Climate change and developing nations Discussion by DR. KWAME AMPOFO (MP) Parliament of Ghana www.e- parl.net
Dec 31, 2015
Climate change and developing nations
Discussion by
DR. KWAME AMPOFO (MP)Parliament of Ghana
www.e-parl.net
Order of discussion
Brief Background Effect of climate change in Africa:
The case of Ghana Policy implications of climate change for
Africa The e-Parliament Amboseli Energy Hearing,
and some policy ideas The e-Parliament initiative
Brief Background
Scientific evidence has linked greenhouse gas emissions from human activities with the risk of global climate change.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) was opened for signature in Rio, June 1992
Kyoto Protocol was adopted by the COP-3 in December 1997
Brief Background (…cont)
Objective of UNFCCC:
To achieve STABILIZATION of Greenhouse Gas Concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous Anthropogenic Interference with the climate system.
Should be achieved within a Time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened, and to enable economic development to proceed in sustainable manner.
Mechanisms of Kyoto:
Emissions Trading (ET)Joint Implementation (JI)Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
The effects of climate change on Africa
African Countries are likely to suffer the most from the impacts of Climate Change.
Climate Change increases the vulnerability of poor people by adversely affecting their Health and livelihoods, thus undermining growth opportunities.
Climate Change will significantly aggravate water stress, reduce food security, increase impacts from extreme weather events, displace many people (due to floods and sea level rise) and potentially increase vector borne diseases.
The effects of climate change on Africa (…cont)
Natural Resources Productivity at risk and Biodiversity might be irreversibly lost.
Coastal Zones vulnerable to sea rise, particularly roads, bridges, buildings, other infrastructure, etc.
Exacerbation of desertification by changes in rainfall and intensified land use.
Decreased National income as a result of impacts of climate change on cash crop production.
Reduced Energy Production from hydro systems
The case of Ghana Increase of temperature of 1oC and rainfall reductions of
20-30% have already been observed.
Temperature is expected to increase by 2-3oC in the Savanna Zone.
Rainfall and Water runoff are expected to decrease by about 15-20% and 30-40% by 2050.
Sea level rise will affect low-lying wetlands, in particular the Volta Delta (about 1,000 km2 of land may be lost).
Climate Change has serious adverse impacts on Human Health.
Tropical Diseases such as Malaria, CSM, Measles, Guinea Worm and Diarrhoea have been shown by E. Ofori et al to have higher incidence with climate change.
Linear trend of monthly outpatient malaria cases:
Increasing trend of intra-annual incidence of malaria
Annual distribution of the number of malaria cases:
Increasing number of malaria cases under the current climatic conditions
447504
370127
561111
669813 671840 671613
0
100000
200000
300000
400000
500000
600000
700000
Number of outpatient malaria cases
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
YEAR (1999 - 2004)
Jan-0476705
Oct-0368043
Aug-0280323
May-01 60280Jun-00
55983Jun-99 48013
y = 422.38x + 31694
R2 = 0.4112
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
80000
90000
Jan-99Apr-99Jul-99Oct-99Jan-00Apr-00Jul-00Oct-00Jan-01Apr-01Jul-01Oct-01Jan-02Apr-02Jul-02Oct-02Jan-03Apr-03Jul-03Oct-03Jan-04Apr-04Jul-04Oct-04
Time (1999 - 2004)
Number of Outpatient Malaria Cases
Distribution of the number of malaria cases and rainfall amount
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
80000
90000
Jan-99
Apr-99
Jul-99
Oct-99
Jan-00
Apr-00
Jul-00
Oct-00
Jan-01
Apr-01
Jul-01
Oct-01
Jan-02
Apr-02
Jul-02
Oct-02
Jan-03
Apr-03
Jul-03
Oct-03
Jan-04
Apr-04
Jul-04
Oct-04
Time (1999 - 2004)
Number of Outpatient Malaria Cases
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Rainfall amount (mm)
Number of malaria cases Rainfall Amount
Distribution of the number malaria cases and minimum air temperature:
Generally high minimum air temperature values correspond to periods of low number of malaria cases and vice versa
Apr-0450497
Mar-0348380
Mar-0244671
Dec-0140463
Mar-01 39632
Mar-00 24552
Mar-99 37451
Mar-01
22.6 0C
Mar-02
23.5 0 C
Dec-01
23.6 0C
Mar-03
23.6 0CApr-04
23.5 0C
Mar-00
23.5 0C
Mar-99
22.9 0C
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
80000
90000
Jan-99
Apr-99
Jul-99
Oct-99
Jan-00
Apr-00
Jul-00
Oct-00
Jan-01
Apr-01
Jul-01
Oct-01
Jan-02
Apr-02
Jul-02
Oct-02
Jan-03
Apr-03
Jul-03
Oct-03
Jan-04
Apr-04
Jul-04
Oct-04
Time (1999 - 2004)
Number of outpatient malaria cases
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Minimum air temperature
Number of malaria cases Minimum Temperature
Distribution of measles cases and maximum air temperature:
Generally, high cases occur at high maximum air temp., and low cases occur at low maximum air temperature
May-99 355
Mar-00 923
Mar-01 369
Apr-02 664
Mar-03101
Mar-04 122
May-99
31.7 0 C
Apr-02
32.9 0C
Mar-01
33.9 0C
Mar-00
34.9 0C
Mar-04 33.1
Mar-03 34.9
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
Jan-99
Apr-99
Jul-99
Oct-99
Jan-00
Apr-00
Jul-00
Oct-00
Jan-01
Apr-01
Jul-01
Oct-01
Jan-02
Apr-02
Jul-02
Oct-02
Jan-03
Apr-03
Jul-03
Oct-03
Jan-04
Apr-04
Jul-04
Oct-04
Time(1999 - 2004)
Number of Measles Cases
24.0
26.0
28.0
30.0
32.0
34.0
36.0
38.0
Maximum Air Temperature
Measles Cases Maximum Air Temperature
Dec
26.1oC
Nov
26.6oC
Oct
26oC
Sep
25.3oCAug
24.8oC
Jul
24.9oC
Jun
25.8oC
May
27 oC
Apr
27.6 oC
Mar
27.9 oC
Feb
27.9oC
Jan
26.5oC
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Time (1999 - 2004)
Number of outpatient measles cases
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Mean air temperature(Baseline)
Numer of measles cases
Mean air temperature baselineAverage monthly measles cases(1999 – 2004) and mean air temperature – Baseline data:
Number of measles cases vary over the season. It’s highest in March and April and lowest in July
Policy implications of climate change for Africa
Joint actions on climate change are urgent, as countries are intricately dependent on each other.
