Executive Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Nnimmo Bassey spoke on his concerns and expectations of the 28th edition of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) under the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference holding in Dubai.
President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is in attendance at the conference had said that Nigeria and Africa as a whole need investment to keep up with the battle against climate change adding that this would promote an eco-friendly future.
In an ARISE NEWS interview on Monday, Mr. Nnimmo pointed out that over the years countries are being exploited without justice for resources as well as the need for “big polluting” companies to step up and aid in providing solutions.
“Over the subsequent years, the COPs have been backsliding from the reality of what is needed and this happened spectacularly in the Paris agreement itself which is based on volunteer actions by countries through what is known as the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
“In terms of the transition to green energy, it’s something that is going to happen whether we are ready or not. But I think the concern for us in Africa is whether that transition will be just.”
The environmentalist complained about the lack of justice on damages done by big polluting industries and countries saying, “Conference Of Parties on climate change have not been strong on the issue of justice and this is why they laid down the framework itself, which is, the common but differentiated responsibilities and different differing responsibilities.
This has almost been sidelined because each country is just doing what they feel is convenient for them to do. We can’t tackle climate change at our convenience.”
Addressing the issue of acquiring climate finance by developing countries describing it as “complicated over the years.” He lamented the unfulfilled promises by industrialized countries to financially support climate change solutions by making pledges totalled to the amount of 4 million yet only 10% has been realized.
Addressing the call to scrape fossil fuel from the industry as a source of energy due to its play in environmental pollution, Mr. Nnimmo made it known that most disagreeing parties are doing so due to the profit they make and lack of accountability for the damage oil exploitation causes.
Glamour Adah
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