African Woman and Child Feature Service

Kenya and other African governments are losing out on lucrative deals on climate change because of the few negotiators they send to forums where talks on the subject are taking place.

The three to four negotiators dispatched for such talks are overwhelmed and out- manoeuvred by their counterparts from countries such as United States of America (USA) or Europe who number between 50 and 100.

Climate change experts from the continent now want the number of negotiators to the upcoming climate change talks in Copenhagen, Denmark to be increased to give the region a better advantage during these forums.

“The decision to send two or three people to the negotiation table must stop if the continent expects a fair share of resources from the talks,” says Dr. Peter Minang, programmes associate at the World Agroforestry.

Minang said the continent stands to benefit a lot since it is the most vulnerable region from climate change effects but only if it is strategic during the talks.

An expanded delegation from Africa should incorporate serious and well informed professionals with expertise in analysing scientific happenings, says Minang.

“It is unfortunate that some African countries have been sending uncommitted delegates who are usually absent when crucial decisions are made late in the night.”

Speaking during the second World Agroforestry Congress at the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Gigiri, Minang urged African negotiators to be more vigilant in the coming talks.

The talks, which are slated to happen later this year, Minang wants African delegation to advocate for a further Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) reforms to increase the continents participation.

The CDM, he said should also include afforestation and reforestation projects from developing countries within the carbon market segment.

Currently Africa has only four CDM projects in Mali, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, when other regions in the world have more than 10.

Experts also want a fairer carbon trading system than what exists now whereby European Union countries earn US$ 16 tone of carbon while developing countries receive only US$4 per tone of carbon.

If this happens, they add, the over US$ 118 billion being used in the management of climate change can significantly reduce poverty levels on the African continent while ensuring sustainable forest management.

But this can only happen if Africa supports progressive expansion of REDD plus to include agriculture, agroforestry and landscape that are currently not included in the talks.

In addition to this, climate change experts want African delegation to advocate for voluntary Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) for sub Saharan Africa during the Demark talks.

At the moment, about 24 countries have prepared national plans of action, but which have not produced the desired results because of lack of funds from donors.

“Africa deserves all the necessary support since it contributes least to greenhouse gas emissions but is most vulnerable to the effects of climate change yet has the least capacity to manage these changes,” Minang added.

Speaking at the same function as Minang, environment Nobel Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai cautioned African governments against allowing livestock inside the forests if they expect to benefit from funds channelled through the United Nations Fund for Climate Change (UNFCC).

“Kenya may not benefit from the funds since the Kenya Forest Service accepts animal grazing at a fee to enable them sustain their budgets,” she said.

She called for the conservation of indigenous trees and traditional knowledge as a way of conserving the existing environment.

The four day World Agroforestry Congress brought together experts from 94 countries to deliberate on the importance of trees on farms for humanity’s survival, especially at this time when debate on whether to or not to evacuate people from the Mau escapement is raging.

Speaker after speaker urged the government to move with speed to save this water catchment whose destruction is blamed for the declining rainfall, drying of rivers and source of energy problems in the country.