Anglican Cleric says Africa demands justice

By Cheki Abuje

An Anglican Church Cleric in Uganda urged Monday developed countries to take drastic measures that will suppress  the global warming, saying the upcoming Paris gathering scale up public finances to enable the poorest adopt to climate change and continue to transit and develop a low carbon pathway.

Speaking during a campaign stop over in Busia Kenya, Bishop Nathan Kyamanywa of Anglican Church from Uganda said this time the African continent demands for climate justice ahead of UN Conference of Parties set for Paris, France later in the month.

The climate change justice initiative spearheaded by Pan-Africa climate justice campaign come in the wake of Cop21 climate change forum to be held in Paris later this month. The campaign called, “We Have Faith – ACT Now for Climate Justice,” is a joint initiative of the ACT Alliance, We Have Faith, Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) and Oxfam in Africa.

The justice campaign now traversing Eastern Africa is collecting signatures to challenge Developed countries to take responsibility of the adverse global effects of climate change due to heavy Carbon Emissions from their industries.

However, the clergy at the same time cautioned the African continent to take full responsibility in protecting and conserving the environment not only for a better world but for future generation too.

He noted that there is need for African governments to commit new resources from national budget to help people adopt and build resilience for increased food security, adding that the Paris meeting delivers major new public funds for adaptation and resilience in Africa.

According to the prelate, the Pan-Africa climate justice campaign is Africa People's petition that will be presented during the Cop21 meeting and Pop's visit in Kenya to compel the world leaders to deliver fair, ambitious and strong climate actions to mitigate on climate change and keep global warming bellow 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Climate change has exposed humanity to life threatening scenarios that require a collective synergy to address. The impacts of floods, droughts, elnino, lanino and other extreme weather events globally have been blamed on climate change.