African civil societies demand justice as climate talks open

A statement issued by the group immediately after the opening session of the 19th session of the UN Warsaw Climate Conference, said that Africa is in the frontline for climate change impacts.“We watch with horror what has happened in the Philippines, and know that it is happening in our homes too.” Mithika Mwenda, the Secretary […]

A statement issued by the group immediately after the opening session of the 19th session of the UN Warsaw Climate Conference, said that Africa is in the frontline for climate change impacts.
“We watch with horror what has happened in the Philippines, and know that it is happening in our homes too.” Mithika Mwenda, the Secretary General of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), said.
“I don’t know how rich countries can ignore the facts being screamed by mother nature, nor the cries being made by the world’s poor – the time has come to cut climate changing causing emissions and to cut them deep,” Mwende said.
“Africans expect our governments to stand firm on setting an emissions budget, as recommended by the IPCC. They must then share this budget fairly, based on historical responsibilities and capacities,” said Dr. Habtemariam Abate, from the Ethiopian Civil Society Network on Climate Change.