Climate compensation fund approved, other issues up in air
NBCNov 25, 2022
The Facts
On Monday in Nairobi, Kenya’s Pres. William Ruto and the African Union kicked off the first African Climate Summit. The summit will convene with representation from more than a dozen African nations seeking to have more involvement in climate change advocacy and policy.
The goal of the summit is for the African continent to showcase the continent's leadership in green power production. Proper investment and financial diplomacy through debt forgiveness will be emphasized.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
While the summit's goals are laudable, there has been too much emphasis placed on carbon markets. While these markets seem like a positive way to invest in climate change, they simply reinforce the inequities already in existence between the wealthy carbon-emitting nations and poor, vulnerable nations. Continuing to increase emissions and shifting the climate responsibility to projects completed in Africa is a negligent and short-term solution to the global climate crisis.
Pro-establishment narrative
Africa is stepping into the spotlight as a critical driver in climate change conversations. The continent is home to a large swath of the world's biodiverse landscapes and a large portion of the world's most vulnerable populations. With Kenya leading, the consortium of nations will not only show the world that Africa is not the problem but a key piece of the solution — and a center for the future of climate change action.
