"Any strategies to combat climate change will not be successful if we do not strengthen international cooperation, which assigns a central role in knowledge sharing and in the transfer of technological and financial resources from industrialized countries to less advanced countries, especially Africa which is one of the continents that pollutes the least and suffers the most from the consequences of the aforementioned climate change", said the ruler, speaking at the World Climate Summit (COP27).
Esperança da Costa also recalled that in May, at the Extraordinary Humanitarian Summit and the African Union Donor Conference, "promises were made for funding worth more than 100 million dollars", with the aim of "combating the problems linked to climate change and humanitarian crisis in Africa, although there is a somewhat timid attitude towards its materialisation".
In her speech, she also highlighted that, in relation to Africa, it is necessary to create an early warning system, as well as the "operationalization of the African humanitarian agency" to help identify the dangers linked to climate change.
"It is important to emphasize that in relation to the African continent, the creation of an early warning system and the operationalization of the African humanitarian agency are of extreme urgency, as they will make it possible to identify the multiple dangers related to climate change, collect and share data to respond to the different problems linked to climate change, including forced displacement", she advanced.
The vice-president also said that "the nexus between climate change and the challenges of peace and security at a global level, especially in Africa", is increasingly evident.
She added that rising temperatures, droughts and other extreme weather events have been affecting the lives of populations: "Rising temperatures, the increase in oceans on the planet, prolonged droughts and other extreme weather effects are affecting life and livelihoods of communities around the world, worsening economic, social or political conditions, leaving vulnerable populations very prone to conflict and instability".
Thus, she continued, "as champion of the African Union for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa", João Lourenço believes that "the risks and threats associated with climate change therefore require a more comprehensive international approach, which also includes a review and adaptation of the mechanisms of continental and multilateral peace and security, so that its intervention instruments are more efficient in responding and in line with the challenges that are emerging in the world".
In her speech, Esperança da Costa also mentioned that Angola recognizes that climate change "has had a negative impact on the implementation of the different development plans", having thus approved "the national strategy for climate change, which establishes a vision until 2030, with the objective of to ensure the adaptation of the Angolan territory and contribute to the global effort to combat its causes".
She also spoke about the drought in the south of the country, referring that "water storage infrastructures have been implemented, with the water transfer system of the Cunene River, the first of several structural projects to combat drought, with the creation of of development of agriculture, guaranteeing greater resilience to the communities".
"Angola is in line with the positioning of the African group that has taken major initiatives with a view to honoring the commitments made during COP26, being committed to increasing renewable energy sources up to 70 percent by 2025", she added.
She also mentioned the preservation of biodiversity, noting that the country has expanded its conservation areas, highlighting initiatives such as the "transfrontier forest protection of Maiombe, which includes action plans as part of the efforts of the African climate initiative for the preservation of the Congo Basin, an initiative of the Heads of State and Government of Central African countries, reaffirming their commitment and responsibility in the fight against climate change and deforestation with a view to guaranteeing environmental protection and avoiding natural disasters".
It should be noted that COP27 started last Sunday, taking place in Egypt. Angola marks its presence at the event, with a delegation headed by the Vice-President of the Republic.
