The search for precise global mechanisms to deal with the cause and effects of climate change was the great subject of the Africa Climate Change forum held at Serena Hotel, Kigali. Delegates at the conference shared a common position on how insufficient information in developing countries continues to be a major challenge. Many perceived failure by metrological institutions to give early warnings on natural disasters as the main cause of human suffering associated with internal displacement. Graham Stegmann, of the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) reaffirmed that it is not until a disaster had manifested its consequences that emergency interventions are undertaken. “In a state of deficient data on natural threats, it is the poor people who continue suffering since they count their survival on the affected land,” said Dr. Margot E. Salomon. Salomon, an Advisor to the UN High-Level Taskforce on the Rights to Development, prioritised a global compromised mechanism as the best way to address that. However, her proposal seems to be deterred by lingering global worries about whether the industrialised nations will adopt fixed targets for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. The developing countries and European Union (EU) States want the rich nations to commit to emissions cuts but the US, Canada and Japan are still hesitant. Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, who was a key speaker at the Kigali talks, said that the last G8 summit isolated the need for a global framework on climate change control. Robinson emphasised the need for political will among leaders of these nations in order to ensure that climate change experts and litigators enforce global actions on human rights. “Searching for fair justice is inevitable to uplift developing countries’ standards,” she argued, adding, “Human rights provide the potential language to enable society realize that.” Margaret Sekagya, the Chairman of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, noted that good governance which involves big populations helps in the management of public resources. Her idea was seconded by, Fredrick Onyango, from Maseno University in Kenya, who proposed the need for global focus on human rights in line with climate change control. Onyango was of the view that as long as emissions are still emanating from industrialised nations; ozone layer depletion will continue to pose natural threats to human rights. Optioning the necessary resources to various sectors responsible to fight natural threats was what, Prof Eric Neumayer, from London School of Economics deemed to be vital. Neumayer believes that such an approach will enable the developing world capture the attention of rich nations to release the carbon credit assistance set for climate change control. However, Foreign Affairs Minister, Rosemary Museminali, who chaired the session on climate change and development, expressed doubt on whether the said aid would get to developing nations. Delegates’ views regarding the necessary universal efforts in climate change control are expected to be reassessed, and others recommended for global deliberation. Ends
