministers to get updates from the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) on the on-going negotiations was attended by over 50 environment ministers from Africa.

Entrepreneurs showcase climate smart technologies that have changed lives in rural Africa

A boy using solar light to study at home

By Isaiah Esipisu
 

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) - Small innovation projects by Africans in Africa are already changing lives of poor people on the ground, hence, an indication that the continent is already moving forward while at the same time offering solutions to climate related challenges.

In an event at the African pavilion on the onset of the second week of climate negotiations in Paris, entrepreneurs demonstrated that it was possible and affordable to introduce people in remote rural areas to climate friendly sources of energy.

From East Africa for example, Chad Larson, the Finance Director for the M-KOPA company showcased how his firm has combined innovative micro-finance system with mobile telephone money transfer to provide solar home systems to tens of thousands of poor people in the region.

Civil society organisations demonstrate over slow pace of the climate Paris talks

By Isaiah Esipisu

PARIS France (PAMACC News) – African civil society organisations at the ongoing Conference of Parties (COP 21) in Paris today took to the streets to protest against what they called unnecessary delay of the negotiations.

Speaking to the press just after the protest, Sam Ogallah of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance said that the civil society will not be deceived by technical or procedural tricks. “The negotiations on a new climate deal are struggling due to trust issues and unnecessary delay,” he said.

US and UK government led initiatives join hands to light up Africa

Eric Postel (left) and Nick Hurd after signing the MoU

By Isaiah Esipisu

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) – Two government led initiatives from the United States of America and the United Kingdom have joined hands to provide millions of people across Africa with clean energy generated from wind, solar, hydropower, natural gas and geothermal resources so as to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases emitted, and reduce the number of trees cut down every day in search of fuelwood and charcoal.

The new partnership between the UK’s Energy Africa campaign under the Department For International Development (DFID) and the US’s Power Africa initiative will leverage much-needed private investment, develop networks to share power across borders and harness geothermal resources to boost access to electricity across the continent.

Experts: Africa has the potential to lead the way towards a low carbon growth

By Isaiah Esipisu

Experts discuss possibilities of financing low-carbon growth in Africa

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) - Experts at the ongoing climate change negotiations in Paris have pointed that Africa can easily become the world leader in low-carbon development if it shuns the traditional methods of growth by taking advantage of the existing opportunities.

“Over three quarters of the energy infrastructure we need in Africa, as estimated the New Climate Economy have yet to be built.” said Dr Ngozi Okonjo-lwela, during a side event hosted by the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the New Climate Economy and DFID at the Africa Pavilion.  “This offers Africa the opportunity to lead in terms of the transition,” she added.

Africa needs more funding for adaptation

By Protus Mabusi

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) – More finance, capacity building for communities and institutions and use of technology are vital to making Africa adapt to climate change.

Speakers during a side event on "Climate Change Adaptation funding in Africa: Experience from the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) and African Development Bank (AfDB)" have expressed the need for more money for adaptation and resilience building since Africa bears the brunt of climate change.

EU and partners push for Post COP21 climate finance to developing countries

By Elias NtungweNgalame

 

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) - Blending projects with climate change finances is helping to bring many climate change related projects to life in many regions of the globe thanks to a dedicated commitment and engagement by the European Union.

At a European Union side-event dubbed ‘EU and International Climate Finance; delivering and leading ahead’, at COP21 Paris on December 4, 2015, the officials expressed the need to mobilize finances to support climate related projects on mitigation and adaptation especially in developing countries.

World Bank announces $600M support for Hydrometeorology in Africa

Photo: turbosquid.com

By Friday Phiri 

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) - The World Bank in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the World Meteorological Organisation has announced a six hundred million programme to improve hydrometeorological services in 15 West African countries.

The Programme dubbed, Strengthening Climate Change and Disaster Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa, aims at improving meteorological services in Africa where most countries have poor infrastructure and lack modern technology for reliable and timely capture and transmission of meteorological information to the public.

INDCs: Absence of data, means of implementation may affect Africa

By Sellina Nkowani

Although the objective of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) is definitive, most of them lack both practical and technical methods of implementation.

The INDCs combine the top-down system of a United Nations climate agreement with bottom-up system in elements through which countries put forward their agreements in the context of their own national circumstances, capabilities and priorities, within the ambition to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions enough to keep global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius.

Financing water is key to Africa's transformation - Experts

 By Atayi Babs

 PARIS, France (PAMACC News) - Experts at the ongoing Paris climate conference have underlined the need to prioritise climate finance for water and climate change adaptation in Africa.

