DUBAI, UAE (PAMACC News) - Vice President Kamala Harris was in Dubai at the UN climate summit last weekend, touting America’s climate leadership in front of hundreds of country leaders. Indeed, the Biden-Harris administration has taken some impressive steps, committing to halve emissions of climate-wrecking pollution by 2030, and backing that up with the most significant climate legislation in the nation’s history, the Inflation Reduction Act.
Yet, one pivotal piece was glaringly absent from her remarks: any commitment to cut fossil fuels, the root cause of the climate crisis. President Biden must match his prowess for promoting clean energy with an equally ambitious plan for curbing America’s fossil fuel production.
As the world’s largest and most powerful economy, the U.S. can’t simultaneously remain its biggest oil and gas producer and be an effective climate leader on the global stage. The posture is untenable — and the math doesn’t add up.
This year, the U.S. experienced a record 25 climate-connected weather disasters that each exceeded $1 billion in damage and killed nearly 400 Americans combined. Despite that grim milestone, a recent United Nations report found that our country plans to produce more oil and gas in 2030 than at any time in its history — the same fuels driving these disasters. This projection flies in the face of the White House’s stated desire to slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and convince other nations to do the same.
Even as the world transitions to clean energy, some fossil fuels will continue to be used for decades. Given that reality, U.S. fossil fuel executives and their allies argue that America might as well supply this fuel by increasing oil and gas exports even while we work toward reducing domestic consumption. The problem is that every major energy producer in the world has the same idea.
The UN report shows that, taken together, government plans would result in global oil and gas production exceeding current levels until at least 2050. Should that much fossil fuel be produced, energy companies and markets would be expected to ensure that demand matches the supply — an outcome that would blow past agreed global temperature limits.
The U.S. can only seriously address climate change by rapidly cutting both fossil fuel demand and fossil fuel supply to zero, or at least near enough to zero, so that the remaining carbon dioxide emissions can be captured. Yet, while carbon capture technology may have a limited role to play, it is not a get-out-of-jail-free card for fossil fuel producers. The International Energy Agency estimates that out of the 15 billion tons of emissions reductions needed by 2030, only 1 billion could be expected to be achieved through carbon capture.
Biden has an admirable record to build upon in expanding clean energy production. Clean energy investments totaled $213 billion nationwide from July 2022 to June 2023, and it’s estimated the Inflation Reduction Act will create 1.5 million more clean energy jobs by 2030. The law’s incentives will cut household energy bills and can save the average American thousands of dollars on electric vehicles, climate-friendly heat pumps and solar installation.
However, the president’s record on curbing fossil fuel production is much more problematic. Although his administration has called for ending fossil fuel production subsidies — an idea that has significant public support — Congress has yet to cut the billions of dollars in annual tax benefits that oil and gas producers have enjoyed for decades, despite oft-stated concerns about the federal deficit from both sides of the aisle. Now is the time for lawmakers to show both moral and fiscal responsibility and stop subsidizing the fuels that are causing climate chaos.
Notably, Biden has more direct control over fossil fuel production on federal lands, but he is currently outpacing former President Trump in approving oil and gas drilling on them. He needs to commit unambiguously to ending this practice.
Earlier this year the administration greenlit the massive Willow Project that will open thousands of acres of Alaskan wilderness to oil drilling and is estimated to emit 287 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. In other areas, Biden has restricted fossil fuel production, such as prohibiting drilling in parts of the pristine National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and revoking permits to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge issued by Trump. But overall, U.S. oil production is at record levels — and the administration currently has no plan for reducing it, even as demand for oil declines due to the rise of electric vehicles.
Finally, the president has an immediate opportunity to significantly cut greenhouse gas pollution with a single stroke of his pen, by denying permits for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals that, if authorized, would quadruple U.S. LNG export capacity. If approved, these projects would lock in climate-warming emissions and fossil fuel dependence that will slow the adoption of clean energy. LNG is mostly methane, which produces carbon dioxide when burned and is 80 times more potent at warming the atmosphere than carbon dioxide in the first 20 years when it leaks — undermining efforts to alleviate near-term warming and the extreme weather disasters it causes.
