All of these efforts know that combating the climate turmoil, like so many other challenges we face, was really championed by Africans in the first place. Indeed, in Africa, we see not only the stakes of this crisis, but also the solutions. Gabon has led the way in conserving its forest resources, which now absorb 140 million tons of CO2 each year. That’s the equivalent of acquiring 30 million cars off-road.
Very first, we are partnering to conserve ecosystems. Africa is home to a few of the world’s most precious environments, which are critical for combating climate change. This summer I actually visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, where jungles absorb more carbon than is emitted by the whole continent of Africa. The Congo Basin can also be a place of tremendous biodiversity, a lifeforce for farming across the region.
Second, we are partnering to make commitments and communities more resilient in the face of climate change. The President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience is working with national governments to help more than half a billion people in developing countries manage the particular impacts of climate modify. This and other endeavours to support climate-resilient agriculture are usually increasingly critical as Russia’s war of aggression compounds the impact on food protection.
That is true of every major issue we face today, and it’s particularly true of environment change. So here’s just how we’re addressing this turmoil together.
Equatorial Guinea just raised the commitment to cut emissions by 35 percent by 2030. And the DRC provides hosted the pre-COP27 meetings in Kinshahsa. It’s teaming up with the United States on the broad scope of these issues through our Sustainable Growth Solutions Working Group.
Therefore we believe that the best way – indeed, the just method – to address the environment crisis in Africa is to work together.
To support the sustainable administration of the Congo Basin rainforest, we’ve invested over 0 million in the Central The african continent Regional Program for the Environment, which brings together the U. S. Government and African and U. S. NGOs.
Recording, in South Africa, I had an opportunity to set out President Biden’s brand new Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa. It’s based on a simple concept: we can’t achieve any of our shared priorities – tackle any of our greatest challenges – unless all of us do it together as identical partners.
The african continent will be at the center from the clean energy transition. Its renewable energy potential is second to none. It’s house to roughly a third of all critical minerals, essential to the particular technology that will power the clean energy economy, like batteries for renewable energy storage space and wind turbines. Using nearly half of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population lacking reliable entry to electricity and the population set to grow to more than two billion people by 2050, how that transition is made will be decisive in framing our future climate.
Zambia is harnessing the power of its wetlands and forests in order to mitigate climate impacts, benefiting tens of thousands of people vulnerable to each floods and to droughts.
Oceans are also a key part of this particular fight. That’s why we’ve launched the Ocean Conservation Pledge to motivate countries to commit to secure at least 30 percent of their sea waters by the year 2030.
The United States will work closely with African countries as they determine how best to meet their own specific energy needs – understanding that, for many, the clean energy transition will be a transition to consistent, reliable energy in the first place. We’ll do so through programs like Strength Africa, which has mobilized the public and private sectors to deliver cleaner, more reliable electrical power to over 165 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa who seem to previously didn’t have access. We’re proud to declare a new investment of 0 million in that program.
As we know, 17 of the world’s 20 most climate vulnerable countries are on the African continent.
Nigeria has set bold targets and robust regulations for methane cutbacks – the first country within Africa to do so – which could reduce air pollutants with a third and avert tens of thousands of deaths.
And we’re building new coalitions between African governments, the private sector, civil society to shield other vital ecosystems throughout the continent.
Four straight years of drought in the Horn of Africa have left more than eighteen million people facing severe hunger.
Third, we’re joining up to advance a just transition to a clean energy economic climate that both saves the earth and fosters inclusive financial opportunity.
We’re also joined today by members of Our elected representatives, members of the Biden Cupboard – I think Congressman Meeks is about to join us when he’s not already right here – we have representatives through multilateral organizations, philanthropies, private sector leaders, activists, teachers, youth leaders. In order to each and every one of you, delightful.
The Seychelles has pioneered the world’s first sovereign blue bond to marshal public and private investment for eco friendly marine and fisheries tasks. It’s on the way in order to conserving 30 percent of its sea waters – that’s a place the size of Zimbabwe – simply by 2030.
We know that African nations have contributed fairly little to this crisis but are disproportionally harmed because of it. It’s both unjust and unrealistic to keep these things turn their backs upon economic development and opportunity in the name of a clean energy transition, to ask them in essence to forego what many of us have done in the past in building our countries and our economies.
Last month many of us were in Egypt for COP27. An African COP was a acknowledgement that, as the urgency of the climate crisis grows, the focus must increasingly be on Africa.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, thank you. Great afternoon, everyone, and a large thank you, Hayde, to you to continue us moving, and I will try to stay on your good aspect. (Laughter. ) But it’s an reverance to be joined at this table by so many leaders, so many colleagues – among additional, President Tshisekedi – it’s very good to be with you – President Ramkalawan, President Hichilema, President Buhari, President Obiang, President Bongo Ondimba – thank you, thank you, thank you for your partnership, for your partnership to assist preserve our planet.
The variety of this group is heartening – a statement not only of how we’re all affected by the climate crisis, yet how committed we all are usually to working together to address this.
At POLICE OFFICER, the President also introduced a doubling of our pledged contributions to the Adaptation Finance, which has deployed nearly billion to help over 36 million people in the many vulnerable communities around the world. And we committed to begin conversations on loss and damage funding arrangements to support low- and middle-income countries.
Today, and all through this summit over the course of immediately, I look forward to hearing with this group on how we can the majority of effectively deepen our relationship to the benefit of all of our people, and indeed to the benefit of individuals around the world. And I look forward to continuing this conversation within the months and also the years to come. This is an enduring project for everyone, but I think we furthermore all feel the fierce urgency of now. And that determination is reflected in so much of the work that is being done and is becoming represented in this room.
Too often, those who are many vulnerable to the impacts of the changes have been denied a seat at the decision-making table. We’re committed to altering that, including through the brand new Accelerating Women’s Empowerment within Energy project, which is making sure that women have a say in how their countries move ahead on clean energy.
Residential areas across the continent are feeling the impact of a modifying climate. Severe thunder storms have battered southern Africa; surging temperatures kindle wildfires in northern Africa; increasing seas threaten lives plus livelihoods on island countries, while extreme weather activities in central Africa aggravate already-dire food crises plus fuel tensions that feed and fuel violent discord.
With that, it is a pleasure and honor to turn the floor over to President Tshisekedi to offer some remarks. Mister. President, the floor is now yours.
