Africa's push for loss and damage fund lost at COP27

This year's United Nations Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP27) was held in Cairo, Egypt. [Carole Kimutai, Standard] Africa's push for a practical loss and damage fund has hit a snag and the continent will walk empty-handed from the COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Widely regarded as the African Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) there was a lot of hope for the continent that bears the heaviest brunt of climate change. Yesterday, African negotiators said the continent has lost on two main issues of financing and special circumstances that they were pushing at this particular conference. Pan African Climate Justice Climate Alliance head of programmes Charles Mwangi said they have achieved little for the most vulnerable communities in Africa. "We thought this was our moment to get solid commitments and enough resources from the developed nations to restore our damaged livelihoods. But we have not achieved that at this COP27. There are no bidding pledges or practical framework to enact the loss and damage fund yet," he said at Sharm El Sheikh yesterday. Africa, which emits the least amount of carbon into the atmosphere, ironically suffers the most from climate change. Prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall and flooding are some of the adverse effects of climate change. Kenya is currently in the grip of a devastating famine and about 4 million people are facing starvation and need urgent food aid. President William Ruto and his Cabinet Secretaries have indeed flagged off several food donations to needy Kenyans, especially from the North Eastern. But this drought has seen people in Nairobi and Mt Kenya region also needing food donations. In arid areas like Turkana, Marsabit, Lodwar, Baringo and Ukambani residents have seen their livestock dying of hunger. The wildlife has not been spared and hundreds have succumbed to this famine. "These are the communities we have no good news for from this COP27. We hoped to secure enough and practical funds through the loss and damage fund this year. We have failed in this mission and it will be even harder for them now," Mr Mwangi told The Standard in Egypt yesterday. He said the developed nations did not allow African issues be well canvassed at this particular COP. Marginalised and pastoralist communities in Africa need urgent intervention to restore their dead livestock, damaged forests, dried up rivers from this fund. Mwangi said it is now up to the African governments and private sector to invest more in in climate change response. "Our governments must urgently put more resources in restoring our forests, water catchment areas and rivers. We cannot wait for developed nations to this for us. They have not been supportive during this particular COP, why should we sit and hope for the best as our people are dying?" he added. He urged African governments and private sector players to help trap rain water, invest more in agroforestry and not wait for global help alone. "We will dying waiting for this help from developed nations. Because even when that money comes, it will be implemented through their own organisations and foreign companies. The trickled down to that woman, child and man in Baringo will be too little too late," Mwangi warned yesterday. He said this will be worse than doing business with the poor and dying communities from Africa. He said the main issues that concern Africa were watered down at the negotiating table. Usafi Green Energy Ltd founder Brian Onyango, who works with refugees at Kakuma camp said local communities are the most affected because they have lost their livelihoods because they cannot recover their dead livestock. "We thought this COP would provide enough funds to enable the poor communities access food and water after this year's famine. It is frustrating because the developed nations contribute the most to global warming, but they are unwilling to support damaged livelihoods in Africa," Mr Onyango told journalists yesterday. He said refugees suffer the most when host countries experience drought and are unable to produce enough food. "You can imagine that the refugees have fled from their countries due to war and other factors only to suffer lack of food in their host nations. It is a double tragedy for them and that is why we hoped this COP27 would bear tangible and urgent fruits for them," he added.

Africa's push for loss and damage fund lost at COP27

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