African Group of Negotiators Upholds Climate Justice Principles Ahead of COP28
Since its publication in 2015, Laudato Si has become a key reference point and call for global action on climate change.
LUSAKA, Zambia — The African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) says it will continue upholding the principles of climate justice and fairness as championed in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)'s Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR–RC) principle, writes Temwa Mhone.
The CBDR–RC acknowledges the different capabilities and responsibilities of countries in addressing climate change.
Speaking on Sunday in Lusaka during a climate awareness meeting organised by the Catholic Church based on the Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si, the AGN chairperson Ephraim Shitima said the Pope’s message resonates with the principle of fairness as articulated in the UNFCCC convention, which the group strives to promote in negotiation processes.
“There is a subtitle in the Laudato Si, the encyclical of Pope Francis ‘on care for our common home’ in which the Pope critiques consumerism and irresponsible development, laments environmental degradation and global warming, and calls all people of the world to take swift and unified global action. We cannot agree more with Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation when he characterises ‘climate change as one of the principal challenges facing society and the global community’,” Shitima said.
Highlighting some of Africa’s priorities at COP28 to be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) later this year, Shitima said the inspirational words of Pope Francis will ring in their ears to ensure that COP28 accelerates the just energy transitions to help more than 600 million Africans without access to any form of energy have some hope of their fortunes changing for the better.
“We will also work tirelessly to ensure that the fund to support poor countries who suffer loss and damage due to extreme weather events, is made operational with simplified and streamlined access modalities,” added Shitima.
In his remarks, Caritas Zambia National director Reverend Father Gabriel Mapulanga, called for all development partners to collaborate with the Church as they mobilise for climate action.
Mapulanga said the church has the structures and personnel to reach to the remotest communities with the message of climate action.
“We need to speak to each other more and the change we desire can easily be achieved. For instance, in the Catholic Church, we have the structures that guarantee us reaching the remotest communities and individuals with the message calling for collective climate action,” he said.
In support for one of the key principles in Laudato Si, on ecological economics (the need to balance profits with care for the environment), the Zambia Industrial Commercial Bank (ZICB) is working with the church to promote a clean cooking stove as an alternative to charcoal and other wood fuels.
“We are committed to environmental sustainability and stewardship as we believe that success must not come at the expense of environmental sustainability. One of our flagship activities is the launch of a sustainable cooking solution by our partners, GEI Energy, aimed at curbing deforestation,” said Ignatius Mwanza, ZICB chief executive officer.
The Zambian Government is currently developing a Green Growth Strategy and a Climate Change Bill to provide a robust legal framework to national climate change response to enhance energy transition towards a low carbon, resilient, resource efficient and socially inclusive economy.
The awareness event was held under the theme, “Let justice and peace flow.”
Since its publication in 2015, Laudato Si has become a key reference point and call for global action on climate change.