SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt – A Catholic environmental organization has welcomed the inclusion of “Loss and Damage” on the agenda of the ongoing UN COP27 conference in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.
“Loss and Damage” refers to the costs already incurred from climate change, including sea level rise, floods, droughts and hurricanes.
Climate finance has traditionally been aimed at cutting carbon dioxide emissions and helping communities adapt to future impacts.
The idea of ”Loss and Damage” was promoted a decade ago, but never found its way onto the COP agenda. But in Egypt, that has changed.
Allen Ottaro, Founder and Executive Director of the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA) says the issue has become controversial because of what Pope Francis says is a “weakening conscience” that fails to care for the earth. , and because ” Economic interests outweigh the benefit of the most vulnerable in our communities and therefore, the commitments made are not honored, while the extraction of natural resources continues to be biased in favor of rich countries.
The following are excerpts from the interview….
Crux: For the first time, the issue of “Loss and Damage” was included in the COP27 agenda. Why do you think these things?
Otto: In my view, while Loss and Damage is on the COP27 agenda, it is long overdue. The science is clear – from the IPCC reports – that Africa is facing some of the worst effects of the climate crisis, while it contributes the least to the problem with about 4 percent of global emissions.
Every day, we witness communities affected by drought or floods, thousands of young people trying to find a better future in Europe because their lands can no longer sustain agricultural activities. Communities from small island states witness their homes being submerged every day.
This is a fundamental question of justice. Even if all emissions were to stop today, the amount of greenhouse gases already locked in the atmosphere would still cause severe effects on communities that are not causing the problem, including future generations. Most of these communities are already reeling from poverty, and have lost their culture and home, and they need urgent support. This is why the issue of Loss and Damage needs to be addressed immediately.
Why do you think an issue that seems so simple is a dispute?
I think the issue has become controversial, because of what Pope Francis said is a “numbing of conscience.” We have failed to “heed the cry of the earth, and the cry of the poor.”
Economic interests outweigh the welfare of the most vulnerable in our communities and therefore, the promises made are not honored, while natural resource extraction continues to be skewed in favor of rich countries. The global multilateral system is also flawed, allowing some rich countries to ignore the concerns of smaller countries, or to prioritize the interests of big industry over the common good.
If richer countries agree to pay, what form should these payments take? Should it be in the form of reparations, which is what low-income countries are calling for, or loans and should it be part of climate finance?
Loss and damage and climate financing cannot be in the form of loans. As I have already mentioned, the way multilateral institutions are set up in the world, is harmful to the whole world. Many African countries have taken on huge debts during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the current state of the world economy is only making things worse. Rich countries also need to address illicit financial flows, created by multinationals headquartered in the capitals of rich countries, money that would otherwise not support the development of developing countries. countries.
Do you think based on current commitments that the world is on track to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit on global warming?
The latest UNEP emissions gap report puts the world on a 2.8 degrees Celsius trajectory with current commitments. This means we are way off the mark, and we need urgent, radical and transformative systemic changes to ensure we guarantee a livable planet, while improving the ability of vulnerable communities to build resilience to climate impacts.
What is the reality of climate change in your country, Kenya, and Africa in general?
As we speak, many communities in the north and east of the country are dependent on food aid, following prolonged drought and failed rains. We are facing more conflicts between farmers and pastoralists because water points and pastures are scarce.
We have seen the devastating floods in South Africa with hundreds losing their lives and thousands losing their livelihoods and property. Mozambique was hit hard by the storms, and communities did not have time to recover from the shocks.
The Sahel region has experienced severe conflicts, most of them due to natural resources and their depletion, exacerbated by the effects of the climate crisis.
At the same time, about 600 million people do not have access to electricity, while about 800 million do not have access to clean cooking solutions. It presents a problem of challenges that can be renewable opportunities, but emphasizes the need for investment in green and renewable energy, which is abundant in Africa, but also addresses socio-economic issues in the green work or most of the African population, 70 percent under the age of 30.
This story was produced as part of the 2022 Climate Change Media Partnership, a journalism fellowship organized by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.
