CLIMATE CHANGE

[Lisbeth]

Sub-Saharan Africa and the awareness of a new colonialism more invasive than the past


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9 March 2023

The opinion of Pedro Ranca Da Costa, former collaborator of the Swiss Integration Office of foreigners

Beyond verbal oceans, rhetorical proclamations, commitments made and never kept, Sub-Saharan Africa closes this 2022 with a problematic balance sheet on multiple fronts.

The Ebola virus has spectrally re-emerged in Uganda, where there are 22 deaths in the month of December alone, adding to the 55 victims recorded in the previous 11 months. The Covid epidemic has dealt a further blow to already fragile health care structures, bringing many nations to their knees and reducing large sections of the population to poverty. The Russo-Ukrainian conflict has resulted in the importation of grain, causing 40 million people to go hungry and soar the prices of petrol and fertilizers. Widespread poverty exacerbated by the desertification of a continent that until the seventies was almost self-sufficient in terms of food, and today witnesses helplessly a widespread drought at the origin of famine.

Sub-Saharan African nations in various international meetings have reiterated their opposition to the draconian measures proposed by the West to stop environmental degradation, explaining that Sub-Saharan Africa is the continent that pollutes the least and which is now suffering the consequences of foolish choices by others . An ecological transition as suggested by the most polluting countries would be a further penalty.

2022 ends with the civil conflict between Ethiopia and Tigray that has been going on for two years and has already claimed 500 thousand victims and created millions of refugees and displaced persons. The peace treaty signed in South Africa remains a framework because the framework must be filled with content. The 12,000 soldiers sent on a peace mission by the EAC (East African Community) should oversee the difficult peace under construction.

Political instability is an all too common denominator for Mali, Guinea, Sudan, Chad, Burkina Faso, countries where coups d'état have decided the fate of citizens since 2020. Instead, the coups in Sao Tome, Principe and Gambia failed. The road to stability in Sudan remains impervious. In South Africa, since Mandela's departure, no president has proved capable of leading the country.

To stop the Chinese invasion (sub-Saharan Africa's main economic partner with investments of 254 billion dollars in 2021 compared to 64 billion from the USA), Washington favored the entry of the African Union into the UN security council and as a permanent member of the G20. And there is a commitment to invest 55 billion dollars over 3 years to develop the economy, health and safety, i.e. the military and arms sector. The "race to do good" for Africa has begun. The actors are all interested in returning the protagonists, as in the years of the cold war. The sub-Saharan continent remains strategic but there is also the awareness of a new colonialism that is more dangerous and invasive than the past one.

[Lisbeth]

Earlier this week, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its latest report - The AR6 Synthesis Report

Jargon and scientific language make reading these full reports difficult, so we’ve summarised the key findings because understanding what it says is vital if we are to change our trajectory.

Seven Key findings:

• The Earth's climate is unequivocally warming, and human activity is the primary cause of this warming. The evidence for this is stronger than ever before.

• The world is currently on track to exceed the 1.5°C and 2°C temperature targets set in the Paris Agreement.

• It is still possible to limit global warming to 1.5°C, but this will require rapid and deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors of society. That means transforming energy systems, land use, transportation, buildings, and industrial processes.

• The impacts of climate change are widespread and severe, affecting ecosystems, human health, and economic development. These impacts are expected to worsen over time, with the most vulnerable populations being the hardest hit. Climate change is exacerbating existing inequalities and creating new ones.

• Some climate change impacts, such as sea-level rise and the loss of Arctic sea ice, are irreversible for centuries or millennia, and others, such as ocean acidification, will continue for tens of thousands of years.

• The world must cut greenhouse gas emissions to 60% below 2019 levels by 2035. Options that must be implemented quickly and at scale to achieve the necessary emissions include renewable energy, energy efficiency, and carbon capture and storage.

• If climate goals are to be achieved, both adaptation and mitigation financing would need to increase many-fold.

What needs to happen in a single quote:

“This report is a clarion call to massively fast-track climate efforts by every country and every sector and on every time frame. In short, our world needs climate action on all fronts — everything, everywhere, all at once.” - UN Secretary General António Guterres

If you study one thing:



Created by The University of Reading

Three Positive takeaways:

• Increased ambition in global climate action: The report indicates that many countries have strengthened their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in recent years, which could potentially limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius.

• Advancements in renewable energy technology: The report highlights the significant progress made in renewable energy technology, with solar and wind power becoming increasingly cost-competitive with fossil fuels.

• Greater public awareness and concern: The report notes that public awareness and concern about climate change have increased in recent years, with more people taking action to reduce their carbon footprint and support climate-friendly policies.