A conservation group has said the Nairobi declaration failed to clearly outline the necessities for Carbon markets and environmental policies.
Conservation Africa, through her vice President Suzanne Ngo-Eyok, said the African Countries must prioritize on protection, maintenance and restoration of nature.
“The Nairobi Declaration does not explicitly call for action toward the development and implementation of carbon market laws and policies for environmental integrity that align with the international carbon market and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement,” she said.
Ngo-Eyok said the Nairobi declaration attempts to outline the essentials of nature protection thus adding that African countries should amplify that through adopting policies and necessary processes.
“As a continent, we need to witness and provide much greater support for nature. We are pleased that the Nairobi Declaration speaks to climate-positive growth, calling for the essential protection and enhancement of nature, a need to adopt nature-based solutions through policies and processes and aligning the African Union’s Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan to the global 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature. Conservation International commits to supporting these elements of the Nairobi Declaration."
However, she applauded the Nairobi declaration on its attempt to adopt green growth and an inclusive economy that will benefit the majority of the African people living along forests and grazelands.
Recently, African Countries have witnessed vast impacts of climate change despite contributing a mere 4 per cent within the global chart.
“This is critical for the continent since 86 per cent of its people particularly Indigenous people and local communities who are often custodians of our forests, rangelands and coastal ecosystems and depend on natural resources for their livelihoods.
“It is only by improving livelihoods and lifting people out of poverty that progress will be sustainable. The great news is that green finance and investments can create new jobs, grow economies, improve people’s lives and sustain nature,” she said.
Former President of Columbia and the Conservational Board Member Ivan Duque said the Continent leadership needs to be nature positive and prioritize on nature restoration as well.
“We have to be carbon neutral but we also have to be nature-positive. Nature conservation and restoration matter for Africa to meet its targets,” he said. The Nairobi declaration has stipulated demands and recommendations that will bolster African continent bargain with global polluters to embrace the funding of climate mitigation and adaptation measures in the upcoming global climate negotiations.
As a result African leaders rallied behind in demands for redemption from polluters through various financial formulas.
“We urge world leaders to rally behind the proposal for a carbon taxation regime including tax on fossil fuel trade, maritime transport and aviation, that may also be augmented by a global financial transaction tax (FTT) to provide dedicated affordable and accessible finance for climate positive investments at scale and ringfencing of these resources and decision making from geopolitical and national interests,” the declaration reads.