Any new oil and LNG projects would also take years to build, meaning they would become operational too late to alleviate the energy security challenges created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The transition away from fossil fuels is essential, but it won’t be seamless. The shift will necessarily impact the lives of fossil fuel workers and communities. It’s crucial that the U.S. supports those whose livelihoods currently depend on these industries to ensure that the transition is just and equitable. Importantly, the Inflation Reduction Act includes bonus incentives for clean energy projects built in legacy energy communities and invests in programs that can take advantage of oil workers’ skills, such as capping abandoned oil and gas wells and developing geothermal energy.
Biden can’t lead the world away from climate catastrophe while doubling down on oil and gas development. Reducing demand for fossil fuels is only half of the equation. To create a safe climate and a prosperous future, he must fill in the other half with an equally ambitious plan to curb fossil fuel production.
Dan Lashof is the director of World Resources Institute, United States.
DUBAI, UAE (PAMACC News) - Climate finance supports various climate change mitigation and adaptation activities, as well as efforts to enable the transition towards low-carbon, climate-resilient development environment stakeholders have stated at COP28 in Dubai.
The Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, PACJA who joined other stakeholders to clamour for the doubling of adaptation finance by industrialized countries also hammered on the need for private sector finance as catalyst for green growth in Africa.
“Mobilizing private sector financing for climate and green growth in Africa imperative. The should be crucial collaboration between banks and civil society to drive this agenda,” Mithika Mwenda, PACJA CEO said at side event relating to finance mobilization.
He notes that the continent holds immense potential for sustainable development, calling on the need for stakeholders to work together to better achieve positive results
Mithika also explored the pivotal role of civil society in driving meaningful change and stressing the importance of a united front for effective climate action.
Despite its growing political commitment toward green growth and its rich natural capital endowment, the continent lags behind other regions on many green growth dimensions, in particular on the provision of green economic opportunities, participants at the side event said.
Progress on efficient and sustainable resource use and on the promotion of social inclusion has not been sufficient to catch up with other world regions, it was noted. Thus the need to mobilize funds the meet these voids, it was resolved.
According to a document by the African Development Bank, Africa will require about $1.3 trillion annually to meet its sustainable development needs by 203 and thus to achieve green growth.
“Most of this finance is expected to be met through private finance. To meet these needs and given the current levels of public climate finance, private climate finance should increase by about 36 percent each year until 2030,” the document stated.
Leaders attending this year’s global climate change conference in Dubai urged a more global response to the continent’s adaptation financing needs to tackle the impact of climate change and build resilience.
Speaking during the Adaptation Finance Summit for Africa on the second day of the COP28, African leaders said climate adaptation funding, currently at 39% of all climate finance flows to Africa, must rapidly increase.
“ The climate adaptation funding for Africa is quite insufficient. It’s the responsibility of funding institutions and governments to provide the needed funds,” Kenyan President William Ruto said.
‘’The Nairobi Declaration adopted by the African leaders in September reimagines Africa’s future as a thriving, resilient continent that embraces Climate-Positive Growth. The essence and ambition of APRA are encapsulated in this. We need a holistic approach that delivers on both climate and development priorities, tailored to our needs and communities. We need plans that account for all elements: starting with infrastructure, through policy and regulation to institutional and human capacity,” he declared.
The high-level session also included Comoros President and African Union Chairman Azali Assoumani, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Senegalese President Macky Sall, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron, African Development Bank Group President Dr Akinwumi Adesina, and philanthropist Bill Gates.
In his remarks, the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, highlighted initiatives by the institution in response to the climate adaptation needs of Africa, including the launch of a Climate Action Window to mobilise up to $14 billion to support adaptation for 37 low-income countries.
According the African Development Bank, many investment opportunities in climate action and green growth could unlock private finance despite the barriers observed in Africa. It notes that “sectors that will rely on climate-smart and lowcarbon technologies such as renewable energies and electric vehicles, energy-efficient buildings, climate-resilient infrastructure, improved dryland crop production, and water resource resilience—present Africa’s trillion-dollar market opportunities for the private sector.”
He recommends the implementation of appropriate regulatory, policy, and institutional frameworks as essential for turning these sectors into booming markets for private investors.
“Sustainable development, economic growth, and climate action are critical for Africa, and achieving them requires commitments to green growth,” AfDB boss said.
