The African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) has pledged to continue upholding the principles of climate justice and fairness as espoused in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)’s Common.
Speaking at a Catholic Church organised climate awareness based on Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si, AGN Chair, Ephraim Mwepya Shitima said the Pope’s message “on care for our common home” resonates with the principle of fairness as articulated in the UNFCCC convention, which the African group endeavours to uphold at all times in the negotiation process.
Laudato si’, the encyclical of Pope Francis has the subtitle “on care for our common home” in which the pope critiques consumerism and irresponsible development, laments environmental degradation and global warming, and calls all people of the world to take “swift and unified global action.”
“We cannot agree more with Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation when he characterises ‘climate change as one of the principal challenges facing society and the global community’,” Shitima told a gathering of Catholic clergy, youths and private sector players in Lusaka.
“As we lead Africa at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) later this year, the inspirational words of Pope Francis will ring in our ears to ensure that COP28 accelerates the just energy transitions in order to ensure that the more than 600 million Africans without access to any form of energy can have some hope of their fortunes changing for the better.
Shitima added that we will also work tirelessly to ensure that the fund to support poor countries who suffer loss and damage due to extreme weather events, is made operational with simplified and streamlined access modalities.
