Africa Puts Rich States on Notice Over Climate Change

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Leaders meeting in Nairobi have warned that a deal would only be possible if industrialised countries committed themselves to finance the war on global warming in the continent.

While this demand has been on the cards since June, the parliamentarians raised the stakes yesterday when they resolved to speak in one voice, arguing that the developed world emits most of the greenhouse gases.

The leaders, meeting under the aegis of Pan African Parliamentary Conference on Climate change (PANPCC), also want the developed nations to agree to ambitious mid-term greenhouse gas reduction targets.

While the finer details of Africa’s fresh demands will be known by Friday after the conclusion of the four – day meeting, sources said Ethiopia which has been chosen to present the continent’s position at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen in December has been detailed to insist on a compensation deal as a precondition for negotiations.

The MPs have been pushing for a united front to counter the strong tide of opposition from the West against their long search for an equitable, just and fair post-Kyoto deal which should come into force in two years.

The Nairobi meeting under the theme "One Africa, one voice, one position," is a precursor to the UN global climate change conference which starts on December 7.

Source: Allafrica