To help support smallholder farmers in Africa who are facing severe consequences from global warming, the Gates Foundation, the charitable foundation of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and the UAE together committed $200 million.
DUBAI, UAE (PAMACC News) - Climate finance supports various climate change mitigation and adaptation activities, as well as efforts to enable the transition towards low-carbon, climate-resilient development environment stakeholders have stated at COP28 in Dubai.
The Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, PACJA who joined other stakeholders to clamour for the doubling of adaptation finance by industrialized countries also hammered on the need for private sector finance as catalyst for green growth in Africa.
“Mobilizing private sector financing for climate and green growth in Africa imperative. The should be crucial collaboration between banks and civil society to drive this agenda,” Mithika Mwenda, PACJA CEO said at side event relating to finance mobilization.
He notes that the continent holds immense potential for sustainable development, calling on the need for stakeholders to work together to better achieve positive results
Mithika also explored the pivotal role of civil society in driving meaningful change and stressing the importance of a united front for effective climate action.
Despite its growing political commitment toward green growth and its rich natural capital endowment, the continent lags behind other regions on many green growth dimensions, in particular on the provision of green economic opportunities, participants at the side event said.
Progress on efficient and sustainable resource use and on the promotion of social inclusion has not been sufficient to catch up with other world regions, it was noted. Thus the need to mobilize funds the meet these voids, it was resolved.
According to a document by the African Development Bank, Africa will require about $1.3 trillion annually to meet its sustainable development needs by 203 and thus to achieve green growth.
“Most of this finance is expected to be met through private finance. To meet these needs and given the current levels of public climate finance, private climate finance should increase by about 36 percent each year until 2030,” the document stated.
Leaders attending this year’s global climate change conference in Dubai urged a more global response to the continent’s adaptation financing needs to tackle the impact of climate change and build resilience.
Speaking during the Adaptation Finance Summit for Africa on the second day of the COP28, African leaders said climate adaptation funding, currently at 39% of all climate finance flows to Africa, must rapidly increase.
“ The climate adaptation funding for Africa is quite insufficient. It’s the responsibility of funding institutions and governments to provide the needed funds,” Kenyan President William Ruto said.
‘’The Nairobi Declaration adopted by the African leaders in September reimagines Africa’s future as a thriving, resilient continent that embraces Climate-Positive Growth. The essence and ambition of APRA are encapsulated in this. We need a holistic approach that delivers on both climate and development priorities, tailored to our needs and communities. We need plans that account for all elements: starting with infrastructure, through policy and regulation to institutional and human capacity,” he declared.
The high-level session also included Comoros President and African Union Chairman Azali Assoumani, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Senegalese President Macky Sall, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron, African Development Bank Group President Dr Akinwumi Adesina, and philanthropist Bill Gates.
In his remarks, the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, highlighted initiatives by the institution in response to the climate adaptation needs of Africa, including the launch of a Climate Action Window to mobilise up to $14 billion to support adaptation for 37 low-income countries.
According the African Development Bank, many investment opportunities in climate action and green growth could unlock private finance despite the barriers observed in Africa. It notes that “sectors that will rely on climate-smart and lowcarbon technologies such as renewable energies and electric vehicles, energy-efficient buildings, climate-resilient infrastructure, improved dryland crop production, and water resource resilience—present Africa’s trillion-dollar market opportunities for the private sector.”
He recommends the implementation of appropriate regulatory, policy, and institutional frameworks as essential for turning these sectors into booming markets for private investors.
“Sustainable development, economic growth, and climate action are critical for Africa, and achieving them requires commitments to green growth,” AfDB boss said.
To help support smallholder farmers in Africa who are facing severe consequences from global warming, the Gates Foundation, the charitable foundation of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and the UAE together committed $200 million.
Climate and health: building consensus on a unified approach for post COP28 ACTION
By Friday Phiri
DUBAI, UAE (PAMACC News) - It is often said that environment and health are two sides of the same coin. The interdependence between environment and health cannot be ignored anymore as scientific evidence keeps highlighting that a poorly managed environment is a recipe for an increased disease burden across the globe.
