Category: Current Issue Features

Barua ya ECO kwa Rais wa COP28

Ndugu Rais wa COP28,

Ulipoalika ulimwengu kwa neema kuja Dubai kuhudhuria COP28, ulituhakikishia mara kwa mara kwamba Nyota yako ya Kaskazini itakuwa sayansi na hitaji kamili la kupunguza ongezeko la joto hadi 1.5°C. Ulituambia umejitolea kutoa “majibu ya kutamani zaidi” kwa shida ya hali ya hewa.

ECO inasikitika kukufahamisha kwamba maandishi mapya ya GST yaliyochapishwa jana yanafanya mzaha kwa madai haya. ECO ilitarajia kuona sehemu ya kukabiliana na rasimu mpya ikionyesha mwito wa wazi kutoka kwa sayansi na zaidi ya nchi 100 zinazotaka kuwepo kwa awamu kamili na ya haki kutoka kwa nishati ya mafuta. Badala yake, tulikuwa na menyu isiyofuatana, dhaifu na isiyoeleweka ya chaguo za nishati ambazo wahusika “zingeweza” kutekeleza na ambazo zimeondolewa mbali na kile kinachohitajika ili kupunguza ongezeko la joto hadi 1.5°C ambayo AOSIS tayari imeiita “cheti chake cha kifo”.

ECO ingependa kurudia ujumbe ulio wazi: COP yako itashindwa kabisa isipokuwa kama italinda makubaliano ya awamu kamili, ya haraka, ya haki na inayofadhiliwa kutoka kwa nishati ya visukuku. Uendeshaji wa hazina ya Hasara na Uharibifu ulikuwa mafanikio makubwa ya COP28, na kazi nyingine iliyosalia ya kuimarisha. Lakini njia pekee ya kuwasilisha COP ya kihistoria ni kupitia makubaliano ya wazi, yenye nguvu, yenye uwiano wa 1.5°C juu ya awamu ya kuondolewa kwa mafuta ambayo yamejikita katika haki na usawa.
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Kuweka mipira juu: Kuchanganya GGA

Watu wanaoendesha sarakasi huambia ECO kuwa ni baada ya onyesho, wakati kazi halisi inapoanza. Mahema yanapovunjwa, upangaji, mafunzo na kuangalia maelezo huanza mara moja ili onyesho linalofuata lifae hadhira yake.

Sote tulijua kuwa COP28 ndipo mfumo ulipaswa kuwa tayari. Lakini hakukuwa na juhudi sahihi katika kufanya kazi kwenye bidhaa hadi katikati ya mwaka huu. Na watoa maamuzi bado hawakuhusika kidogo. Kwa hiyo walipokuja kutazama hapa, ni kana kwamba walikuwa wamerudi mwanzo. Hebu ECO ikukumbushe, kwamba kwa watu waliokumbwa na mafuriko, waliokauka na ukame, waliosombwa na vimbunga, na hasa wale walio na rasilimali ndogo zaidi za kukabiliana na hali hiyo, Lengo la Kimataifa la Kukabiliana na Marekebisho (GGA) linamaanisha tofauti kati ya maisha na kifo.

Hatuwezi kuondoka COP28 bila matokeo yoyote kwenye GGA. Mfumo wa GGA lazima uwe na malengo madhubuti ya kiasi na ubora na ratiba ya matukio na kuungwa mkono na fedha na kuwiana na NCQG na ramani ya wazi ya utoaji wa fedha.

Ufadhili wa marekebisho ambao hauongezi mzigo wa deni lazima ufafanuliwe na uongezwe zaidi ya mara mbili kutoka kwa viwango vya malipo vya 2019. Ripoti ya Pengo la Kurekebisha ilitukumbusha kuwa kiwango cha ufadhili lazima kiongezwe kwa mara 10 hadi 18 kutoka viwango vya sasa. Urekebishaji lazima ujumuishwe katika NDCs pamoja na NAPs.
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Fossil of the Day

US ranks first in the Fossil of the Day Award for failing to take basic steps to halt fossil fuel production

Only last week in Glasgow, President Biden was talking sprints, marathons and finishing lines in the race to net zero. Seems like he’s had enough of those sporting analogies and is back to speaking the language of black gold and carbon as the U.S. is set to announce a new oil and gas drilling program off the Gulf Coast.

As fossil fuel enabler-in-chief his administration has even outdone Trump by approving over 3,000 new drilling permits on public lands. Joe has refused to stop the Line 3 pipeline, expected to transport 760,000 barrels per day, and is keeping the fossil fuel lobby happy with sweet whispers of carbon capture storage and hydrogen. And the cherry on this carbon cake – the US shunned a global pact to commit to a coal end date.

Now we know he’s ‘talked the talk’ about stopping deforestation, taken the methane pledge, agreed to boost climate finance and outlined a clean energy investment plan but until this hot air is converted into action we’re not convinced.

We may have more faith if he used his presidential powers to declare a climate emergency, stop Line 3 and, while he’s at it, end all new federal fossil fuel project permits and end oil exports.
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