If you have any trouble imagining the scale of the problems that climate change is causing (and will further cause) in Africa, then you can check out this article on CuriousInsight.com. I wrote that to highlight the challenges that need to be faced to deal with this behemoth in the face of all the rhetoric we are all hearing about global warming and what could/would/should be done about it.

As I wrote there, the biggest issue is one of responsibility and fairness. This has once again reared its ugly head at the ongoing Climate Change Convention in Copenhagen, Denmark. There is acknowledgement from the EU and others that more must be done to aid Africa…for instance keeping up with promised funds that were promised but have so far failed to materialize. The French Government even issued a statement to the Nigerian Government saying as much. However, they want developing countries to do more.

I suppose the it boils down to the definition of “developing country”, and the concessions that are to be made for such. Take Kenya….that is a developing country. Nigeria…it too is a developing country. The contributions – or perceived contribution – of these to global warming is nothing compared to EU nations and America. Okay, fine. Then take China…or India. Both of these are also developing countries. However China and India have big economies which are still growing fast (recession be damned). Their emissions, though maybe not yet up to those from America, are catching up fast. South Africa is also heading in that direction a little bit, I suppose.

So, the EU wants more from them. The EU wants China and India to pony up some more money to contribute to the international fund to deal with Climate change. The EU also wants them to commit to tougher targets in terms of cutting emissions.

China says…”You boys are primarily responsible for this climate change malarkey…you should do more to fix it. We are just coming up, and our targets are pretty damn good considering where we are in our development“. The point is that the developed nations got to be developed by being irresponsible, so why should they be putting pressure on developing nations? Why put his unfair handicap on them?

African nations generally agree. The folks from Kenya highlighted the unfulfilled promises of the Developed countries. The Nigerian delegate to the negotiations used terms like “injustice” and “wicked” in his statement. Africa just wants this thing addressed, you know?

The EU are very understanding…but are being quite firm on commitments from more “advanced” developing countries. I can’t say I blame them. “Greening” up economies is no joke. It’s expensive…not to mention a gamble in some respects. There will be losses in growth etc., certainly at the start of any programs implemented. It would seem like China and India would then have an unfair advantage if they are given free rein to keep plugging away with only modest changes. Don’t forget that there is competition out there. I’m afraid that the EU and the US are not just going to sit back and take the hit while China becomes the next super-power because the game is now rigged in their favor, whatever wrongs may have been done in the past.

So, there has to be a happy medium somewhere. China will have to give a little bit more or the others won’t. Then everybody loses.

As for the African nations…all we can do is keep pushing them to do what is necessary before it is too late.

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