Poor countries have demanded that rich nations like Scotland launch a “climate revolution” in a last-ditch bid to prevent millions from suffering droughts and malnutrition.
If the industrialised world fails to cut its pollution and help poor countries, it will be flooded with migrants, political leaders have warned. Hopes and fears for the Copenhagen climate summit next month are intensifying in the wake of last week’s preparatory talks in Barcelona, which saw western negotiators talk down prospects of reaching a legally binding agreement.
Environmental groups have accused rich countries of trying to “kill” the Copenhagen summit and wriggle out of their responsibilities to cut emissions under the Kyoto Protocol.
But developing countries like Mali are still relying on the UK to take a lead. Ibrahim Togola, director of the influential Mali Folkecenter, said the Scottish Government’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 42% by 2020 could set an example for others to follow.
“To fight against darkness you have to light a candle,” he said. “If we have a light coming from the UK, coming from Scotland, that will be a signal to the rest of the world.” Mr Togola is working closely with the governments of countries in sub-Saharan Africa to try to persuade world leaders to agree pollution cuts and funding for developing countries at the Copenhagen summit.
“If I remember my schooling right, the industrial revolution started in your country,” he said. “Maybe now you could start the climate revolution.”
Action is necessary to prevent environmental disaster from enveloping Mali, one of the world’s poorest countries, he argued. “If you go to my village and talk to my grandfather, he will tell you that something is wrong.”
Pollution that belches from vehicles, power plants and farms in rich countries is disrupting the weather in poor countries. “People are going hungry because there has not been enough rain,” Mr Togola insisted. “We are angry and concerned about our future.”
The Mali Folkecenter works with Christian Aid and communities around Mali to promote renewable energy, clean water and sustainable enterprises. But its job is becoming increasingly difficult as the rainy seasons shrink, and communities fracture.
“People are dying and we are losing much more than you,” said Mr Togola. “I refuse to believe world leaders will close their eyes to this. I refuse to believe that people could be so greedy and say no. I refuse to believe world leaders will only act in their own short-term interest.”
But if Copenhagen does fail, Mr Togola had a bleak message for the developed world. “If you believe you can save your economy and your way of life, you cannot,” he warned. If the rains continue to fail, Africans will emigrate en masse to Europe, he said. “If you build a wall, we are going to move it. If you make it a 100-metre wall, we will climb it. We have nothing to lose.”
Boubacar Sidiki Dembele, one of Mali’s climate negotiators, said he was “pessimistic” about the outcome of Copenhagen. “I don’t trust the developing countries because they never fulfil their commitments,” he said.
Christian Aid backed Mali’s plea for rich countries to act. “The past few days have seen a lot of talk about climate change, but it is absolutely vital that the Copenhagen summit sees this turn into action,” said Kathy Galloway, head of Christian Aid Scotland. “Scotland’s Climate Change Act is ambitious; we need the successor to the first Kyoto protocol to be the same.”
If you want to help Christian Aid’s campaign on climate change, go to www.christianaid.org.uk/copenhagen
There will be a march to demonstrate support for a safe climate in Glasgow on Saturday December 5. More details at www.stopclimatechaos.org/thewavescotland
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