By Father Leonard Chiti, Jesuit leader, Zambia and Malawi
BEFORE I got on the plane that would bring me to Glasgow a few weeks ago, I learned from the media that the Shire River in Southern Malawi had burst its banks, flooding the surrounding area. Homes were washed away, crops destroyed and lives lost. By the time I arrived in Glasgow, I learnt that 50 people had died due to the flooding. We are all aware of the devastation caused by the recent cyclone and flooding in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Historically, the southern part of Malawi is prone to flooding when there is heavy rainfall. However, this was not a frequent phenomenon until now; it happened once in a while. This is one reason why we, in Malawi and other developing countries, believe more severe floods and droughts in recent years north and west of the Shire River are a consequence of climate change.
The effects of climate change also include more erratic and unpredictable rainfall patterns. For the majority of people in southern Africa, who rely on agriculture to provide food for their families and earn a living, this has become a living nightmare. Many people are already poor and don’t have a safety net to cope with the changing climatic patterns which can ruin or diminish their crops. They simply rely on rain and hard work, and sometimes a benevolent state to help in difficult times.
My visit to Glasgow was intended, among other things, to speak to members of the Scottish Parliament to highlight the urgency of the climate emergency, and to encourage parliamentarians to pass a new Climate Change Bill that enshrines bold targets to reduce emissions. Colleagues in Glasgow had arranged that I travel to Edinburgh and sit in the First Minister’s session, thanks to the support of Elaine Smith MSP.
One item that moved me very much was a question from Maureen Watt MSP on what the Scottish Government was doing in the wake of floods that had devastated Southern Malawi. I was encouraged by the response of the First Minister who announced that the Government had set aside money to respond to the suffering of the people in Southern Malawi. I applaud the Scottish people for showing solidarity with people of Malawi.
However, I believe the Scottish people, through their government, must go a step further. This year, the Scottish Parliament must pass a Climate Change Bill that includes stronger targets on cutting greenhouse gas emissions which are driving climate change, and is underpinned by principles of climate justice – that wealthy countries responsible for creating the problem should help developing countries who are being hit first and hardest.
The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) has been working with people in Scotland and Europe to lobby for strong, legally binding emissions reduction targets to tackle climate change. Pope Francis, a strong advocate for urgent action to combat climate change, calls for us to do what is necessary to save the lives of vulnerable people, and care for our common home. As the Pope says, the environmental crisis and poverty are not two crises but one inseparable crisis.
Countries like Scotland and others who have contributed more to greenhouse gas emissions leading to global warming and ultimately climate change should do more to bring about the radical changes in lifestyles and their economic production to help us avoid catastrophic consequences in the near future. This moral responsibility also extends to helping those who are now suffering the negative effects of climate change despite having done little to cause the problem.
Supporting a bold new Climate Change Bill is a key way for Scotland to meet its moral obligations.
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