The preoccupation with Corona and the postponement of the COP 26 meeting at Glasgow raises concern that efforts to combat Climate Change are postponed as well.

Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator SJ, President of the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar, and Fr. Franck Janin SJ, President of the Xavier Network sent a letter to the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a second one to the President of the African Union, Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of the Council of the European Union, Angela Merkel and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

 Against this, the Jesuits in their letters want to emphasize:

1. Covid 19 is a serious problem, but Climate Change also continues. When billions of USD and Euro are released to fight Corona, they need to be spent in a way that adaptation, mitigation, and resilience in view of climate change is part of the package. We need a social and ecological transformation to tackle the multiple crises of our time.
2. Africa suffers more (most?) from COVID 19 since its already existing problems of debt and poverty have been exacerbated while nothing is left to tackle the increasingly felt consequences of climate change and other plagues arising from the overuse and pollution of natural resources.
3. Europe historically and presently belongs to the largest polluters and it has therefore to honour its commitments given at the Paris Agreement (contributing to the 100 bn annually) and in Rio 1992 (Principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibility). This can be done directly via the transfer/investment of money and technology, or indirectly by assisting Africa in improving in DRM and fighting IFFs.
4. Time is running out, tipping points are fast approaching. Hence NDCs need to be formulated not by looking backward to 1990 figures, but ahead to the global CO2-budget remaining before the 1.5/2 degree threshold is irrevocably crossed.
5. Here, synergy between Europe and Africa can be exploited. For example: Helping Africa leapfrogging fossil industry is more effective to combat climate change than “cheating” by exporting dirty industry to poor countries, thus polishing own statistics by merely shifting the problem.
6. Therefore: Given problems in the global, UN-sponsored COP process, the Jesuits argue for speeding up an Enhanced AU-EU cooperation.

Access the formal open letters to the UK President Boris Johnson {HERE} and to AU-EU Leaders; Cyril Ramaphosa, Angela Merkel and Ursula von der Leyen {HERE}.

You can also download the detailed paper backing up our argument {HERE}

For further information and all inquiries please get in touch with:

Jesuit Conference on Africa & Madagascar
Office of the Director of Jesuit Justice & Ecology
c/o Africama House
P.O. Box 1540
Nairobi
Kenya 00502

Jesuit Network for Mission and Development (Xavier Network)
c/o Jesuitenmission Deutschland
Königstraße 64
90402 Nürnberg
Germany

Rev. Charles B. Chilufya SJ, MRes (Director)
Whatsapp: +254 786 584784
Skype-Id: cchilufya_1

Rev. Dr. Jörg Alt SJ, MA, BD (Advocacy Officer)
Phone: +49 911 2346-189
E-mail: <alt@jesuitenmission.de>

Fernando Saldivar SJ (Global Policy Officer)
Whatsapp: +254 759174927
Skype-Id: fcsaldivar