Wednesday, February 08, 2012

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Ugandan Voice at Climate Talks

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The Copenhagen Climate Talks may have failed to deliver the ambitious deal many across the world have been waiting for, but one Ugandan woman had the opportunity to tell the world the devastating impact of climate change in her village.

With the help of Oxfam International, Constance Okollet, a Ugandan woman farmer from Tororo this week joined South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Former Irish President Mary Robinson in demanding for what they called justice from world leaders who were meeting in Copenhagen .

Okollet described the suffering she and many in her village have gone through because of recent floods and droughts that have become more frequent and more devastating.

"I am here to share with all of you and all world leaders our suffering," said Constance, who is a leader of women's group that aims to reducing the impact of climate change in her village.

"The 2007 floods swept away all our food and our animals. And when we were recovering, a severe drought scotched all the food we had planted. We no longer have seasons, we do not know when to plant and when to harvest," Okollet told a very attentive audience.

She demanded: "We are here to demand our seasons back. We want money to allow us adapt to the changes."

Okollet was one of four people brought to Copenhagen from four continents to raise their voices about the impacts of climate change. But according to Oxfam, the four were just among 1.5 million people whose voices were presented by Robinson before the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretary general Yvo de Boer.

Bishop Tutu and Mrs. Robinson, later gave what they called their own verdict in which they said that: "Climate change is undermining human rights on an unprecedented scale."

Archbishop Tutu said: "I too, stand before you as a witness. I have seen with my own eyes the changes in my homeland, South Africa . The Southern cape is currently experiencing the worst drought anyone can remember.

The two prominent leaders said delay in addressing climate change was a mark of injustice by world leaders.

"Climate change is affecting every issue linked to poverty today. From death hunger, disasters to displacement, the cost of delay is criminal," Said Jeremy Hobbs, Executive Director of Oxfam.

Connie Hedegaard, the president of Conference of Parties (COP 15) at the Copenhagen talks has resigned. This was after ministers failed to reach agreement on two negotiation processes.

Under the Long term Cooperative Action (LCA) which includes all 193 countries, all the text remained in brackets - meaning that there has not been any agreement whatsoever. In another process called Kyoto track (KP), developed countries refused to put numbers on targets to reduce emissions.

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