US exit from pact will hurt poor nations

When US President Donald Trump announced he was pulling his country out of the Paris Accord, it was not just a matter of the climate or a reconfiguration of the global climatic regimes and America’s diplomatic standing, developing countries such as Kenya are likely to be jolted.

In the non-binding agreement, wealthy and heavy pollutant nations are required to support their developing counterparts financially and technologically to deal with climate effects. One of the heaviest polluters is the US.

It is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China.

But according to Mr Trump, US remittances to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) are untenable.

CEASE IMPLEMENTATIONS

“Thus, as of today, the United States will cease all implementation of the non-binding Paris Accord and the draconian financial and economic burdens the agreement imposes on our country. This includes ending the implementation of the nationally determined contribution and, very importantly, the Green Climate Fund which is costing the United States a vast fortune,” Mr Trump said in his speech.

At stake is the $3 billion the US was to contribute to the GCF.

In total, developed nations are required to contribute $100 billion by 2020.

Even though it will take four years for the US to fully exit (Article 28 of the agreement provides for a three-year notice and a one-year period to complete the divorce), it is not necessarily bound by any law to honour the package.

NATIONAL ADAPTATION PLANS

The GCF had by last month raised $10.3 billion in pledges from 43 governments. The developing countries will find it difficult implementing their National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) due to technological or financial constraints.

This will be a double tragedy for countries, which continue to bear the brunt of climatic extremities.

Rising seas or drought and floods will be a huge burden to poor countries.

Kenya developed its National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) in 2013.

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL

Extracts of this have formed part of a financial proposal to the South Korea-based GCF to support projects in areas such as geothermal energy.

Kenya should pursue its NAPs, especially in the exploits of green energy, afforestation and reforestation.

Most US states have vowed to disregard Mr Trump and support the world to save the planet.

Some 61 mayors opposed the exit, saying they “will adopt, honour, and uphold the commitments to the goals enshrined in the Paris Agreement.”

Kenya should make smart diplomatic forays to attract technological transfer.

CLIMATE CHANGE

The Paris Agreement on climate change was finalised at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) held in Paris in 2015.

It was widely hailed as a landmark pact to combat the monster of climate change. But, unlike treaties, the accord is more like a gentleman’s agreement dependent on conscience than legal instruments for implementation.

A central tenet of the accord is to keep the rise in global temperature below 20C of preindustrial society and ultimately limit it to 1.50C.

In this scheme, developing countries would adopt cleaner sustainable approaches for development.

The treaty became operational on November 4, last year. Kenya appended its signature on April 22, last year and it was ratified on December 28.

CIVIL WAR

Only Syria and Nicaragua did not sign. The former because of a civil war while Nicaragua saw a lack of seriousness in tackling global emission.

Now, the US belongs to this club of three.

With this new development at the White House, the wonks in foreign policy have their work cut out for them, especially in reorienting the country towards an axis that values conversations, facts and action towards climate change.

Mr Wamanji is a public relations expert. [email protected] @manjis