From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Wed Dec 16 2009 - 08:45:35 EST
http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/12/15/corruption-sarkozy-obama-pressure-ethiopias-zenawi-to-betray-africas-future/
Published by jamiehenn, December 15th, 2009
Corruption: Sarkozy, Obama Pressure Ethiopia’s Zenawi to Betray Africa’s
Future at Copenhagen Climate Talks
NGOs and civil society groupings are reacting with anger and disappointment
to a joint appeal by France and “Ethiopia, representing Africa” for a
so-called ‘Copenhagen Accord’ to result from the current COP15 negotiations
being held in the Danish capital. The French / Ethiopian proposal appeared
on the French Presidency’s website today (
http://www.elysee.fr/documents/index.php?lang=fr&mode=view&cat_id=1&press_id=3195)
.
The proposed accord, which would be binding on all parties immediately on
signature and lead to a ‘legal international instrument’ to be agreed ‘as
early as possible in 2010’ ignores the latest science, fails to put forward
greenhouse gas concentration targets that will be sufficient to prevent
dangerous global warming, and makes a mockery of calls for sufficient
funding for climate adaptation and mitigation.
In what looks more like conspiracy than coincidence, the announcement by
President Sarkozy and Prime Minister Zenawi of Ethiopia comes on the same
day the White House is reporting that President Obama called Zenawi to
discuss the UN climate talks: “He expressed his appreciation for the
leadership role the Prime Minister was playing in work with African
countries on climate change, and urged him to help reach agreement at the
Leaders summit later this week in Copenhagen.”
“The ugly and overt pressure on developing countries to sign an agreement
that will put their very survival in jeopardy has begun,” said
350.orgfounder Bill McKibben. “It’s very tough to stand up to the
Americans,
especially Barack Obama. But even the U.S. president can’t protect nations
against rising waters, withering droughts, and dried-up glaciers. This is
the moment for Africa, for island nations, for the developing world to
insist on a future.”
By calling for an upper limit of temperature increase of 2 degrees Celsius,
the Zenawi and Sarkozy proposal ignores the threat that this level
represents to Africa: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth
Assessment Report says that should the average temperature of the globe rise
by 2 degrees C, Africa’s “median temperature increase would be between 3°C
and 4°C, roughly 1.5 times the global mean response” – an extremely
dangerous rise. (Source: Contribution of Working Group I to the IPCC Fourth
Assessment Report, Chapter 11, Regional Climate Projections, at page
866-867)
“The IPCC science is clear – 2 degrees is 3.5 degrees in Africa – this is
death to millions of Africans” said Mithika Mwenda of Pan-African Climate
Justice Alliance.
The proposal also makes a mockery of calls for sufficient funding for
climate adaptation and mitigation to flow form rich to poor countries. The
proposed “fast start” fund, which would pay out $10 billion over the years
2010, 2011 and 2012, is wholly insufficient to address the needs of African
countries, many of whom are already suffering massive losses due to climate
change. Although it calls for larger and more sustained financing to flow to
climate-vulnerable countries from 2013 onwards (paid for by a possible tax
on financial transactions and sea and air transport) this call will not be a
binding part of the French / Ethiopian proposal. If details do emerge on the
finance piece of the deal, there could be a silver lining to this
announcement, but as of yet,we aren’t seeing or hearing any real figures.
One can only hope that Zenawi is still pushing hard for a real financial
commitment from developed countries.
“If Prime Minister Meles wants to sell out the lives and hopes of Africans
for a pittance – he is welcome to – but that is not Africa’s position”
Mithika Mwenda.
“Every other African country has committed to policy based on the science.
That means at least 45% cuts by rich countries by 2020 and it means $400
billion fast-track finance not $10 billion” said Augustine Njamnshi of
Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance. “You cannot say you are proposing a
’solution’ to climate change if your solution will see millions of Africans
die and if the poor not the polluters keep paying for climate change.”
Contact Jamie Henn in Copenhagen for interviews with PACJA spokespeople or
more information: +45 52 68 47 65
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