The American special envoy for the climate John Kerry defended on Thursday before dozens of African leaders the action led against global warming by the United States, the second biggest polluter on the planet, and refused that the Westerners alone assume the effort because of history.
John Kerry recognized before a conference of African Ministers of the Environment in Dakar “the injustice” between the contribution of rich and poor countries to global warming and the effects they suffer.
But he affirmed, a few weeks before the COP27 climate conference in November in Egypt, the need for Africa to be part of the decision and action, and to participate in the adaptation to climate realities.
He referred to the commitment of the United States and 19 other major economies to work to keep the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees.
These countries “are moving forward, but others are holding back, despite what the science says, and pointing at us and saying, ‘You have to clean up what you’ve done,'” he said. He spoke of a desire to “award responsibility” for historical reasons, without specifying to whom he was referring.
“Guess what: Mother Nature doesn’t determine where the emissions come from, they’re not labeled this or that country,” he said.
“Everyone contributes in some way. Is there a disparity in that? Yes. Is there an unfairness in that? Yes, and it’s important that we come together and find ways to compensate,” he said.
He recalled that 20 countries account for 80% of the emissions and that 48 sub-Saharan African countries account for 0.55%. Seventeen of the 20 countries most vulnerable to climate change are in Africa, he observed.
He recalled that the continent experienced catastrophic floods in 2022 that killed hundreds and displaced tens of thousands, while the Horn of Africa is experiencing its fourth year of drought.
“The developed world needs to do more,” he said, “but we also need you around the table,” he said.
Kerry detailed U.S. action on Africa and global warming, such as $8.2 billion in humanitarian aid and support for climate change adaptation by 2021.
The representatives of several dozen poor countries, mostly African, meeting Wednesday in Dakar, had called in a final declaration for the operationalization of an international fund covering the damage caused by global warming. Mr. Kerry affirmed the U.S. commitment to work toward this goal.
Two senior Senegalese and Congolese officials had refused on Wednesday to allow their countries to give up on future oil and gas development, even though hydrocarbons had helped Western countries to develop.
