African Climate Leaders Fellowship Module 3: International Climate Policy making and Governance.
Our third session on African Climate Leaders Fellowship was on International Climate Policymaking and Governance which was led by Prof. Mark Rouleau, program director of the Environmental and Energy Policy program, and Interim Department Chair of the Social Science Department of Michigan Technological University.
The feedback during the session and afterwards was simply amazing. Fellows were amazed by the depth of analysis yet simplified presentation put together.
Prof. Rouleau took us through the Climate Change Problem and what is causing the challenge ( GHGs emissions and human activities amongst others) to how the Ozone later depletion challenge involving the usage of CFCs was ‘easily’ and collectively solved, and yet, why the climate change phenomenon which is very complex still persists.
He made mention of the formal (through political institutions) and informal (using shame as a tool to change the preference of individuals,etc. ways this challenge has been handled.
He highlighted the fact that Climate change is a global phenomenon that needs a collective and international level cooperation beyond national and local efforts at mitigation hence the need for a ‘world government-like” avenue for countries to collaborate and participate hence the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).
The UNFCCC an international treaty, adopted in 1992 and upon which the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, and the 2016 Paris Agreement is to provide a framework for international cooperation to address climate change.
Primarily to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system, in a time frame which allows ecosystems to adapt naturally and enables sustainable development through the cooperation of various countries, & that’s why COP (Conference of Parties) exist.
The COP, which is the supreme decision-making body of the Convention is where all parties to the convention meet ro reach a consensus on the actions to take in reaching the set objective of limiting the increase in global temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit it even further to 1.5°C (the Paris Agreement set this). COP therefore provides a global platform to allow for such deliberations, negotiations, & the reaching of consensus.
Among the Principles upon which the convention is the Principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) which simply recognizes the fact that, despite climate change being a common global challenge, country contributions to global emissions aren’t same (the global North contribute most while the global south suffers most). Hence, the Responsibilities are shared such that equity exists and the peculiar needs & interests of all served.
Finally, while there is a need for a concerted effort, we all need to find a spot and contribute!