Climate change is a development issue, and we need to integrate climate concerns into the development process.
Energy security and climate security go hand in hand.
Developing countries have the opportunity to avoid the polluting mistakes of industrialised countries.
Policy implications for Africa (…cont)
Economic Development is a Right for all Developing Countries.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technologies are responses to the dual problem.
Priority must be given to technology Cooperation and Capacity Building for Sustainable Development.
The CDM and other innovative systems must be promoted.
Amboseli Energy HearingNovember 2006, Kenya: e-Parliament and The World Future Council
• Following the UN Climate Conference in Nairobi,19 MPs from 14 countries gathered in the Amboseli National Park to discuss what legislators can do in their own parliaments to address climate change.
• The group discussed a number of policy proposals, and chose to focus on two in particular: Ghana’s energy efficiency labeling scheme; and feed-in renewable energy tariffs.
Ghanaian appliance efficiency label• Energy efficiency is the cheapest
source of additional energy capacity.
• In developing countries, energy made available through efficiency measures can be used to help increase energy access.
• Research shows that some of the most energy-efficient appliances can also be among the cheapest.
• In Ghana, the labeling system is beginning with air-conditioners, which are major consumers of energy in hot climates, and will soon be extended to refrigerators and other appliances.
Renewable energy feed-in tariffs
• Feed-in laws legally oblige utilities to purchase electricity from renewable sources at a preferential purchase price.
• The price and duration of contract are set at levels that maintain confidence, allowing investors to help grow the sector in a low-risk environment.
• Feed-in laws have helped to substantially grow the renewable energy markets in many countries including Germany and Spain, and have helped the growth of electricity production from sugarcane waste in Mauritius.
To conclude: a few words about the e-Parliament
• Fast, flexible, global• Share best practice among
law-makers• Enable closer cooperation
across borders• Democratic
e-Parliament process• The e-Parliament works through ‘issue
networks’, linking MPs and experts together around issues of common interest.
• Polls legislators to set joint priorities.
• Gathers ‘ideas that work’ for online Ideas Bank, a great resource for legislators.
• Organises international parliamentary hearings, bringing MPs and experts together to discuss best practice and share ideas.
• Provides detailed briefing materials and is working to develop model legislation.
• Supports national parliamentary legislation, and provides support to legislators working on policy in e-Parliament issue areas.
e-Parliament Climate and Energy Network
Supports Legislators interested in energy policy by linking them up with experts and like-minded colleagues in Parliaments around the globe.
Keeps Legislators informed about energy initiatives taking place in other parliaments, including which policies have been particularly effective. Legislators do not need to re-invent the wheel each time they tackle an issue which has been dealt with before, often very effectively, in other Parliaments.
Organizes workshops, conference calls, video conferences and international parliamentary hearings with parliamentarians and experts from around the worl, to discuss energy policy and share best practice.
The Chair of the Network is David Chaytor MP from the United Kingdom, and we now have over 550 MPs from 62 countries who have voted in our energy poll, and hundreds of MPs who are active in the Network.
What you can do:• Vote in the e-Parliament energy poll, to
help determine the focus of the Network.
• Help to distribute the poll among your colleagues in your own Parliament.
• Help us collect email addresses from your Parliament.
• Register your interests with the e-Parliament.
• Take a look at the online ‘Ideas Bank’ to find ‘Ideas that work’, which you can pursue within your own Parliament.
• Participate in e-Parliament Hearings, to learn about best-practice from around the world and engage in a dialogue with other concerned MPs.
• Sign our pre-prepared letter stating that you believe the e-Parliament process is valuable tool for you as an MP in a developing country.
www.e-parl.net