COP26 - The African Mirror

Sep

2021

South Africa tells Western envoys it needs financial support to shift from coal

SOUTH Africa told visiting climate envoys from the United States, Britain, Germany and France that it needs major financial support to move away from coal, according to the environment department. South Africa is the world's 12th biggest carbon emitter, according to the Global Carbon Atlas, five places ahead of the United Kingdom, an economy eight times the size, emitting 479 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2e) in 2019. It is also by far Africa's largest emitter. This month, the government adopted a more ambitious emissions reduction target of 350-420 Mt CO2e per year by 2030, weeks before the…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

China, U.S. climate pledges give COP26 boost but ‘extra mile’ sought

WORLD

BEN LIH YI CHINA and the United States have this week boosted momentum ahead of November's COP26 key climate summit with new energy and funding pledges to tackle planetary warming, but analysts said they lacked detail and far more was needed to meet global goals. Leaders of the world's two largest economies announced separate measures at the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) Tuesday, with China pledging to end overseas coal financing and the U.S. saying it would double climate funding for developing countries. The announcements were hailed as important ahead of the COP26 U.N. climate talks in Glasgow, but green groups…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

World’s top three Christian leaders in climate appeal ahead of U.N. summit

WORLD

PHILIP PULLELLA THE world's three main Christian leaders issued an unprecedented joint appeal to members of their Churches to "listen to the cry of the earth" and back action to stem the effects of climate change. In "A Joint Message for the Protection of Creation," Pope Francis, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew asked Christians to pray that world leaders at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow in November make courageous choices. "We call on everyone, whatever their belief or world view, to endeavour to listen to the cry of the earth and…

Jul

2021

By The African Mirror

Pope to attend November U.N. climate conference in Glasgow, health permitting

ENVIRONMENT

PHILIP PULLELLA POPE Francis will attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow in November, health permitting, Scotland's Roman Catholic bishops said on Monday. The bishops confirmed the pope's presence among other world leaders in a statement on their website. "Having written to the Holy Father to assure him of a warm welcome, should he attend the conference, they are delighted to hear that he does hope to attend and would be glad to meet with them in Glasgow," a statement said. Francis is in a Rome hospital recovering from colon surgery and will remain there for a…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Pope launches green initiative, decrying “predatory attitude” toward planet

ENVIRONMENT

PHILIP PULLELLA POPE Francis launched an initiative on Tuesday to make Catholic institutions ranging from families to universities to businesses environmentally sustainable in seven years, saying a "predatory attitude" toward the planet must end. The Laudato Si Action Platform takes its name from the pope's landmark 2015 encyclical on the need to protect the environment, reduce wasteful lifestyles, stem global warming and protect the poor from the effects of climate change. At a news conference announcing the initiative, Cardinal Peter Turkson, head of the Vatican's development office, said the pope has been invited to attend the United Nations' Climate Change…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

U.S. envoy wants pope to attend climate conference, sway debate

ENVIRONMENT

POPE Francis has the moral authority to sway public opinion over global warming and might attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Scotland, U.S. President Joe Biden's climate envoy John Kerry said on Saturday. COP26 is being held in Glasgow in November and could accelerate measures by the world's biggest polluters to tackle climate change, a challenge that activists, scientists and world leaders say could ultimately endanger the planet. "I think that his voice will be a very important voice leading up to and through the Glasgow conference, which I believe he intends to attend," Kerry told the…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Youth activists urge bigger say in decision making for climate-hit Africans

ENVIRONMENT

AMBER MILNE YOUNG African environmental activists say it is crucial those most impacted by climate change have a bigger say in decision-making to find solutions, including at upcoming COP26 U.N. climate talks set for November in Glasgow. In an online discussion joined by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Nigerian environmentalist Olumide Idowu said African youth could "no longer afford to be spectators of our future". "Most of these negotiators negotiate on behalf of us, without us ... we should be looking at how we can be a part of these negotiations," Idowu said. From stronger heatwaves and storms to droughts…

Nov

2020

By The African Mirror

About 150 nations due to deliver stronger climate plans in 2020, tracker shows

WORLD

MEGAN ROWLING MORE than three-quarters of countries have indicated they will make stronger commitments under the Paris Agreement on climate change by the end of 2020, despite the economic strain of the coronavirus pandemic, a new tracker has shown. According to the tool, launched by the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) of developing countries, 151 governments have confirmed their intention to meet a U.N. deadline to raise their targets to cut planet-warming emissions over the next decade. Of those, 120 nations affirmed they would submit updated climate action plans since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, suggesting they are aiming for…