At the high-level event with the theme "Seizing Opportunity for Africa: Prioritising Water in the new Climate Financing Mechanism," hosted by the African Development Bank (AfDB), Han Seung-soo, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Water, called for more balanced thinking with a view to changing the current trend in climate change negotiations where mitigation always receives more attention than adaptation. 

Afrique et des inquiètudes à Paris

Par Diane NININAHAZWE 

Les membres éminents du Groupe  des Négociateurs Africains (AGN)  et des dirigeants de la société civile se disent inquiète quant  à l’avancement des négociations en cours sur le climat qui se tiennent à Paris.

Lors d'une réunion en marge de la Conférence des Parties de la CCNUCC tenu ce jeudi soir, sous le thème "Paris Résultat et adaptation aux besoins de l'Afrique," Le Proffesseur  Seth Osafo, négociateur du  Groupe africain (AGN) a liée les obstacles actuels aux efforts visant à obtenir de lapart des pays qui n’ont pas ractifié le Protocole de Kyoto un nouvel accord.

Climate Science Plans for Africa

By Aaron Kaah Yancho

Africa has lost close to 9billion US dollars to climate related challenges since 1980. Yet more near future climate change related challenges are expected to retard the development of the continent.

Rain fed Agriculture is dwindling and more people are likely to die from starvation and malnutrition. Floods and droughts are bound to multiply.

Preparing the next generation for climate change negotiations

By Isaiah Esipisu

Some of the lawyers participating in the YAL programme

PARIS France (PAMACC News) – Political leaders, civil society organisations and scientists at the ongoing climate change negotiations in Paris have lauded the Young African Lawyers (YAL) programme on climate change initiative, saying that the young experts hold the key to the future climate governance.

“When we invest in protecting the climate, we are investing in the future, and therefore it is important to invest in young African lawyers so that they can take over from the current negotiators,” said Mithika Mwenda, the Secretary General for Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA).

Africa’s contribution towards Mitigating global Emissions

By Sophie Mbugua

A section of a geothermal power plant in Kenya

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) - African heads of state announced plans for a gigantic renewable energy initiative that would provide as much as 300gigawatts of renewable energy – twice the continent’s total current electricity supply – by 2030.

African Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) driven by African countries announced at the start of the two-week United Nations climate negotiations in Paris, aims to achieve 10gigawatts of new renewable energy by 2020 and mobilize the potential to generate 300gigawatts by 2030.

Kenyan County government sign a water deal with the World Bank Group

By Protus Onyango

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) - Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho has signed a 200 million USD loan agreement with the World Bank that will guarantee water for Kenya’s urban areas.

Joho who signed the pact on behalf of the Council of Governors (COG) at the ongoing climate conference in Paris, France lauded the initiative, terming it a solution to the country’s persistent water problems.

African’s Gov’t share stakes on Lake Chad at COP21

By Elias Ntungwe Ngalame

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) - African governments especially those of the Lake Chad Basin region want to secure the future of the precious but dwindling water body.

The officials and experts have expressed the need for adaptation actions as a priority to save the Lake and the lives of the over 20 million people living in the area.

Members of the Lake Chad Basin Commission at the presentation of a new plan of action to revive the lake at COP21 in Paris, December 2, 2015 said the local economy of the people in the region depended on the lake activities like fishing, agriculture and pastoralism going on in the upper catchment of the lake.

Leaders call for a legally binding deal at Paris COP21

By Isaiah Esipisu

African leaders at COP21 in Paris

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) – Political leaders, the civil society organisations and religious leaders from Africa have told the team of negotiators at the ongoing Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris that the only agreeable outcome must be legally binding, and one that offers solutions to African needs.

“Agriculture is central to Africa’s development, yet it is one of the most vulnerable sectors to the impacts of climate change and it is also a sector that has huge potential for international trade,” said Carlos Lopes, the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

AfDB Pledge affirmative climate finance action to boost agriculture business for women

By Elias Ntungwe Ngalame

“It is amazing that many women in Africa continue to use hoes to till the soil in their small scale farms in communities in Africa in this age of technological advancement,” wondered Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma as she addresses officials at the launch of the African Renewable Energy Initiative at COP21 in Paris, France.

“We are calling on the President of the African Development Bank to ensure that funding for the purchase of such archaic working tools for women becomes history,’’ Zuma pleaded.

New finance package to Tackle Urgent Climate Challenges Unveiled

By Sophie Mbugua

As nations of the world gathered on Monday in Paris to reach a new and universal climate change agreement, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland has announced a new $500 million initiative that will find new ways to create incentives aimed at large scale cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries to combat climate change.

The initiative developed through the World Bank Group will measure and pay for emission cuts in large scale programs in renewable energy, transport, energy efficiency, solid waste management, and low carbon cities.

