Pan-African Climate Caravan of Hope

Jessica Radford, used to be campaigns and policy intern

In the run-up to climate talks in Durban the Pan-African Climate Caravan of Hope is on a two-week road-trip across Africa.

Launched on November 9th in Burundi by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), it is intended to raise-awareness and highlights the challenges of climate change posed to Africa. Up to 200 African farmers, pastoralists and youth campaigners are travelling through 10 countries, from Burundi to South Africa, telling the story of climate change in Africa as they go. These stories are shared to help inform people of how to adapt to the impacts of climate change and to create feelings of solidarity in their battle for climate justice. Solidarity is important both among the different African countries as well as between rich and poor countries.

The journey of the caravan has been a busy one, stopping off for climate marches, petition signings and rallies along the way. The caravan was received in Kampala, Uganda by the Concert for Climate Justice, which featured some of Uganda’s top music stars. African musicians inspired activists in their goal before the caravan moved on to Kenya. Music is a great component of activism in Africa due to high illiteracy rates but also as a fun and loud way of spreading the word of climate justice. Not all has gone well however, visa problems at Botswana cause difficulty getting across border so some were forced to take another route, yet spirits still remain high!

The caravan is advocating climate justice within the UN Framework Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) at Cop17. With the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period ending soon in 2012, a key focus of the conference will be to secure a global climate agreement. It is important that richer countries sign legally binding commitments to limit their carbon emission and provide grants rather than loans to the poorer countries who are suffering the most from the impact of climate change (most of which is caused by the rich countries in the first place!). Rather than supporting loans through the World Bank’s Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience, which gives half the money as loans rather than grants, it is better to support the UN Adaptation Fund. You can tell Chris Huhne yourself to say no to World Bank climate loans.

The caravan is now on the final stages of its journey through South Africa to Durban.