The African Conference of Ministers in charge of environment on climate change in Algiers

The African Conference of Ministers in charge of environment on climate change for post 2012 was held in Algiers with the participation of about 40 African ministers. It discussed and adopted outcomes related to: the Bali Action Plan, international cooperation basis or obligation of the share of commitments; meaning and scope of the concepts of comparable efforts and shared vision for developing countries; sectoral approach, impacts and consequences on African countries’ development and meaning and scope of the concepts of measurable, verifiable and reportable for developed and developing countries.   

• Algerian Minister of environment and tourism, Cherif Rahmani, said during the inauguration of this African meeting “African share of commitments will help the continent have one voice during the Danish Copenhagen conference on climate change which will be held December 2009”.
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• Algerian Minister of State and representative of the President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said during the opening of the symposium on climate change; “It is the first time people stand together as one group to combat climate change in order to decide the coming generations’ future”.
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• “Africa is not able to combat dangerous climate change and can face only about 3.5 percent of gases in the world. Africa is always subjected to natural disasters because it owns 17% of the world forests,” President Bouteflika said.
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• Africa agreed on the Kyoto Protocol by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change which commits industrialised countries to stabilize GHG emissions in order to recognize that developed countries are principally responsible for the current high levels of GHG emissions in the atmosphere as a result of more than 150 years of industrial activity. The protocol places a heavier burden on developed nations under the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
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• “Selfishness, economic interests and luck of awareness by many countries prevent the Kyoto Protocol from reaching its real goals,” Bouteflika added.
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• “Africa and the third world need more aid and funds in order to face dangerous climate change,” he stressed.
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• Bouteflika confirmed that the decision by the Assembly of African Union during the 8th Ordinary session held from 22-30 January 2007 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on development and climate change called industrials to respect their commitments ,reduce GHG emissions which cause global warming, encourage green programs in Africa and cooperation in the fields of research and technology.
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• “Saving our future does not rely only on money but on partnership, cooperation and unity between peoples from various cultures. We will share this view with participants in Copenhagen”. said President Bouteflika.

 By/ Delila Henache