On the occasion of the celebration of 50 years of independence, many
African countries have agreed to develop initiatives such as ceremonies and
platforms where consensus will be surely produced. The largest of these
platforms is the international conference “AFRICA
An overview of climate change in Africa:
In
Africa, the main income-generating activities are rural (agriculture, animal
husbandry, fisheries, etc ...). It has observed a variation in temperature and
movement of seasons, regularity of floods, drought, desertification (which concerns
46% of the continent and affects 485 million Africans). There is also the
crucial issue of drying up of water (Lake Chad has shrunk from 25,000 sq km in
1960 to 1500 sq km in 2000) influencing the production of hydro-electricity.
Vulnerability of sub-Saharan related to
the impacts of climate change
According
to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on
Climate Change (IPCC) established in 2007, Africa is one of the regions most
vulnerable to climate change. This situation is aggravated by poverty, rapid
population growth, reduced access to finance for new information and
communication technology (ICT), environmental degradation, natural disasters
and different conflicts. These considerations reduce the adaptability of the
region while increasing its vulnerability to climate variability and extreme
events.
According to the report, by 2020 nearly 75-250 million individuals in
the region will be exposed to poor access to drinking water, which will
exacerbate problems related thereto. Climate change will have a strong impact
on agricultural activity, national economies and living conditions of
communities. It will contribute to increase economic and political refugees
because of several socio-economic and political conflicts that will arise
because of it.
The Action of the International Community
and the African Participation
Africa
participates in the process of the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change and other agreements such as the Convention on Biological
Diversity and the one on Desertification.
Africa
emits less than 2% of global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) but, is the
first victim because of its low adaptive capacity. It must contribute to the
challenge of reducing 50% GHG emissions by 2050.
International
mobilization led to the establishment of three new funds to help developing countries
(particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa) to adapt and contribute to the fight
against climate change. These funds are:
Special Fund for Climate Change which aims to finance the activities, programs and
measures related to climate change. The fund is to finance activities in the
area of adaptation, technology transfer, energy, transport, industry,
agriculture, forestry, waste management, diversification economies of
developing countries heavily dependent on the fossil fuels;
the adaptation fund under the Kyoto
Protocol. It is used to
fund capacity-building for climate change adaptation measures and conservation
of tropical forests, rehabilitation of degraded lands, fight against
desertification particularly in West Africa.
Fund for least developed countries must fund a specific program of work towards these
countries (LDC) which should include the National Action Programmes for
Adaptation (NAPA).
Since
Kyoto (Japan) to Poznan in Poland through Bali, Indonesia, the African
community claims the decision-making context for its sustainable socioeconomic
development and in the process of negotiating the future Post-Kyoto regime that
reflects the principle of common but differentiated responsibility so that
fairness and ethics emerge from this process of the fight against global
warming.
The
support of Africa in the mitigation process under the Clean Development
Mechanism (CDM) under Kyoto Protocol has not been favorable because the number
of successful projects in Africa is insignificant.
The
salvation of Africa will go through the initiatives of community adaptation to
the impacts of Climate change, possibly with the adoption of a special fund for
the Adaptation of Sub-Saharan Africa.
What policy initiatives to reduce the
impact of climate change in Africa Sub-Saharan?
Final agreement in Copenhagen, 2009
This
3-page document is not considered binding on the parties.
It does
not include targets for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases (the target of
50% reduction of GHG emissions by 2050 has been removed from the statement),
but "Everybody has agreed to donate by writing precise figures of its
reduction in emissions by 2015 ";
It
indicates that higher temperatures must be limited to 2 degrees Celsius by
2050. It no longer evokes the World Organization of the environment that would
have been able to verify in particular the implementation of the commitments of
states, and crossing these with the protection of Biodiversity.
An
agreement in principle is the importance of measures to reduce emissions from
deforestation and forest degradation (REDD), and assisting the most vulnerable,
so they can better withstand the impacts of climate change.
The
threat of climate change on global and African led the initiation by the
International Community of mitigation actions for developed countries and
initiatives for Adaptation in Developing Countries. In addition, some
conditions are to be fulfilled:
- Policy guidelines and
specific measures create conditions for collective action at the
International level;
- Post 2012 the new regime
will ensure the effective implementation of adaptation initiatives in crop
systems to climate extremes, protection of natural ecosystems like forests
to maintain biodiversity and soil fertility and the supply capacity
renewable energy resources;
It puts
in place a system of international governance to meet the priorities of Africa.
What adaptation to Climate Change in
Africa?
The
main challenges are:
- Take
into account issues related to development because the fight against
climate change and the fight against poverty are inseparable;
- Consider
that adaptation is not an isolated topic; it must be integrated into all
development plans at the local and national governments;
- The adaptation requires
the availability of substantial funds for its implementation;
- Major
studies and research in particular should be carried out at continental
and national levels to ensure implementation of effective adaptation
initiatives;
- Priority
should be given to community adjustment that reduces the costs of
disasters and accompanied by a transfer of cleaner technologies.
Conclusion
Important actions must support initiatives to support the
implementation of integrated and holistic approaches to adaptation to climate
change, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa:
- Involvement
of local communities in defining and implementing national action plans
for adaptation (NAPA) to ensure better results and collaborate with other
adaptation initiatives to better internalization by the target populations and vulnerable;
- All future actions should
be supported through financing, transfer of technology and capacity
building that are measurable, reportable and verifiable in accordance with
the Bali Action Plan;
- Priority
should be given to the dissemination of technologies for adaptation. This transfer should benefit equally to all countries appropriately
according to levels of technology;
- South-South
transfers to the needs of countries should be promoted beyond the
North-South transfers;
To this end, Africa must be able to dock with the adaptation of systems
to provide a consistent response;
Achille TUETE
« Ingénieur »
in Fisheries, Forestry and Wildlife
Technical Asistant,
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