Beyonce helps activist take pop at Cop
Pop queen Beyonce has helped send eco activists to Glasgow to tell delegates how climate change is wreaking havoc in Africa.
The US singer’s charity BeyGOOD and New York-based anti-poverty advocacy group Global Citizen fund 15 full-time year-long posts for inspiring young Africans.
This year’s intake includes civil engineer Azeez Abubaker, who has travelled to Cop26 to urge world leaders to act.
The 22-year-old, who has won awards for helping design sustainable hospitals in his homeland, said rising global temperatures are already causing food shortages in Africa.
Azeez, from Alore City in the north of Nigeria, said: “I see the impact of climate change every day. One season it is bad flooding, then the next it is drought. It is devastating to our community.
“Our people are the ones that have contributed the least to causing climate change. Yet they are the ones paying the price. That’s why I’m advocating for
CHARITY WORK climate justice. I want to see developed countries take action to ensure vulnerable communities especially in
Africa, are prioritised.
“I hope delegates at Cop26 will listen to what I have to say.”
Scientists believe Africa will be one of the hardest hit continents by climate change. Earlier this month, the UN warned that 100million “extremely poor” Africans would be adversely affected by rising temperatures.
The report — by the UN’s World Meteorological Organization — found the continent would be hit by worsening droughts, flooding and extreme heat by 2030. Yet, the 54 countries who make up Africa contribute just four per cent of global greenhouse emissions.
Beyonce set up BeyGOOD in 2013. It has dished out millions in grants to worthy causes.
Didi Morake, of Global Citizen, said: “We are extremely proud of Azeez. He is not only representing his work within the BeyGOOD Fellowship programme — but he is also representing a new generation of climate activists who are personally affected by the current climate-induced crises.”