Wednesday, April 17, 2024
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In wealthy countries, the looming climate crisis is a matter of concern, as it will affect both the well-being of economies and people’s lives. In Africa, however, a region that has hardly contributed to climate change — its greenhouse gas emissions are tiny when compared with the industrialised world’s — it will be a matter of life and death.
Therefore, Africa must not remain silent in the face of the realities of climate change, and its causes. African leaders and civil society must be involved in global decision-making about how to address the climate crisis in ways that are both effective and equitable.
For this reason, when the G-8 heads of state met in early June in Heiligendamm, Germany, I sent them an appeal urging the industrialised countries to lead by example, since it is they that are as largely responsible for climate change. Therefore, they must take the most decisive steps to combat it.
As major polluters, the industrialised countries also have a responsibility to assist Africa to reduce her vulnerability and increase her capacity to adapt to climate change. The industrialised countries need to put in place mechanisms that raise steady and reliable funds for the prime victims of the climate crisis, in Africa and other developing regions.
We know a strong linkage exists between the environment, governance, and peace. It is essential that we expand our definition of peace and security to include responsible and accountable management of the limited resources on Earth, as well as a more equitable distribution of those resources. Climate change makes the need for this redefinition even more urgent.
For humankind to manage and share resources in a just and equitable way, governance systems must be more responsive and inclusive. People have to feel that they belong, and the voice of the minority must be listened to, even if the majority has its way. We need systems of governance that respect human rights and the rule of law and that deliberately promote equity.
Many of the conflicts and wars in the world are fought over access to and control and distribution of resources like water, fuels, grazing ground, minerals, and land. We need only to look to Darfur. In recent decades, the desert in western Sudan expanded because of droughts and erratic rainfall that can be attributed in part to climate change. As a result, farmers and herders have clashed over scarce arable land and water, and unscrupulous leaders used these conflicts to stir up mass violence. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and even more displaced amid campaigns of intimidation, rape, and abduction.
By managing resources better, by recognising the links between sustainable management of limited resources and conflicts, we are more likely to pre-empt the root causes of civil strife and wars, and therefore create a more peaceful and secure world.
But the environment degrades slowly and may not be noticed by the majority of people. If they are poor, selfish, or greedy they will be more concerned about survival or satisfying their immediate needs and wishes than worrying about the consequences of their actions. Unfortunately, the generation that destroys the environment may not be the one that pays the price. It is the future generations that will confront the consequences of the destructive activities of the current generation.
The responsibility to address the problems we face including the climate crisis — in good time for the common good calls for visionary political will on the part of governments, and social responsibility by the corporate world.
On climate change, we are all called to take action. Many countries in the world that have large forests and considerable vegetation covering their land conserve their biodiversity and enjoy a healthy and clean environment. However, some are engaged in destructive logging and harvesting of biodiversity in forests far from their borders. It’s critical that we see the world as one and that we endeavour to protect not only the local but also the global environment.
Constant pressure is felt to sacrifice forests to make way for human settlements, agriculture, or industry. These pressures will only increase in a warming world where climates will be more erratic. Politically, it is more expedient to sacrifice the long-term common good and intergenerational responsibility for the convenience and opportunities of today.
But, morally, we are required to act for the common good of all. We have a responsibility to protect the rights of generations, of all species, that cannot speak for themselves today. The global challenge of climate change requires that we ask no less of our leaders, or ourselves. (END/COPYRIGHT IPS)