World leaders urged to ratify Paris climate change deal

NAIROBI, KENYA: Experts have called for the speedy ratification of cop21 agreements in Paris, France, to enable developing countries easily fight climate change threatening lives of many of their citizens.

Speaking in Morocco, they noted that regions such as Africa and other least developed continents are now vulnerable to climate change due to pollution from industrialised nations, a factor now threatening the livelihoods of many.

"Effects of climate change are real more so in the developing nations, highest level of trust among participants in implementing last year's Paris agreements is necessary to help in averting further effects," said Nizar Baraka, President of the scientific committee of Cop22.

"Communities and the private sector have pegged their hopes on political class to fast-track Paris agreements, we should not let them down."

If the Paris agreement comes into force this year as is expected, it means the nearly 200 governments party to it will become obliged to meet emissions-cutting pledges made before the deal last December.

The deal coming into force would also commit the countries to aspire to keep temperatures below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and for rich countries to continue giving climate aid to poorer countries beyond 2020.

Driss El Yazami, the head of civil society activities in Morocco, said it is not too late for the parties to the Paris agreement to act on their promises, but said subsequent climate talks depend on action to show commitments in reducing carbon emissions.

"We have seen willingness among leading countries such as the United States and China in recent G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China. We need others to follow the steps and offer the world a real deal," he added.

The United States and China, the world's biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, have announced they will formally ratify the Paris climate change agreement in a move many have welcomed as a significant advance in the battle against global warming.

Speaking on the eve of the G20 Summit in Hangzhou early September, US President Barack Obama confirmed the long-awaited move, the result of weeks of intense negotiations by Chinese and American officials.

He noted that the Paris agreement will ultimately prove to be a turning point in the fight against emissions.

Mr Baraka said the success of November climate change meeting in Morocco's Marrakech would be pegged on the implementation of cop21 Paris agreements.

He said both the state and no-state actors and the private sector will be included in Marrakech discussion to push for better deals for the vulnerable continents.

"There will be a proposal to come up with better deals such as insurance for farmers who suffer loss due to shift in weather patterns, but we are also rooting for money to be channeled in adaptation areas," Baraka said.

"Not everything will be implemented during the Cop22 discussions but we urge participants to be vigilant during negotiations as we also need to develop capacity in Africa."

The United Nations led climate change discussions has seen back and forth arguements between leaders on projects to be implemented to help reduce carbon emission. Developed countries who are the greatest polluters are pro funds channeled towards mitigation while developing countries want money to be channeled towards adaptation.

Yazami urged African negotiators to be tough on industrialized nations in the Morocco cop22 to allocate better part of the USD100 billion dollar per year committment to sustainable goals such as agriculture.