‘No one should be neutral on climate change fight’  

Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining BRIGHT MSAKA recently led a delegation of local negotiators to this year’s Conference of Parties (CoP21) that saw the globe descend on Paris, France. FATSANI GUNYA caught up with the Minister and now sheds more light on what transpired in Paris.

Q: Was it worth the cost for Malawi to attend the CoP 21 in Paris, France?

A: Of course, it was. Actually, I should say this conference was one of the best. Not only because of the outcomes drawn thereof, but also due to the fact that it came at an opportune time for Malawi. I delivered a national statement on behalf of government, in which I indicated that key economic sectors in Malawi are not spared from the adverse effects of climate change, such as prolonged dry spells, droughts and floods.

In the statement, we indicated the impact experienced such as the devastating floods in January of the year that ended yesterday, which contributed to losses in the country’s socio-economic gains. We also called on the international community to reach an outcome that would protect the planet Earth and save lives of the people, including safeguarding the planet for future generations.

Malawi looks at the Paris Agreement as vital as it provides an enduring framework with long-term goals that signal that the world needs to solve the climate crisis. It creates mechanisms and the architecture for us to continually tackle this problem in an effective way. This moment can be a turning point for the world and the best chance we have to save the one planet that we have.

Q: Out of the 12 key elements in the Paris Agreement is the issue of forests. How will Malawi benefit from that element?

A:  The forestry sector will benefit from the Global Landscapes Forum: Africa Restoration Initiative also referred to as AFR100, which is a continental initiative with the goal of bringing 100 million hectares of degraded and deforested land in Africa into restoration by the year 2013. Malawi has submitted its expression of interest to participate in this initiative and on the local scale, the ministry of Finance already approved in this year’s National Budget to have tree planting integrated in the Public Works Programme.

Q: How does the Agreement cover Malawi’s initiatives to curb global warming?

A: Let me say that the Paris Agreement acknowledges the inclusion of actions that contribute to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (Redd) by avoiding deforestation and also the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

In undertaking actions in forests, the agreement reflects the principle of equity, and common but differentiated responsibilities, and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances.

The agreement contains decisions that will allow mobilisation and provision of climate finance for developing countries to undertake actions to address climate change through mitigation, adaptation, capacity building, technology development and transfer, Redd plus and loss and damage.

Q: How significant with the Paris Agreement be, especially to Malawi?

A: It will have a transformative effect for Malawi and the world as a whole. It is envisaged that the agreement will accelerate significant normative and policy progress domestically. It will change the way government, civil society and the private sector view inks between climate responsibility, economic growth and social inclusion. It will enhance climate actions by all stakeholders.

There are various implications the agreement will make on Malawi and they include Malawi, as a least developed country, to continue to benefit from financial mechanisms of the Convection to undertake adaptation and mitigation actions.

Let me also add that recently the Green Climate Fund Board approved a six-year project for Malawi worth $12.3 million (K7.3 billion )to enhance early warning systems as part of disaster risk reduction. All this, including benefitting from technology development and transfer, among others, should put Malawi at an edge as far as the climate change fight is concerned.

Q: How different was this agreement to various treaties, the Kyoto Protocol in particular?

A: The major weakness of the Kyoto Protocol was that there was no mechanism to facilitate implementation and compliance, and also that developing countries were not legally bound to undertake emission reduction targets in contrast to the Paris Agreement that has that mechanism in its Article 15.

Again, there was no clear pathway and roadmap for sources and channels for provision of climate finance, Climate Change Convenction, which the Paris Agreement has now provided for.

Q: The agreement calls for a signature ceremony scheduled for some time in April? Where does Malawi stand?

A: Government will, after due consultations, definitely be signing the agreement. The good thing is that the conference agreed that the UN Secretary General should keep the agreement open for signing until April 2017. This will give us ample time for consultations before ratifying it.

But there is a need to initiate development of project proposals to be submitted to the Green Climate Fund and other funds that are available under the Convention so that Malawi can develop and implement its projects. The key message is that this is not a government thing; climate change is a challenge for all of us—government, civil society organisations, private sector, faith-based organisations and the rest of players. n