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.

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