Trade unionists in public sector under the umbrella of Public Services International (PSI) have called on global leaders to fulfil their commitments to Africa on climate change funding.
The trade unionists and other climate change experts spoke at a National Climate Change Stakeholders Engagement on Monday in Abuja with the theme “The loss and damage funding discuss at COP27: What is in it for Just Transition.”
In her address, Sandra Van Niekerk, PSI Climate Project Coordinator noted that in previous COP, countries had made commitments on climate finance for adaptation and mitigation but failed to keep their promises.
She said it is important for trade unions to continue to lead the struggle that funding for climate are made as grants and not as loans.
She said with access to finance, African countries can good public services to provide for the most vulnerable persons who suffer effects of climate change
PSI climate change coordinator in Nigeria, Dr. Ayegba Ojonugwa said the essence of the meeting is to create a forum for the various stakeholders around climate change to meet and discuss the issues arising from the COP27 that just concluded in Egypt and chart a way forward for the working class.
He explained that a major highlight at the just concluded COP27 was the decision to establish and operationalize a fund to compensate vulnerable nations for ‘loss and damage’ from climate-induced disasters.
He said workers must continue to insist that the global community live up to their promises, not just by opening an account for climate financing, but ensuring that the account is fully funded.
For trade unions in Nigeria, Ojonugwa said, “trade unions in Nigeria must live up to expectations by continuously advocating for a Just Transition. And also ensure that the government is held accountable for whatever funding is coming in for mitigation and adaptation. By ensuring that such funds are used for the purposes that they were released for.
Lead presenter, Comrade Hauwa Mustapha who presented a paper on “the loss and damage funding for discuss at COP27: What is in it for Just Transition”, said developed economies have been shying away from taking responsibility for loss and damages.
Comrade Mustapha said though, at the conclusion of COP27, a funding mechanism for loss and damage was agreed.
She, however, said trade unions have to question what exactly qualify as “loss and damages”
She also said trade unions must interrogate conditions attached to climate change funding being accessed by Africa
