By Dan Kaburu – August 29, 2023
As the countdown to the Africa Climate Summit ticks down ahead of the inaugural summit to be held in Nairobi from 4th to 6th September, journalists from 30 African countries gathered for the 2nd Africa Journalists Climate Training. The two-day training was organized by Power Shift Africa and MESHA to strengthen their skills in reporting African stories.
Mohamed Adow, the director of Power Shift Africa, is a passionate advocate for climate justice in Africa. With years of experience working on environmental issues, Adow has been at the forefront of raising awareness about the impacts of climate change on the continent.
In a thought-provoking speech, Adow challenged journalists to go beyond the surface-level coverage of climate change and dive deep into the stories of local communities who are the most affected by its consequences. He emphasized the importance of giving voice to those who are often marginalized and overlooked in mainstream narratives.
Adow urged journalists to step out of their comfort zones and immerse themselves in the realities of African communities grappling with climate issues. By spending time on the ground and building relationships with local people, journalists can gain a genuine understanding of the challenges they face, as well as the innovative solutions they are implementing to adapt to a changing climate.
“It is time for African journalists to decolonize their stories. The continent has experts from all over who can add value to your stories instead of looking for experts who are not from Africa to comment on issues affecting communities in Africa.” – Mohamed Adow.
According to a recent report by the World Bank, an alarming projection suggests that approximately 86 million individuals in Africa may potentially face displacement within the continent in the coming years. This unprecedented number calls for urgent attention and comprehensive measures to address the underlying factors causing such a situation.
The potential displacement of such a substantial population within Africa carries significant implications for various aspects of society, including but not limited to economic stability, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability. As millions of individuals are uprooted from their homes and communities, there will be a pressing need to provide adequate support systems to ensure their well-being and successful integration into new environments.
Professor Fadhel Kaboub, Associate Professor of Economics at Denison, highlighted how the food deficit in Africa is due to the lack of food sovereignty on the continent, which is caused by multinational corporations suppressing seed freedom.
“Africa imports 85% of its food to feed its population. Food sovereignty means having the freedom to produce your own food, but sadly, that is not the case in the continent,” said Fadhel.
Discussions in the Conference of Parties have not borne much fruit 30 years after COP meetings started. “The 100 billion dollars annual climate finance has not been honored since 2015, and 10.7 billion dollars of green climate finance have not yet been realized. COPs are full of talks and promises which have little to show for it,” added Fadhel.
During the training held at Lukenya Getaway in Machakos County, Eastern Kenya, it was noted that Africa lost eight million heads of cattle to the last drought that was witnessed, especially in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia, among other African countries.
Nahashon Oluoka, who is the Regional advisor at Pandemic Action Network, said that between 2030 and 2050, there will be 250,000 deaths caused by the effects of climate change on the continent. Oluoka also mentioned that there will be an additional damage of between US$2-4 billion as a result of climate change.
Oluoka noted that the health sector contributes to 5% of the global greenhouse gas emissions.
Journalists attending the training were challenged to look into stories that are in the interest of the continent giving a major focus on the people.
Kenya will be hosting Africa Climate Summit next week under the theme; Driving Green Growth and Climate Finance Solutions for Africa and the World. It is expected that the summit which brings together more than thirty heads of state and diplomats from the continent and beyond will champion the continent’s speaking in one voice at the global stage.
The Africa Climate Summit which is championed by HE President Ruto, aims to address the increasing exposure to climate change and its associated costs, both globally and Moreso the continent of Africa. Urgent action is needed with the escalating climate crises in terms of frequency and intensity.
The Summit will serve as a platform to inform, frame, and influence commitments, pledges, and outcomes, ultimately leading to the development of the Nairobi Declaration set for 6th September 2023.
Organized in parallel with the African Climate Summit, Africa Climate Week will provide a platform for policymakers, practitioners, businesses, and civil society to exchange climate solutions, discuss barriers to overcome, and explore opportunities realized in different regions. This will lead up to the first global stocktake, concluding at COP28 in the UAE from November 30 to December 12.
The Africa Climate Week will consider four major systems-based tracks with a view to providing region-focused contributions to inform the global stocktake on Energy systems and industry, Land, ocean, food and water, societies, health, livelihoods and economies, cities, urban and natural settlements, infrastructure and transport.
More than 10,000 delegates are expected to attend the first Africa Climate Summit to be held at Kenyatta International Convention Center in the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi.
