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The Executive Chairman of the Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has continued to make the case for the amplification of a system change that would ensure a transition from carbonised economy and fossil fuels dependence to renewable energy.
Dr. Godwin made this call in a press statement in Benin City intended to address delegate Nations of the upcoming Earth Summit of the Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, United Nations, which he views as a rallying point for rich Nations of the World to step up their commitments and walk the talk, as the pledge to mobilizing US$100 billion annually by 2020-2025 as funds to addressing climate change actions stands at about 30% and is nowhere near its mark.
The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is the 26th United Nations Climate Change conference. It has been scheduled to hold in Glasgow. The conference is the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the third meeting of the parties to the Paris Agreement.
According to Dr. Godwin Ojo, though rich Nations in recent times, have shown some appreciable effort towards addressing climate change with a few countries like the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom taking the lead, especially in renewed pledges to the UNFCCC climate fund to address mitigation and adaptation measures in developing countries, their efforts so far have grossly fallen short of expectations and are unlikely to be on target to close the gap in limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
According to a recent UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report, unless global greenhouse gas emissions fall by 7.6 percent each year between 2020 and 2030, the world will miss the opportunity to get on track towards the 1.5°C temperature goal of the Paris Agreement.
Dr. Godwin therefore sees the COP26 Summit as an opportunity for developing Nations, which have suffered the most from carbon pollution and emissions from developed Nations, to demand a fair, just and equitable energy transition and the climate finance to address climate change.
According to Dr. Godwin Ojo, “There is the need for African governments and delegates to demand loudly that greenhouse gas emissions is a financial debt and be resolute in the demand for the immediate payment of the Carbon Debt from the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by rich countries”.
He also posited that “African delegates should demand for transitional justice and reparation from loss and damage due to climate change.
Addressing loss and damage should be immediate, akin to the manner rich countries worked to tackle climate change impacts and Covid-19 pandemic in France, Germany, United Kingdom and United States, to mention but a few.
“Making the poor to pay for climate change loss and damage through any form of insurance policy amounts to double jeopardy in the victimization of the poor and vulnerable groups”, he surmised.
Dr. Godwin also commended the UK Government as host of the COP26 Summit, to have taken the decision to end support for fossil fuels sector overseas. This means that the Government will no longer support the development of fossil fuel sector overseas including end to export finance and credits, funding for new crude oil, natural gas and coal projects overseas.
According to Dr. Godwin Ojo, “Other developed and developing countries should embrace this UK policy while paying for the costs of alternative pathway in renewable energy options and the avoidance of potential carbon emissions from the production and consumption of such harmful development model”
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