For instance, it is a no brainer that poor sanitation is a leading cause of water borne-related diseases, just as the case is with increased antimicrobial resistance and cancers resulting from poor chemical and other hazardous waste management.
In recognition of the interplay between health and the environment, environmental and health experts have been working collaboratively to promote the one health concept—an integrated and unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems.
One health recognises that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and interdependent.
While health, food, water, energy and environment are all wider topics with sector-specific concerns, the collaboration across sectors and disciplines contributes to protect health, address health challenges such as the emergence of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and food safety and promote the health and integrity of ecosystems.
By linking humans, animals and the environment, One Health can help to address the full spectrum of disease control; from prevention to detection, preparedness, response and management – and contribute to global health security.
The approach can be applied at the community, sub-national, national, regional and global levels, and relies on shared and effective governance, communication, collaboration and coordination. Having the One Health approach in place makes it easier for people to better understand the co-benefits, risks, trade-offs and opportunities to advance equitable and holistic solutions.
As a consequence of poor environmental management, climate change has emerged as a major threat to global health,with the most vulnerable populations facing the greatest impact. Unfortunately, those who contribute least to the problem often suffer the most severe consequences.
It is estimated that around 824 million people globally are malnourished, of which 58.7 million children are in Africa. Additionally, millions in Africa lack basic water and sanitation, leading to significant child mortality from diarrhoea.It is further estimated that58% ofinfectiousdiseasesgloballyhavebeenintensifiedbychanges in climate.This has ripple effects on public health, economy, environment, and education. The situation is predicted to worsen with rising global temperatures, threateningprogresstowardstheSustainableDevelopmentGoals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage.
TheIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment report warns that climate change affects, both physical and mental health, and can exacerbate humanitarian crises, and recognises the need for action.Paragraph C.2 of the aforesaid report, states: “Deep, rapid and sustained mitigation and acceleratedimplementation of adaptation actions in this decade would reduce projected losses and damages forhumans and ecosystems, and deliver many co-benefits, especially for air quality and health.”
Thus, several efforts are underway to integrate health into the formal UNFCCC discourse and to gain political traction on the nexus of climate change and health. In recognition of the importance of health and for COP28 to recognise thealready severe and growing impacts of climate change on human health, the COP28 Presidency, working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners organised the first ever health day in the history of COPs on day 4 of COP28 (3rd December, 2023).
The day brought together Ministers of Health and senior health delegates from over 100 countries. The Ministerial mobilized support for the COP28 Climate and Health Agenda and the ‘COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health’ that was unveiled on 2ndDecember at the World Climate Action Summit and endorsed by over 120 countries and over $1 billion of climate health financing was galvanized by partners.
Speaking on the day, COP28 Director-GeneralAmbassador Al Suwaidi noted: “While we build the energy system of tomorrow, we cannot ignore the needs of people today. We must rapidly protect and promote their health and well-being while improving the climate-resilience of healthcare systems and reduce climate-health risks.”
‘Protecting Lives and Livelihoods’ is one of four central pillars in the COP28 Presidency’s Action Agenda which focuses on people, nature, lives and livelihoods.
AMREF Health Africa, in collaboration with Africa CDC, Welcome Trust, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Pan African Justice Alliance for Climate Change (PACJA) and others, convened several stakeholder events to galvanise support for the health and climate change nexus.
The events were aimed at building consensus among Ministers of health in Africa on the key submissions and the common position to be presented during various COP sessions, as well as engage with the Africa Group of Negotiators and political leaders to carry forward key submissions in thedifferentnegotiationworkstreamsatCOP28.
Atthe African health ministerial round table, AMREF Health Africa,Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Githinji Gitahi, called for active involvement of health Ministers in the climate change discourse.
"It's unbelievable that we are here today. We thank the COP28 Presidency for dedicating a health day for Climate Health - the first ever in the history of COPs. We also appreciate the tireless efforts of the WHO, the health ministers and other key global health partners, in making the health day a reality," said Dr. Githinji.
And UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell emphasised the importance of recognising the interplay between climate change and health.
"Health is the human face of climate change," he said. "The air we breath should be free of harmful pollution. Our communities should be safe from the devastating effects of floods, droughts and heat waves.Transitioning away from fossil fuels can help us get there."
