African states attending COP23, the UN climate summit in Bonn, want America's delegation turfed out. From Deutshe Welle.
The Panafrican Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) represents a coalition of civil society organizations from diverse backgrounds across Africa. Secretary General of PACJA, Mithika Mwenda, told DW that part of the organization’s mission at COP23 is to push industrialized countries to set more ambitious goals to reduce their carbon emissions so that African states don’t have to contend with the adverse effects of climate change.
...
Mwenda also openly questions the presence of an official US delegation, out of fear it may prove to be a bad influence on other states that are already reluctant to take serious action on climate change – something he terms as the "Trump effect."
"[The US] withdraws from the Paris Agreement, yet they still want to show that they can negotiate the implementation framework," said Mwenda, "That’s why we are calling in delegates here to sign our petition to kick Trump and his government out of these negotiations. We have to make it very clear that we are not kicking [out] the people of America. We are in solidarity with [those who oppose Trump’s actions]. Our target is the Trump government."
Holding high-polluters to account – including the possibility of financial reparations for small-polluters, including African countries – is likely to be another flashpoint issue at this year’s COP, especially with island nation Fiji at the helm.
"It is quite symbolic that a small island state is hosting COP23,"Mwenda told DW, "[Developed nations] hold a lot of power in terms of determining what is on the agenda…The problem is the apathy of industrialized countries. We want to challenge them on that."
"[The US] withdraws from the Paris Agreement, yet they still want to show that they can negotiate the implementation framework," said Mwenda, "That’s why we are calling in delegates here to sign our petition to kick Trump and his government out of these negotiations. We have to make it very clear that we are not kicking [out] the people of America. We are in solidarity with [those who oppose Trump’s actions]. Our target is the Trump government."
Holding high-polluters to account – including the possibility of financial reparations for small-polluters, including African countries – is likely to be another flashpoint issue at this year’s COP, especially with island nation Fiji at the helm.
"It is quite symbolic that a small island state is hosting COP23,"Mwenda told DW, "[Developed nations] hold a lot of power in terms of determining what is on the agenda…The problem is the apathy of industrialized countries. We want to challenge them on that."
Syria signed the Paris Accord today, making the US the only country to refuse the deal. Trump pulled the US out so I see no reason they should have any standing at COP23. The Africans are right - show Trump's crew the door.
ReplyDeleteCap