Delegates from across the world will convene in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt from 6th to 18th November 2022 for the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) for discussion to tackle the global challenge of climate change.

The meeting comes at a time when many African countries and environmental activists lament of emissions from developed countries which continue relenting on compensation of occasioned damages.

They highlight that some families lost relatives due to floods, landslides, erosion, drought and other effects of climate change associated with the increase of greenhouse gas emissions released by countries; mainly from Europe and the United States of America.

The United Nations (UN) report dubbed International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) indicate that greenhouse gas emissions will exacerbate global warming by 2030.

The report shows that the global warming will increase from the current 1.2 to 1.5 degree celsius or 2 by 2040.

Like other African countries, Rwanda is among countries with least emissions but the continent is more affected than developed countries.

Rwanda’s stance at COP27

Rwanda has an ambitious target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 38% by 2030 compared to business as usual, equivalent to an estimated mitigation of up to 4.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Rwanda is among countries expected to attend the upcoming COP27 which draws near and will be an opportunity to call other participants for action to concert efforts aimed at dealing with climate change.

Herman Hakuzimana, the Environment and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Specialist at Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), has said that Rwanda will put forward its broad agenda aligning with designed national policy.

“Rwanda as a country affected by climate change, wants to see resolutions of the meeting highlighting how funds earmarked to mitigate climate change will be increased and raised,” he said.

The previous meeting ‘COP26’ resolved that funds allocated for climate change action plan should be doubled to reach at US$40 billion by 2025.

The funds are expected to bridge existing gaps related to financial constraints.

As for Rwanda, the country needs US$11 billion to implement the climate action plan.

The funds are made up of 5.7 billion dollars for mitigation and 5.3 billion dollars for adaptation.

Rwanda also wants to highlight its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 38% to 16%.

Hakuzimana said that Rwanda is not among major polluters but wants them to reduce emissions.

“We also want the meeting to come up with a resolution demanding major polluters to reduce emissions lest the issue continues to exacerbate," he revealed.

Experts indicate that issues related to climate change increase proportionally to global warming.

Paris Agreement targets to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degree Celsius.

Hakuzimana explained that Rwanda wants delegates to take a resolution requesting countries to take bold actions to meet the target.

Rwanda will also advocate for special attention to implement National Determined Contributions.

The country will also mobilize developed countries to contribute US$100 billion to run different projects to help poor countries overcome effects of climate change.

The pledge was made at COP held for the 21st time in 2015. The funds were to be provided between 2020 and 2025 but not a single coin has been donated.

Faustin Mvuniyingoma, the coordinator of Rwanda Climate Change Development Network (RCCDN) has also said that Civil Society Organizations need increased funding to implement projects aimed at dealing with climate change.

"Damages and losses should be compensated. There are people dying, washed away crops, landslides and destroyed infrastructures. There is a need for compensation because there are people releasing emissions that occasion such devastating effects. Their contribution is needed to compensate damages,” he said.

AE News