AfricaVox 2007

‘Green’ fuel must not destroy Africa’s forests

Richard M Kavuma

It’s the final day of the Summit, and so far we’ve heard the G8 leaders’ views on climate change and HIV funding. Richard M Kavuma hopes that in their quest for ‘alternative energy sources’ the G8 does not jeopardise Africa’s remaining forests.

Yesterday's communiqué on climate change talks about the critical issue of deforestation, saying:

“Reducing, and in the long term halting deforestation provides a significant and cost-effective contribution toward mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and toward conserving biological diversity, promoting sustainable forest management and enhancing security of livelihoods.”

This will perhaps irritate Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, who has demonstrated a disturbing readiness to give away natural forests to private investors to develop sugar and oil palm plantations.

In another paragraph – this time on diversification of the world’s energy sources – the G8 leaders say they will promote biofuels as an alternative source of energy. But in Uganda there has already been evidence of the potential for conflict between these two aims.

In March and April this year Uganda witnessed the most passionate, non-partisan outpouring of public opinion against Mr Museveni in his 21 years in power when he sought to give away a quarter of the country’s most abundant natural forest to a sugar company.

South Africa’s climate wake-up call

Thabo Mabaso

Climate change is proving to be one of the most disputed issues at this year's G8 Summit - and one that the South African president is keen to discuss in his role as G8 outreach delegate. Thabo Mabaso looks at South Africa's own climate prospects.

Charles Abani, the regional director of Oxfam Southern Africa, says a two per cent increase in temperature over the next five years will damage efforts to achieve meaningful economic development in the country.

“If South Africa does not wake up, it is sitting on a powder keg,” he said today.

“The country needs to show leadership by beginning to reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions and by leading the call for the West to pay compensatory finance for the damage they have done to the climate.”

Climate change is one of the topics that will preoccupy the G8 leaders this week. At issue are concerns that increased greenhouse gas emissions have damaged the global climate.