Namibia willing to sign green accord

03 February 2010, New Era
URL: http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=9377

Windhoek:  Namibia has sent its letter of intent to the United Nations signifying it is part of the Copenhagen Accord, a non-binding instrument crafted by a few countries after the much-publicised Copenhagen Climate Talks held last year.

“We have registered our wish to associate with the accord. We sent the registering letter before the deadline,” said Director of Environmental Affairs in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Teofilus Nghitila, yesterday.

Countries had until Sunday, January 31, to subscribe to the Accord, which limits global warming to below two degrees Celsius by 2050 to stave off the worst effects of global climate change, the agreement that was reached by the United States, China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Ethiopia and other countries.   The Namibian delegation to the climate conference made a decision, which was sent to Cabinet for deliberation on whether to sign the accord or not. Namibia is associating itself with the accord with the understanding that the Accord is a means through which countries will achieve an internationally binding instrument to reduce greenhouse gases.

The ministry, according to Nghitila, has since received a receipt of the letter sent to the UN.  Countries had to indicate individually whether or not they align themselves with the accord.

Last week, Prime Minister Nahas Angula said African countries wanted to have a common position at the African Union Heads of State meeting but the January 31 deadline did not allow for the common position to be reached.

According to a US Climate Network website, Namibia formerly submitted its letter to the United Nations indicating association on Friday, January 29. The country’s share of the world’s total greenhouse gases is 0.03 percent while its carbon dioxide emissions per capita is 5.7.

Countries that subscribe to the accord can access funds amounting to US$30 billion, which developed countries pledged for both mitigation and adaptation for the period 2010 to 2012. By 2020, developed countries have pledged to jointly mobilise US$100 billion a year to address the needs of developing countries.

The next annual UN climate change conference takes place in November this year in Mexico City, Mexico, with a preceding two-week negotiating session in Bonn, Germany, from May 31 to June 11.