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Africa Carbon Forum calls for efforts to meet global climate change target

Xinhua, June 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

Climate change experts have called for political and economic efforts to ensure that global climate change target is met.

They made the call on Thursday during the just concluded 8th Africa Carbon Forum (ACF) in the Rwanda Capital, Kigali.

Rwanda hosted a high level climate change meeting from 28th to 30th June 2016 with a focus on discussing Africa's road map to sustainable development and shared prosperity and how to turn climate challenges into opportunities.

Speaking at last day of the meeting, Davies Mwango, Zambia deputy minister in charge of resources and climate protection said that nations should focus on pursuing efforts to keep global warming under 1.50 C so as to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Mwango pointed out that the global world will have to "up its game" on climate change and make bigger emission reductions if it is to meet a historic global agreement.

The Paris Agreement, adopted on 12 December 2015, calls on its parties to respect and promote their human rights obligations when taking action to address climate change.

The Agreement also highlights human rights issues that are particularly affected by climate change, including the right to health and the rights of indigenous peoples, migrants, children and persons with disabilities, as well as gender equality and intergenerational equity.

According to Buri M. Hamza, minister of environment Somalia, meeting a target of keeping global temperature from rising above 2C is still possible if there is political will.

"Whether we achieve it or not. From now on, it's about raising ambition. We have the technology and know-how to solve this climate crisis," he added.

Unless nations across the globe develop more ambitious plans, experts at the meeting argued that the world could suffer profound consequences, including debilitating heat waves, food shortages and fast-rising seas.

Daniele Violetti, chief of staff, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) said that Africa needs to strengthen its collaboration to ensure the proper response to climate change and that its voice is heard.

"Climate Change is not a choice. We must do something to tackle its impact. What is missing is the courage to make the change and that has to come from world leaders," He noted.

The ACF meeting brought together more than 500 delegates from Africa and beyond.

It supports Africa's participation in global carbon markets and its access to green investment with a range of conference sessions, side events and networking opportunities.

The forum was organized by the UNFCCC, United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), along with the UNEP-DTU Partnership, World Bank (WB), African Development Bank (AfDB) and International Emissions Trading Association (IETA).

It is organized under the umbrella of the Nairobi Framework, which was launched in 2006 by then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan with the aim to assist developing countries, especially those in Sub-Saharan Africa, to improve their level of participation in the low carbon emissions. Endit