BY DARGIE KAHSAY
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson’s over 22-minute full speeches during the high-level debate at the 76th UN General Assembly covers climate change, its effects and the way forward. Though there are national and international serious agendas that need to address, PM Boris Johnson gives special attention to climate change calling and warning the world to take timely and serious actions to limit the effects.
The Prime Minister stated that “it is time for mankind to grow up and take responsibility for the damage we are inflicting on the planet,” adding “ the adolescence of humanity is coming to an end.”
As the host of the upcoming the Conference of Parties (COP 26), United Nations Conference on Climate Change, the United Kingdom (UK) is making climate change a top global and national agenda this year. UK is preparing to host COP 26 in Glasgow in November 2021 and the world is waiting from this summit for actionable and urgent practical decisions as the world is experiencing the worst effects of climate change.
PM Johnson’s speech at the annual United Nations assembly is likely to mobilize the world to give attention to the upcoming COP session and to aware the world leaders to wake up for global solutions in combating climate change. He strongly underlined that the planet is at a critical turning point and if business as usual will continue on climate actions, the sufferings are forecasted to be worst.
Leaving other national and international agendas behind, PM Johnson’s full attention for the climate change at the UN high-level forum shows the seriousness and urgency of the problem and the UK’s attention to find solutions for the climate change at the COP session.
In his speech, the PM stated that it’s necessary to restore the natural balance, to halt and reverse the loss of trees and biodiversity by 2030 adding “that is why we in the UK are committed to beautifying the landscape, strengthening our protection against flooding, by planting millions of trees.”
Mr Johnson stated that nations should implement urgent adaptation and mitigation measures and calls the international community especially the developed countries to fulfil their responsibility to accelerate the fighting against climate change. He calls all nations “to follow the example of Imran Khan who has pledged to plant 10 billion trees in Pakistan alone,” adding “we in the developed world must recognize our obligation to help” the efforts by countries.
For PM Johnson though the era of technology is leading to a massive global reduction in poverty, emancipating billions around the world, “we were also unwittingly beginning to quilt the great tea cosy of CO2.” So, he added, the developing world looks at the developed world to help them and called the developed world to take their responsibilities.
“That’s why two years ago I committed that the UK would provide £11.6 billion to help the rest of the world to tackle climate change and despite all the pressures on finances caused by Covid, we have kept that promise to the letter,” the PM stated. Appreciating and encouraging the commitments of some developed countries pledges at the UNGA for climate action, PM Johnson underlines the necessity to go further, adding “government alone will not be able to do enough.” He called the strong engagement of international organizations like IMF and the World Bank in financing climate actions.
Explained the devastating impacts of climate change, PM Johnson stated that the world is trashing the habitats again and again with the inductive reasoning that “we have got away with it so far and therefore we will get away with it again.” “We are approaching that critical turning point,” he noted.
“It’s time for humanity to grow up” and in less than two months, it is up to us whether we are capable of learning, maturing and finally taking responsibility for the destruction we are inflicting. “Daily, weekly,
we are doing such irreversible damage that long before a million years are up, we will have made this beautiful planet effectively uninhabitable for all species” Prime Minister Boris Johnson noted underling “that is why the Glasgow COP26 summit is the turning point for humanity.”
PM Johnson stressed that it is time to limit the rise in temperature to 1.5 degrees and the world must come together collectively and should show the world have the maturity and wisdom to act. According to him by making commitments in four areas, coal, cars, cash and trees, the world can tackle climate change. We have the tools for a green industrial revolution but time is desperately short, he underlined.
The tragedy is becoming worse and worse because of our past inaction and there are further rises in temperature, the PM stated, “If we keep on the current track then the temperature will go up by 2.7 degrees by the end of the century.”
Both in adaptation and mitigation actions, Ethiopia is investing its maximum capacity though contributed fewer emissions to climate change. With its green legacy initiative launched in 2019 by PM Abiy Ahmed (PhD), Ethiopia plants more than 18 billion seedlings in three years, it planned to plant 20 billion trees in four years. Ethiopia plants 6.7 billion seedlings during this plantation season, according to PM Abiy.
Similarly, Ethiopia sets its National Determined Contribution and gives due attention to build a climate-resilient green economy. Its investments focus on renewable energy and other environmentally friendly areas. By increasing the plantation initiative, Ethiopia plans to increase its forest coverage to 30 per cent by 2030.
The international community especially the developed world should support such greening initiatives, like Ethiopia, by developing countries should promote practical efforts in climate action, beyond promises and speeches.
During his interview with The Ethiopian Herald at the beginning of 2021, Alex Cameron, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Ethiopia said that Ethiopia’s climate resilience activities are really impressive, adding the UK is closely working with Ethiopia on climate action. He appreciates Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative and the African Green Great Wall activities, seeing as exemplary climate actions.
“Ethiopia is a champion of green development,” Cameron said adding “perhaps, the cleanest and the greenest energy maker,” which is quite impressive. He further stated that the UK is supporting Ethiopia’s investments in the clean energy sector, especially in geothermal energy development.
The green legacy initiative of Ethiopia is very impressive that the world can take as exemplary action; Cameron stated adding “it shows how leaders can make mitigation impacts of climate change.” He underlined that the UK is committed to supporting Ethiopia to realize its climate resilience journey.
Cameron also argued that nowadays, there is progress in climate action and climate change is becoming the top priority agenda of the world. Many countries are continuous taking ambitious plans and “I hope the COP 26 will increase the ambitions in climate action,” he stated.
COP 26 may become a turning point in increasing the existing climate change ambitions across the globe and both Ethiopia and the UK will contribute their role in leading the global agenda to find further solutions, Alex Cameron noted. “Countries like Ethiopia, with less responsible for climate change, perhaps most effective in climate actions are instrumental” to accelerate the global combat for climate change, he added.
The world is waiting for practical solutions beyond promises from the Glasgow COP session especially following the recent International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report that indicates the world is at a critical stage due to climate change. Scientists in the sector are repeatedly warring the decision-makers to save the planet before it becomes beyond control.
The Ethiopian Herald September 26/2021
