By Busani Bafana
 |
| Webster Whande of CDKN |
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.
Smallholder farmers
especially in Africa are witnessing the impacts of climate change in terms of
droughts, floods, water scarcity and poor harvests. Developing countries and
Africa in particular, want a deal that will up commitments by the developed
countries to cut emissions and provide much needed funding for adaptation.
"One of the main
criticism of adaptation it is difficult to conceptualise and to do on the
ground but if there is a way of aggregating the lessons coming out of the work
of civil society on adaptation then this is useful in equipping negotiators
with practical examples on how adaptation can work and how it can be
interpreted into decisions at COP21," said Webster Whande, Technical
Advisor to the African Group of Negotiators and the focal point for the Climate
and Development Knowledge Network's (CDKN) negotiations support in Africa.
"The leverage that civil society brings to these negotiations is that of
being a knowledge broker and ensuring that there is access to that knowledge that
assists negotiating parties.'
Paris is hosting the watershed
climate change talks on the back of terrorist attacks in which over 100 people were killed. This has forced
the French government to cancel planned public marches as part of
tightening security around the conference. The ban could affect the
participation of civil society groups, whose make bold statements through
marches and demonstrations at almost every COP has kept negotiators on their
feet.
Mithika Mwenda, Secretary General
of the Pan African Climate Justice
Alliance (PACJA) a continental coalition of more than 1000
organizations, says civil society are a critical stakeholder representing the communities at
the frontline of climate change impacts.
"We been very
frustrated with the UNFCCC process and when we were in Bonn we noticed that the
space of civil society and general observers was shrinking by the day and this
is really worrying because the UN should be a space for interactions for
everybody but civil society is being excluded, " said Mithika, adding
that, "We need increased of civil society participation in the climate
change negotiation process. We believe that Paris may not deliver what we are looking
in for in the first placed based on the outcome of the processes which have
preceded the conference but we still insist on an agreement which is responsive
to African realities, just and equitable."
Mithika said civil society
was disappointed with the outcome of COP 15 which resulted in the disastrous
Copenhagen Accord.
"This is just a
milestone and Paris will be one of those conferences where we want to hammer an
agreement but we believe it will not solve all problems. We are looking at
Paris and beyond."
Africa is expecting a
progressive Paris agreement which while helping limit global warming will accommodate
climate financing for adaptation and mitigation.
Rising
temperatures attributed to climate change are set to shrink the global economy
by 23 percent and reduce average incomes in the poorest 40 percent of the
countries by 75 percent in 2100, according to a new study by the US University
of Berkeley California released this month.
A new World Bank report published in November 2015 warns that Climate
change will put another 100 million people into poverty in 15 years unless
developed countries reduce their carbon emissions.
Developed countries are accused of
acting in bad faith by failing to honour pledges of funds to help vulnerable
countries adapt to the negative effects of climate change. A sore point has
been the $100 billion per year until 2020 pledged at Copenhagen in 2009 to be
provided to developing countries.
Developing countries, many in
Africa, argue that they contribute little in carbon emissions compared to the
rich and more industrialised developed countries. They need the financing and
technology to fix a problem not of their making. Some African countries have
argued that Africa should be allowed to develop and use fossil fuels before
they can be told about taking mitigation measures.
Africa wants a Paris deal that will
help protect its resources and secure its development, Fatima Denton, the
Economic Commission for Africa Director of Special Initiatives Division, told said
delegates at the CCD-V conference held last month in the Zimbabwe
resort town of Victoria Falls to help fine tune Africa's position on climate
change actions and expectations at COP 21.
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