US Senators seek to hold climate deniers accountable |
By
Isaiah Esipisu
Nairobi, Kenya (PAMACC News) – African organisations championing against climate change have called on climate deniers to be compelled to finance climate change adaptation in developing countries and as well finance all the pledged Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) by all African countries.
This
comes only two days after the Democrats in both United States chambers of
Congress introduced a resolution
condemning the efforts of fossil-fuel industries among others companies to deliberately
cast doubt on science so as to mislead the public about the impact of the fuels
on climate change, in an effort to protect their financial interests.
According to the resolution, fossil
fuel companies have long known about climate change and the harmful climate
effects of their products following numerous peer-reviewed scientific research and
investigative reporting.
And yet, directly and through
their trade associations, and foundations, the multi-billion dollar companies
have developed sophisticated and deceitful campaigns that funded think tanks
and front groups, and paid public relations firms to deny, counter, and obfuscate
peer-reviewed research.
“This comes at the right time
when the world is working towards implementation of the Paris Agreement, and
therefore we call on the Republicans to join the Democrats into holding these
companies accountable,” said Benson Ireri, the Senior Policy Advisor at
Christian Aid.
Ireri’s sentiments were
reiterated by Robert Chimambo of the Zambia Climate Change Network (ZCCN) and
Mithika Mwenda of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA).
“Over the years, these companies have
made super profits from fossil fuel, and therefore, apart from just financing
adaptation, they should support Africa’s quest for development using cleaner
and sustainable energy,” said Chimambo.
The resolution points out that
the companies have “used that misinformation campaign to mislead the public and
cast doubt in order to protect their financial interest.
“It
is a sign on the wall that 19 senators have to fight so hard against the super
rich of the world, who have been misleading the general public for such a long time,”
said Gerrit Bogaers, responding to a blog
by Greg Laden.
According
to the United States Environment
Protection Agency (EPA), majority of greenhouse gases come from
burning fossil fuels to produce energy.
EPA
recognizes that the earth's average temperature has risen by 1.5°F over the
past century, and is projected to rise another 0.5 to 8.6°F over the next
hundred years, noting that small changes in the average temperature of the
planet can translate to large and potentially dangerous shifts in climate and
weather.
As
a result of the slight changes that have already hapenned, Africa has turned
out to be the hardest
hit by climate change, and now many countries suffer severe droughts that result
into starvation and famine, flash floods, landslides among other disasters that
have direct impact to health and economies alike.
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