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.