Whispers in the Corridor: ‘African Countries Plans to Walk Out of Climate Talks’

Four days into the climate negotiations, the African team comprising key continental negotiators and civil society organizations has hinted at the possibility of staging a walkout as the ongoing talk looks unambitious and low commitments on the part of polluter-countries.

This came to fore today at a strategic meeting between a team of African negotiators, Government delegates and the civil society organizations led by the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA). In the build-up to 2015.

Based on inputs from a PACJA spokesperson under condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, decried the non-committal posture of the developed nations on key issues as they relate to loss and damage, means of implementation and Green Climate Fund (GCF).

Mithika Mwenda of the Pan-Africa Climate Justice Alliance while expressing fears on a possible fruitful exercise in Warsaw has called on the African team to explore every viable means of accentuating the African position at the conference without ruling out the possibility of a walk-out as ‘Africans cannot afford to go back home with peanuts after suffering under Warsaw’s extremely cold weather‘.

African civil society leaders present also hinted at a possible backlash of disenchantment and discontinuity with the entire UNFCCC process if concrete implementation terms and financing models are not arrived at this conference.

The Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), a continental coalition of Civil Society Organizations from diverse backgrounds in Africa, it has emerged as the most vibrant and largest Civil Society platform on climate change and sustainable development. With a membership of more than 500 organizations and networks, the Alliance brings together Faith-based Organizations, Farmers and Pastoralists` Groups, Community-based organizations, Non-Governmental organizations, Trusts, Foundations, among other sectors with a common goal of promoting and advocating for Pro-poor, climate-friendly and equity-based responses to climate change.