By RTCC Staff
Climate change related droughts have impacted on the regions agriculture (Source: UN)
The UN climate negotiations should help poorer nations to further develop adaptation methods, say ministers from developing nations ahead of Durban.
Writing for the Financial Times the Ministers for Kenya and the Maldives said developing nations were already leading the way with adaptation methods, but needed further help to develop their own action plans.
In Kenya, considerable investment has been made in renewable sources including geothermal, wind, solar and biogas energy sources while the Climate Vulnerable Forum – a group of some of the most climate vulnerable nations – have pledged their backing to a low carbon future, with the Maldives announcing a 2020 carbon neutral target.
Mohamed Nasheed. President of the Republic of Maldives wrote: “The United Nations climate negotiations should help poorer countries shift to green growth. Developing countries that invest in clean energy should be able to submit their investment targets into any international agreement as their contribution to tackling climate change. Poorer countries with ambitious green targets should also be rewarded with technical and financial assistance.”
With the Green Climate Fund and the Technology Mechanism both set to be central issues at the COP17 conference, the ministers warn that a broad approach would be needed to support the multiple problems these vulnerable countries face.
For example in Kenya, the main problem facing the country is the affects of climate change on the agricultural sector – the country’s economic backbone.
Drought both in the country and in the surrounding areas has caused crops to fail and has left families with longer treks to find water sources. There has also been migration in the region, with communities moving both within and across borders.
Julius Recha Murgor, Kenya’s assistant minister for the environment and mineral resources said: “A lasting solution to these climate-induced crises requires a cross-border approach. It must include short-term humanitarian assistance aimed at alleviating the suffering of refugees; development assistance to increase drought resilience; and climate change assistance to finance efforts to adapt to the changing environment.”