The Malawi president Lazarus Chakwera has asked leaders across the globe to get united and address climate change with urgency, saying time is running out.
The Malawi leader was speaking this on Tuesday November 8th, 2022 when he attended the second high-level session of Conference of Parties 27 (COP27) which is underway in Sharm El Sheikh, Arab Republic of Egypt.
In his speech, president Chakwera said the COP27 is a test for all African leaders and the world at large on their ability to deliver climate justice for the most vulnerable nations and also a test on their resolve to mobilize climate financing for mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage.
He further added that the COP27 being a test of leaders’ capacity to work together as a global community that is sailing into the same storm in the same boat, there is need for courage, urgency and solidarity.
He claimed that nature is losing its patience on communities hence his call for courage while addressing climate change issues with urgency.
“I also said we must act with urgency. The reason for this is simple. We are running out of time. The key to addressing climate change is sustainable development and restoring balance to our relationship with nature.
“But nature is losing its patience with us and lashing out with unrelenting vengeance. And as nature lashes out, our citizens are also losing their patience. So, we must act now, not later. We must act today, not tomorrow,” wrote Chakwera on his Facebook Page following the event.
He further urged the leaders to always remember common humanity in the measures the leaders put in place in their respective countries, saying if they do not, they will not treat the suffering of other nations as a matter of urgency.
Chakwera continued by saying that Malawi believes that the clear difference in culpability and capacity between developed nations must be reflected in the level of responsibility they bear for climate mitigation, adaptation, and financing.
“We believe that the clear difference in culpability and capacity between developing nations must be reflected in the resources they can access for mitigation, adaptation, and financing. That is fairness. That is justice. That is solidarity. And as we say in Malawi, that is Umunthu,” he added.
The Malawi president also attended the launch of the Africa Carbon Market Initiative (ACMI) where he said the 5 million carbon credits Malawi will produce, has the potential to rake in $100 million and support 250 thousand jobs.
“We want to expand these projects. We plan to expand these projects. We are ready to unlock opportunities in clean cookstoves and waste management solutions,” said Chakwera
Last year, about 600 thousand tonnes of carbon credits were produced following the introduction of various projects in agriculture and energy which have helped create an improved ecosystem since 2015.
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Good initiative