COP28: Demand accountability from developed countries over climate change promises – Abantu charges African leaders

Hamida Harrison, the Sustainability Manager of Abantu for Development has charged African leaders attending the 28th edition of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP28) to demand accountability from leaders of developed countries over their promise to developing countries affected by climate change.

According to her, the world superpowers have reneged on their promise to help developing countries deal with the impact of climate change and it is imperative that African leaders remind them of the promise.

She lamented that while some funds have been released over the years to propel African countries to combat climate change, the total amount released has been far from ideal which has impacted negatively on the ability of the countries to deal with the situation.

Citing her outfit, Abantu for Development as an example, Hamida Harrison said they have had to revise their planned activities due to insufficient funds.

With Climate change financing forming a key feature of the thematic areas for COP28, Hamida Harrison holds that there will never be an appropriate and a more opportune time for African leaders to hold the developed countries accountable than now.

She also urged the Ghanaian media to steer their discussions in ways that will exhort the minds of the country’s representatives at the COP28 to generate adequate funds for the execution of projects that will help deal with climate change.

“We have received funds but they are quite inadequate. That is why most of our projects have been limited to very narrow areas of our country even though climate change is eating everywhere. Countries that have created these situations have promised funds that they have not fulfilled. They have not come through with their promises.

“We are asking the African leaders who are going to be at this conference to inform the global giants to account for the promises they made. The priority for COP28 is the establishment of funding for loss and damage. This is very critical and we want our leaders to hold these countries accountable to the promises of funds to developing countries,” he said.

Speaking at the same conference, Dr. Peter Derry, the Director responsible for the Environment Division at the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation has called for a collective effort from both the West and Africa to fight climate change.

According to him, the effect of climate change on Western countries is no different from that of Africa as they have also been experiencing flooding, bushfires and harsh weather conditions.

"We are not the only one suffering from effects of climate change. They are also experiencing flooding and there were bush fires in Hawaii and the rest. When you travel to Germany certain times of the year you can't stay in your and it's worse because they don't really use air conditioners because of their weather," he said.

"They are suffering from climate change like us just that ours is more of behavior. The flooding that mostly happens in this country is a result of our own actions and climate change just makes it worse. We have to collectively work together for a better climate," he said at the press centre on Monday, November 27, 2023.

On COP 28, he said, "These are global arrangements that allow us to come together and discuss about global affairs. The COP also provides the opportunity for countries to discuss non-environmental issues."

Scheduled to take place from November 30 to December 12, 2023, at Expo City, Dubai, COP28 holds significant importance in the ongoing global efforts to address climate change challenges.