THE stark contrasts confronting global efforts to curb the rampant effects of climate change took centre stage at the recently held Climate Change Mitigation high level meeting at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters last week.
The follow-up effort to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that was adopted by all 196 countries at COP21 in Paris last year is facing serious threats from nations that are reneging on their pledges to adhere to the Paris Agreement’s long-term objective to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius.
Interventions to the climate change rampage have split opinion.
With the monumental scourge now upon us, countries still cannot agree on measures to be taken to tackle the challenge.
Western nations, in particular, seem to be taking a hardline stance towards reducing gas emissions, a major cause of the pervasive climatic conditions.
Under the Paris Agreement, countries set their own greenhouse gas emission reduction targets with the objective of limiting global temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius, and given the grave risks of continued warming, to strive for 1,5 degrees Celsius.
But herein lies the challenge.
Although the targets are not legally binding on member-states, countries must update them every five years.
Already, member-states are under pressure to do more to curb global warming.
Yet many Western powers are not complying.
With global average temperatures having already climbed by almost one degree Celsius, there is a real possibility that the future might bring more climate change-induced catastrophes.
That is the reality that seemed to elude Western nations in New York last week.
The absence of Barack Obama, the host nation leader at the summit was telling in many ways.
The developing world is a victim of the massive emissions by highly industrialised nations.
Last year, which was the hottest on record, saw Zimbabwe experience, first hand, a heatwave that broke decades-old temperature records throughout the country, culminating in some road surfaces melting and livestock dying due to heat stress.
Climate change has also resulted in reduced water inflows from Northern Zambia and this has severely affected the hydro-power stations’ generation capacity.
Zimbabwe and other southern African countries are currently experiencing a severe drought that led to massive crop failure, which has since been declared a state of disaster in the country.
On Friday last week, President Robert Mugabe was among more than 170 heads of state and government who graced the historic official signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change, a conclusive sign Zimbabwe is committed to playing its role in climate change mitigation efforts.
At 17:36hrs, the Zimbabwean leader put pen to paper, marking Zimbabwe’s commitment to see the landmark deal move towards its effective date that is tenable in five years.
While the Paris Agreement is originally scheduled to be effective in 2020, there was a prevalent sense of expectation that in the face of the overwhelming response to the signing ceremony, mainly by developing nations, that the climate change agreement will enter into force long before the original deadline of 2020.
That leaves developed nations with a daunting task of coming to par with developing nations in mitigating climate change effects.
But history has shown that this developed part of the world cares less for the underprivileged.
The calls for immediate enforcement of the Paris Agreement were deafening in New York.
Revelations by the Climate Interactive Research Group are scary.
A recent study by the group shows that the Paris pledges had instead put the world off track for 3,5 degrees Celsius of warming against the targeted below two degrees Celsius.
A separate analysis by Climate Action Tracker does not have good news for the world either.
It projects that many developed nations are aiming for warming of 2,7 degrees Celsius.
In his address to the High-Level signing of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, President Mugabe said Zimbabwe was committed to global efforts at climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Zimbabwe, said President Mugabe, had set up a High-Level Committee in his office to drive climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.
‘‘We aim to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 33 percent below the projected business-as-usual energy emissions per capita by 2020,” said President Mugabe.
“To demonstrate my country’s commitment to implement its Nationally Determined Contributions, I have established a High Level Committee that will be chaired by my office.
“This platform will ensure the co-ordinated implementation and monitoring of our contributions, taking cognisance of the seriousness and cross-cutting nature of our Nationally Determined Contributions.
“Climate change is a stark reality.
“It is nolonger a projected phenomenon.
“Zimbabwe and many other countries in the Southern Africa region, are currently suffering from the worst drought in over 35 years.
“This El Nino-induced drought has led to widespread crop failure, loss of livestock and wildlife, inadequate water supply and a drastic reduction in hydro-electric power generation.
“The current drought further compounds the damage already caused to people’s livelihoods, to our economies and to flora and fauna by the occurrence, with alarming regularity, of highly variable climatic conditions in recent years.
“Urgent and comprehensive action is needed, at all levels, to address these negative impacts of climate change.”
President Mugabe told delegates that Zimbabwe had developed a comprehensive programme that will enable the establishment of robust development of a Monitoring and Reporting Framework for the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme.
The question that the developing countries are asking is: Will developed nations come to the party?
Let those with ears listen.