Coalition urges COP-27 to fast track advocacy against Climate Change

Participants in a group photograph after the event in Kaduna

By EDDY OCHIGBO,

A coalition of environmental organizations in Kaduna, under the aegis Extinction Rebellion (XR) - a global movement which seeks to persuade governments to act justly on climate change and ecological emergency - has hosted a pre-COP27, in partnership with Bridge-that-Gap Initiative, to galvanize the campaign against climate change, as the the 27th Conference of Parties slated for Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt kicks off.

In an exclusive interview with NATIONAL ACCORD, one the coordinators of the event in Kaduna metropolis, Mr Zinta Akpoko, revealed that COP27, Egypt could become a turning point of the campaign, given that forerunners of the conference have since pledged to relentlessly push to prioritize climate financing for developing nations.

"The effect of climate change is very evident and we need to be very frank by telling the truth about the inherent dangers that confront us as a global community. The demand of Extension Rebellion (X-R), is predicted on telling the truth about climate change and a call to action, because when you know the truth it becomes easier to take the necessary action against this common enemy which is at war with nature", Akpoko said.

He emphasized that members of the coalition, some of whom are delegates to COP27 Egypt ensemble, are determined to continue to focused attention on changing the mindset of people about the climate to engender more proactive ways of mitigating the existential threat for the overall good of the global environment.

On her part, the Executive Director, Bridge-that-Gap Initiative, Ms Gloria Kasang Bulus, a delegate to COP17, commended the efforts of fellow environmentalists and the media for sustaining fight against climate change and pledged to continue to contribute her quota steadfastly.

Highlight of the advocacy roundtable was a road walk by participants who bore placards with various messages such as: "stop killing us, stop ecocide, food insecurity is a crime, climate change creates refugees and if oceans die, we die.

Others are: " the climate crisis is a water crisis, protect our farmers, protect our food, loss and damage: compensation now", among others.

Conference of Parties (COP) is an annual meeting of all States that are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to review the implementation of the Convention and other legal instruments that the COP adopts and take decisions necessary to promote effective implementation towards mitigating climate change. No fewer than 90 heads of state are expected at the all-important conference.

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