Benin leads the way towards greening Africa

By Isaiah Esipisu

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) – With a simple concept by Benin President, that every citizen should plant at least one tree every year, the West African Nation has managed to improve its forest cover by more than 30 million trees in just three years.

“This was President Thomas Yayi Boni's dream of getting each soul in the country plant at least a tree each year, and now it has come to pass,” said Théophile Kakpo, the Director General for Forests and Natural Resources during an event on the sidelines of the Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP 21) in Paris.

Securing a deal that meets Africa’s needs

By Protus Onyango

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) – The African Development Bank (AfDB) has said that COP 21 provides African governments with an  opportunity to take climate leadership, building a climate-resilient and low-carbon future while  contributing to global mitigation efforts.

"By speaking with one voice at COP21, African countries are playing a key role in designing a new climate agreement that prevents catastrophic global warming while helping Africa build climate-resilient, low-carbon development. The COP21 climate summit must deliver a deal that meets Africa’s needs. The Paris COP21 meeting also offers an opportunity to build on broader progress during 2015 towards more and better sustainable development," said AfDB President Dr Akinwumi Adesina.

African governments have played an important role in articulating how that principle can be interpreted for climate justice, shifting away  from the deadlock over “common but differentiated responsibilities”.

Civil Society organisations deliver a petition seeking for for climate justice

 By Isaiah Esipisu

AUDIO

Click here to listen to the UNFCCC chief as he receives the petition

1.8 Million signatures seeking for climate justice drives the UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres to tears as she receives the petitions in Paris.

UNFCCC receive 1.8 signatures calling for climate justice

By Isaiah Esipisu

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba hands the petition to Figueres 

PARIS, France (PAMACC News) – Civil society organisations from Africa, Asia, Latin America and other developing societies have handed over signed petitions to the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change ahead of the 21^st Session of the climate change Conference of Parties in Paris, urging the leaders to deliver a deal that is fair, equitable and legally binding.

In an emotional ceremony that drove the UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres to tears when receiving the 1.8 million signatures by poor people who suffer the impact of climate change, the civil society representatives said that the Paris conference was an opportunity to correct mistakes witnessed in Copenhagen six years ago.

Civil society may be barred but not silenced on climate change

By Busani Bafana 

Webster Whande of CDKN

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (PAMACC News) - Civil society organisations - closed out of global negotiations- are emboldened to have their say in demanding a fair climate change deal.

Much is expected of twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21) which starts November 30 to December 11 2015 in the French capital, Paris.

More than 100 global leaders are expected to agree on a deal that would galvanise the world in saving humanity by cutting greenhouse gas emissions blamed for extreme weather variations.

Africa: a climate vulnerable continent in search for negotiation partners

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

 

KUMASI, Ghana (PAMACC News) - Africa is expected to go into the UN climate talks in Paris this December with one voice and one position, to demand climate justice for the people on the continent.

With the impacts of extreme weather conditions dawning on people and livelihoods, local farmers and communities will be looking out for a way out of their climate vulnerabilities.

Africa is therefore emphasizing climate adaptation and finance to effectively deal with the effects of climate change.

Africa needs multilateral climate funds but domestic resource mobilization is critical – stakeholders

 By Kofi Adu Domfeh

VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe (PAMACC News) - The African Development Bank (AfDB) has called for a more climate resilient investments in Africa because the current global climate financing architecture is not providing the finance needed by the continent.

“Africa is shortchanged by climate change,” said Bank representative, Mary Manneko Monyau. “Africa is shortchanged by the lack of sufficient climate financing. Much more needs to be done to increase Africa’s access to climate finance”.

Africa to brace for worst climatic conditions in the near future

By Violet Mengo

Panelists at the CCDA-V in Zimbabwe

VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe  (PAMACC News) - Inter panel on Climate Change (IPCC) working group one lead author Joseph Kanyanga has told delegates attending the fifth Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-V) conference that the phenomenon is already affecting Africa and is going to worsen in the coming decades.

Dr Kanyanga who is also assistant director at the Zambia Meteorological Department said temperature increase both over land and ocean surfaces in the last three decades last three decades has been successively warmer than any preceding decade since 1850.

Looking at the ‘New World Order’ in 2015

By Dr Fatima Denton

Dr Fatima Denton of UNECA

VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe (PAMACC News) - 2015 has been a year of cascading transitions. Whilst these transitions can be branded as the  end of the Millennium Goals,  the ushering in of the Sustainable Development Goals or a  successor treaty to Kyoto in Paris this December, the reality is that we are making space for yet another  new world order.

It is a new order that signals that it is no longer right nor ethical for one sixth of humanity to go to bed hungry every night; whilst the rest of us celebrate our increasingly huge appetite for consumable goods.

