COP 15 raised a lot of expectations and also the stakes were high. But alas these expectations were largely dashed. Amid these expectations was that of a successor to the Kyoto, only for a political accord to be hastily put together by the largest gathering of world leaders - but without content, depth, commitment or any binding terms to it.
The expectations of COP 16 are relatively low as they were implausibly high at COP 15. Cancun is instead focusing more on the road map and ironing out the creases that stand in the way of a comprehensive treaty to replace the Kyoto protocol of 92 which expires in 2012.
Thus COP17 will be the big one and in our own backyard, like the world cup except that this mega event is not about competition – but complimenting each others’ efforts to reduce human induced climate change effects. The need for an alternative vision to climate politics, the recognition of the importance, scale and intensity of the need of a comprehensive and binding successor of the Kyoto -which is more or less window dressing, is now apparent. An Agreement that recognizes the common responsibility of nations to reduce their carbon footprints, promote and fully utilize clean development mechanisms, while not impeding the development of developing countries. There is also need to focus on technology transfer subsidies as an incentive to attract the adoption of clean development mechanisms, binding sustainable resource utilization policies are also key to the survival of our habitable climate conditions and preservation of the environment.
Africa is at the receiving end of climate related disasters due to a myriad of challenges ranging from underdeveloped infrastructure, poverty and the basic dependence on natural climatic conditions and resources for socio and economic development. Hence the need to focus on clean development mechanism measures and funding of these projects by developed countries and multi-national companies which have heavily benefitted from dirty fossils, as a means of harnessing the runaway global emission.
The energy and transport sectors contribute largely to the carbon footprint of many countries whether developing or developed. There are quite a number of clean energy projects which are lying ideal in most African countries which have the potential of greatly reducing the continents carbon footprint – the Inga Hydroelectric project the largest such project when completed, has the potential to supply Africa and parts of Europe when complete. This project and other such projects could go a long way in reducing the global carbon footprint. There is need to focus on the implementation of such clean energy projects, which are greatly being affected by lack of funding, or just the tendency to wake up late to big things.
On the international forum the need to cajole or whip the Americans and Chinese into line, support the rumbustions of the G77 to tilt the tables in favor of developing countries and also learn from the vibrant ‘’Alba” states’” on sustainable climate policies which will pull Africa and developing nations onto level platform and ensure the negotiation of a comprehensive and binding successor to the Kyoto protocol.
What really is at stake for developing nations – their survival, due to the increasing global temperature the climatic and weather conditions have become more and more erratic and disastrous. Droughts, floods, season shifts are the order of the day with most developing countries depending on rain fed agriculture and other nature based means of productions for sustenance. Changing climatic conditions will deal a big blow to the achievement of MDGs and time is running out hence the need for developing nations to unite and call for binding universal mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Developing nations being the custodians of their own development should fight for the promotion of sustainable utilization of their natural resources for sustainable economic, social and political climate policies which preserve, protect and promote environmental conservation.
Come December 2011 South Africa will be the playground and developing countries will be the vuvuzelas promoting the protection of the environment for future generations. Clean Development Mechanism, alternative clean energy sources and reduction of emissions should be the basis of the successor to the Kyoto protocol.