Recent developments on climate change and crude oil production
The U.S. Embassy in Kenya has suspended approximately US$21 million in assistance to Ministry of Health because of concerns about corruption. Late last year, the country’s anti-corruption commission started an investigation in the Ministry over the alleged diversion of more than US$50 million based on an audit by the National Treasury. The funds were meant to provide free maternity care. There were also reports of weak accounting procedures at the Ministry. Reuters had reported the head of Kenya’s anti-corruption commission as having stated that a third of the national budget was lost to corruption every year. The government disputed the figure, citing poor paperwork. The President, however, stated that his hands were tied and criticised the judiciary and other agencies for not doing more about the problem.
In last week’s column, we referred to a new BBC documentary to be aired this summer in which worldrenowned physicist Stephen Hawking asserted that human beings are running out of time on planet Earth mainly because of climate change, the effects of nuclear war and genetically engineered virus. His new prediction, down from 1,000 years, is that unless we colonise another planet we will perish in the next 100 years! In an earlier column, we had stated that: (a) today, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are at its highest in recorded history at more than 400 parts per million; (b) the average motor car emits about six tons of CO2 every year which works out 20 pounds for every one gallon of gas used; (c) ice is melting at an ever increasing rate at the earth’s poles, especially in Antarctica where a 400-foot waterfall has been found; (d) in just a matter of time, an iceberg of the size of Delaware will break off from the Antarctica’s continental shelf; and (e) last March was assessed the second hottest month in recorded history.
In today’s article, we discuss some recent developments on two related topics: climate change; and the production of crude oil.
The United Nations meeting in Bonn
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is currently meeting in Bonn, Germany, to discuss climate change issues and more particularly how to implement the technical aspects of the Paris Agreement. A meeting was to be held last Tuesday to determine whether the United States would withdraw from the Agreement, especially in the light of its withdrawal of financial support for climate bodies, including the UNFCCC Secretariat hosting the annual negotiations. U.S. President Donald Trump had proposed an unspecified reduction in funding for the UN and its agencies, as well as enforcement of a 25 percent cap on U.S. funding for Peacekeeping Operations. Current U.S. funding for the UN Secretariat is 22% of the Secretariat’s budget of US$5.4 billion and 28.5% of Peacekeeping budget of US$7.9 billion, based on assessed contributions agreed by the General Assembly. Agencies such as the UNICEF, World Food Programme and UNHCR are funded voluntarily by governments, with the United States being the top contributor. The European Union has urged the United States to continue its financial support for the UN agencies and to remain committed to the Paris Agreement.
The U.S. Senate did not ratify the Paris Agreement and therefore there is no binding treaty. This means that the United States could withdraw from the deal without legal penalty. The Tuesday meeting was postponed at the request of the United States because it was yet to decide on the way forward. The U.S. President had indicated during the election campaign that, if elected, the United States would withdraw from the Agreement, citing climate change as a hoax perpetuated by China. The latter is the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases from burning coal, oil and gas with about 25 percent of the global total, followed by the United States with around 15 percent. Under President Obama, the United States had pledged to cut emissions by 26-28% from 2005 levels by 2025.
The Paris Agreement was entered into in 2015 by 195 countries to curb planet-harming fossil fuel. According to the UNFCCC, the Agreement brings together all nations for the first time into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, with enhanced support to assist developing countries to do so. The Agreement aims to
for greater competition. Barring these two possibilities, the city has been advised to “re-assess the financing arrangement of the contract.”
The Legal Affairs Ministry’s review noted that the contract was of such “unequal bargaining strength” that it included a clause intended to scare the City Council out of the terminating the agreement. It recommended that the Council employ an accountant to “advise” as it revisited “the terms and conditions” of the controversial agreement.
The seven-member team led by Ferreira includes Councillors Noelle Chow-Chee, Roopnarine Persaud, Ivelaw Henry, Tricia Richards, Carlyle Goring and Heston Bostwick.