Climate change is here, it is real and has to be dealt with urgently. African and European institutions should work together to take advantage of the existing and emerging opportunities to counter the threat posed by this global public danger. The financial crisis, with all its associated problems, may actually be an opportunity for taking on actions to effectively respond to climate challenge.
As we prepare for Copenhagen in December 2009, where measures to deal with the global climate challenge will be agreed, we must make sure that the interests of the most vulnerable and least developed countries are not forgotten.Over the past few years, one of the key sources for additional private investment in clean technology in developing countries is the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The protocol allows industrialised countries to make investments to reduce green house gas emissions where the impact of the investments is greatest. This is a win-win and cost-effective solution. It has helped to transfer investments and technology from developed to developing countries. It also allows entry into the international carbon market.So far, a total of 1,450 CDM projects have been registered, resulting in the reduction of 270 million tonnes of green house gases. Most of these projects are in Asia. Very few are in Africa. This regional disparity is one of the main weaknesses of the CDM, but also one that can and has to be corrected for African countries to meaningfully benefit from it.
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/459/681604