Climate change: Namibia wants just compensation
Environment Minister Pohamba Shifeta says Namibia is not attending the international climate change conference to negotiate for loans or grants, but to seek fair and just compensation for the climate damage caused by those who have committed environmental crimes.
“As affected countries who contributed nothing to the cause of global warming, we will work tirelessly to seek justice on this matter,” he said.
Shifeta made these remarks Tuesday while delivering Namibia’s national statement at the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
He said COP29 is taking place at a time when the world is devastated by climate-induced disasters of all kinds.
“In Namibia, we feel the severity of these events already.”
Polluters
Shifeta said the Namibian government has declared a national state of emergency for drought this year due to the worst rainfall in over 60 years.
“If Namibia is in such a state of emergency, what about other parts of the world, the islands states whose future existence is not certain if we continue with the business as usual? What about those who find themselves in conflicts, the marginalised, the poor living on handouts?”
Shifeta said the Namibian delegation had arrived in Baku with a renewed hope that COP29 will deliver on climate finance.
“We respectfully believe that those whose historical emissions have caused global warming will take responsibility for their actions and compensate the developing world on a polluter-pay basis. However, what we are witnessing from the outcome of the past week of negotiations is contrary to our expectations.”
He said there is no need to beg those responsible for the damages to pay; rather, Namibia is simply asking the developed world to honour its commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.
Shifeta added that these are the only international instruments uniting nations with a common purpose: achieving a greener future.
“We cannot repeat ourselves for a call of a floor of US$100 billion per annum as a new collective quantified goal time and again when scientific reports are clear on what needs to be done and the associated costs.
“We call upon developed countries to be honest to themselves and to this multilateral process.”
“As affected countries who contributed nothing to the cause of global warming, we will work tirelessly to seek justice on this matter,” he said.
Shifeta made these remarks Tuesday while delivering Namibia’s national statement at the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
He said COP29 is taking place at a time when the world is devastated by climate-induced disasters of all kinds.
“In Namibia, we feel the severity of these events already.”
Polluters
Shifeta said the Namibian government has declared a national state of emergency for drought this year due to the worst rainfall in over 60 years.
“If Namibia is in such a state of emergency, what about other parts of the world, the islands states whose future existence is not certain if we continue with the business as usual? What about those who find themselves in conflicts, the marginalised, the poor living on handouts?”
Shifeta said the Namibian delegation had arrived in Baku with a renewed hope that COP29 will deliver on climate finance.
“We respectfully believe that those whose historical emissions have caused global warming will take responsibility for their actions and compensate the developing world on a polluter-pay basis. However, what we are witnessing from the outcome of the past week of negotiations is contrary to our expectations.”
He said there is no need to beg those responsible for the damages to pay; rather, Namibia is simply asking the developed world to honour its commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.
Shifeta added that these are the only international instruments uniting nations with a common purpose: achieving a greener future.
“We cannot repeat ourselves for a call of a floor of US$100 billion per annum as a new collective quantified goal time and again when scientific reports are clear on what needs to be done and the associated costs.
“We call upon developed countries to be honest to themselves and to this multilateral process.”
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