Africa demands the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibility’ to be central at the Paris negotiations.

By Friday Phiri

VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe - (PAMACC News) “It is not ethical for one sixth of humanity to go to bed hungry every night, whilst the rest celebrate huge appetite for consumable goods”, says Fatima Denton, Director for Special Initiatives Division at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

According to Dr. Denton who is also Coordinator of the African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) told delegates during the official opening of the fifth conference on climate change and Development in Africa (CCDA) in Victoria falls Wednesday that time had come for Africa to stand and take up its place on the new world order.

Keep your eyes on climate mitigation ambition – Africa charged

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

Dr. Fatima Denton

VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe (PAMACC News) – Inadequate climate mitigation ambition will have untold consequences, especially to Africa’s peoples, as the world heads to Paris in December for a climate deal agreement.

According to Dr. Fatima Denton, Special Initiatives Division, UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), increasing global warming will raise the costs of both adaptation and mitigation due to Africa’s constrained adaptive capacity.

COP21 Paris – Africa at the crossroads in safeguarding development progress

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe (PAMACC News) - Africa is at the crossroads of safeguarding development progress under an expanded Millennium Develop Goals (MDGs) whilst remaining faithful to the global call for action against climate change, says Mithika Mwenda, Secretary-General of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA).

According to him, the continent is the battle ground for competing global interest and as climate change acquires political-economic dimensions, African countries are squarely at the crossroads to decide which global grouping to side with.

Ministers Should Prioritize sustainable land management to achieve 2030 Development Agenda- UN Boss

Ban Ki Moon - UN Secretary General

By Elias Ntungwe Ngalame

ANKARA, Turkey (PAMACC News) – The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has called on foreign ministers to prioritize the environment and especially forest management and sustainable land management practices in domestic politics and contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by world leaders last month as a way of ensuring an integrated and transformative vision for a better world.

He said the 2030 agenda, geared at ending poverty and making essential connections between building peace, advancing development and securing a healthy planet should leave no one indifferent.

Paris deal must not be punitive like Kyoto Protocol

 By Sellina Nkowani         

            

INDCs great but not yet enough to stay below 2C

RABAT, Morocco (PAMACC News) - After 20 years of on-going climate change negotiations, there is need for a climate change framework that is not punitive and does not prescribe solutions to countries rather, the new framework should let countries prescribe what they can do, European Commissioner of Climate and Energy Miguel Arias Canete has said.

The Kyoto Protocol which Canete described as punitive, has been scolded by many especially in the developing world who claim it placed a burden on developing countries by making them pay for the sins committed by the developed world who are the major emitters and contributors to the global warming.

Mainstreaming Climate Change in Ghana’s politics

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

KUMASI, Ghana (PAMACC News) - Climate justice activists going to Paris in December will be seeking political commitments from polluter nations to cut carbon emissions whilst funding adaptation programmes for the climate vulnerable.

The African Group of Negotiators (AGN), for instance, will be clamouring for the aspiration of vulnerable people on the continent to be upheld in the agreement.

Turkey Pledges 5 Million dollars aid to fight desertification in AFRICA

By Elias Ntungwe Ngalame

Veysel Eroğlu

ANKARA, Turkey (PAMACC NEWS) – The minister Forestry and Water Affairs, Veysel Eroğlu has announced his country’s pledge of $5 million in aid to African countries to combat desertification, increase food production and fight malnutrition. 

He also announced Turkey’s plans to make a foundation for an international fund for anti-desertification works to other affected countries.

This announcement was made at the opening of the 12th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification COP 12, opened on Monday 12 Ankara- Turkey.

Turkey Shows Africa its commitment to combat desertification

By Elias NtungweNgalame

ANKARA, Turkey (PAMACC News) – Turkey is brandish its environmental credentials in the fight against desertification as a perfect example to be replicated by countries in Africa especially those in the Sahel region suffering from prolonged droughts and malnutrition.

Vast tracts of Turkey impacted by desertification, affecting millions people in the past decades have today been covered by forestland through dedicated efforts by the government and other stakeholders to combat the climate monster, the government announced at the opening of the UNCCD COP12 October 12, 2015 in Ankara-Turkey.

Africa can achieve sustainable growth

By Sellina Nkowani  

RABAT, Morocco (PAMACC News) - The former United Nations General Secretary, Kofi Annan, on the day of the launch of Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) last month, said that Sustainable development goals can only be successful if they are successful in Africa.

The SDGs which build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) whose mandate ends this year, represent a collective global push to tackle the root causes of poverty, by focusing on issues of justice, inequality and equity.