Browsing: climate action

• DRC Joins the Organisation of Southern Cooperation after depositing the Instrument of Acceptance
• Secretary-General Manssour Bin Mussallam received the Instrument of Acceptance.
• The OSC, aimed at fostering cooperation and development among Southern Hemisphere countries

The Republic of the Congo has consolidated its full membership status of the Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC) by depositing the Instrument of Acceptance by Daniel Owassa, Ambassador of the DRC to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union.

Secretary-General Manssour Bin Mussallam received the Instrument of Acceptance at a handover ceremony yesterday at the OSC Headquarters in Addis Ababa.

The Republic of the Congo is a founding member of the OSC. The depositing of the Instrument of Acceptance signifies the completion of the full membership process by countries in the Global South.

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H.E. Bin Mussallam said the occasion marked the beginning …

• Analysts observe numerous loopholes in global climate talks, with a failure to address glaring food security concerns.
• Financial commitments for food systems remain low, affecting implementation, and leaving millions of people hungry.
• Agriculture accounts for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.

For the very first time, food systems were finally discussed at the just-ended COP28 in Dubai late last year, but analysts are up in arms, asking if it’s a ‘too little, too late’ scenario.

“Given the profound impact of agricultural practices and food consumption patterns on our planet’s health, this attention is long overdue,” notes the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) in its review of the COP28 outcome.

Better late than never, so “though the talks’ long overdue focus on food and agriculture ultimately disappointed, it provides a starting point for future action and advocacy.”

COP28 was held in Dubai late last year, and while there …

• President Samia Suluhu Hassan highlighted the need for international commitment to climate agreements and innovative financing, including a $700 million green bond initiative for adaptation and mitigation strategies while representing Tanzania at COP28.
• Through the African Group of Negotiators, African nations pushed for a just energy transition and increased climate financing, advocating for the right to use fossil fuels for development before transitioning to renewable energy sources.
• Global leaders recognized Africa’s climate adaptation needs, with significant pledges such as the UK’s GBP 1.5 billion commitment for adaptation in Africa by 2025 and the African Development Bank Group’s initiative to mobilize $14 billion for low-income African countries.

Tanzania at COP28

Tanzanian President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan played a pivotal role at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, where she emphasized the critical need for the international community to fulfil unmet commitments related to climate change. Her speech brought to the fore …

As COP28 unfolds with its myriad discussions and commitments, a less visible but equally critical issue looms on another continent – the pervasive problem of greenwashing in Africa. From the corridors of corporate power to the burgeoning startup ecosystem, greenwashing emerges as a misleading marketing tactic and a significant barrier to genuine environmental and social progress in Africa.

In Africa’s corporate sector, greenwashing has become a strategic tool used by both corporations and governments to cover up environmentally detrimental practices. This issue is acutely critical in a continent where environmental conservation is not just a matter of policy but survival.…

Global climate negotiators have reached a framework for climate financing to deal with loss and damage in the run-up to the COP28 in Dubai.…