Developed countries urged to honour the Kyoto protocol

In a way of minimizing the effects of global warming in developing countries, developed countries signatory to the Kyoto protocol have been called upon to respect it. The protocol is an international agreement signed by 37 industrialized countries, including the European Community, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5 percent against the 1990 levels in a period of five years, from 2008-2012. ActionAid`s Africa Policy Officer in Ecological Justice, Samuel D. Braimah, said that among other features in the treaty, developed countries are meant to finance developing countries to come up with adaptation measures. “The much industrialized countries contribution towards global warming is just enough to prove how much their activities affect the lives of those in developing countries in regard to climate change,” Braimah said. He made the remarks when conducting a training workshop in preparation for Rwanda’s effective participation in a demonstration movement that will cover 70,000 kms. Dubbed ‘Trans-African Caravan of Hope’ it will start from Burundi to Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe through Botswana to Durban in South Africa. “Although the message will be in different languages, it will be clear against the injustice by developed countries for failure to come up with effective measures to support developing countries mitigate or adapt effects of climate change,” he said. Being organized by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA)-a continental coalition of civil society organizations, it will start on the 9 November to 27. The Executive Director of Rwanda Environmental NGOs Forum (RENGOF), Johnson Nkusi, briefly highlighted on how the climate has been affected. “Our records indicate that we have experienced an average annual decrease in the number of rain days from 148 to 124 right from 1971 to 2009,” Nkusi said. In her speech, the Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), Rose Mukankomeje, said government has and continues to put in place mechanisms to protect the environment. She pointed out that the enaction of the environment law and the creation of REMA is a great step taken towards protecting the environment among others. Ends