A local climate justice advocacy organization, Reyna Trust has called for an urgent need for global compliance with the Paris Agreement commitments. In an interview with The Environment, Reyna Trust executive director Sydney Chisi highlighted the discrepancy between promises made by countries in the global north and the lack of tangible action to support climate adaptation and mitigation efforts in the global south.
“The first thing that needs to be done is to comply to Paris Agreement which talked about and highlighted that countries in the global north were going to pledge and pay up 100 billion dollars per year that is supposed to come down to the global south. That money is supposed to be used for adaptation and mitigation strategies for countries that are in the global south. But for the past 15 years that money has not come through and for every other conference of parties that is being held, those discussions are fast fading away,” said Chisi.
He highlighted the disproportionate burden placed on countries in the global south, despite contributing minimally to greenhouse gas emissions. “But also, at the same time it is the very same global north and also supported by science that for, so few hours are the major sources of greenhouse gases that are causing climate change, global warming and stuff. But most of the countries in the global south have been relying on fossil fuels for their energy. If you look at Zimbabwe, almost 46% of our energy comes from coal which means we cannot just wake up one morning and say we’re not long using coal,” he said
Chisi underscored the importance of addressing climate justice issues, particularly regarding funding mechanisms and the socio-economic impacts of transition efforts. “The question then that comes in is that why then should Africa phase out is fossil fuels when in actual effect the global north is actually returning to the fossil fuels. So that is a question of climate justice that needs to be talked to. What then just needs to be done at every other level is that outside the climate finance that we are talking about, there has to be a clear framework of how then you utilize your energy mix that you have,” said Chisi
In advocating for climate justice, Chisi called for a shift toward grant-based funding to prevent further indebtedness of countries like Zimbabwe. He urged policymakers to prioritize equitable solutions that address the needs of all stakeholders while ensuring a sustainable and just transition to a low-carbon future.
