Citizens against their Governments over Climate Change

Did you know it’s possible to take legal action to fight global warming? In Oregon for instance, some young people won the right to sue their State Government over failed climate action.  European Citizens against their Governments over Climate Change, have been doing just that as well like this Climate lawsuit in Belgium where some Belgian activists and a group of artists got inspired from that action of the American youths to do the same, and sue their Belgian government to increase its climate change program of deeper greenhouse gas emission cuts.  It must be mentioned that it would mean cutting carbon emissions by 40% by 2020, and around 90% by 2050.

In the meantime in Marrakesh, Morocco, the on-going COP22 for all this week will be closing today.

Morocco lights the way for Africa on renewable energy: The Guardian of yesterday, saying that the COP22 host leads by example in the fight against climate change with 52% green energy target by 2020 and Africa’s first city cycle hire scheme.

Nour 1 concentrated Solar Power Plant in Ouarzate.    Photo: Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images

Apart from the above, it would be of some interest to bring to the attention of the MENA readers that it was question also of the following article.  We reproduce the article for a better grasp of what went on.

Western Sahara: COP22 is Chance for Morocco to Sway Nigeria, Expose South Africa 

by Cop22 Marrakech

Washington D.C – Moroccan officials are notorious for squandering all the ripe diplomatic opportunities when their country host key international conferences. Will COP-22 be different?

The presence of President Muhammadu Buhari is an opening to garner Nigeria’s key support in the Western Sahara conflict and a test of Moroccan diplomats’ ability to reap benefits from such high-level meetings they host.

Morocco’s hosting of the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP22) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), also known as COP-22, in Marrakech is a big economic and diplomatic feast for the Kingdom’s foreign policy establishment.

With the presence of Kings and Presidents, Moroccan diplomats should have a chance to lobby for their causes. While the COP 22 is not a diplomatic meeting in the classic sense, it is an important gathering of several head of States and a chance to form new alliances.

As Morocco fights its way back to the African Union’s fold, the position of Nigeria will have a big impact on the pan-African organization’s decisions and resolutions concerning the Western Sahara conflict.

President Buhari is a true African leader who puts the continent interests before ideology and personal gains. His visit to Morocco is a golden opportunity for Moroccan officials to try once again to earn the trust and backing of Africa’s most important country.

On the face of South Africa’s divisive and ideologically based foreign policy and President Zuma’s lack of leadership, vision and intellect, Morocco and Africa need President Buhari’s guidance.

It is now up to do the Moroccan officials to do the hard work and reach out to the Nigerian delegation. Notwithstanding Morocco’s rivals, namely Algeria, efforts to torpedo the Kingdom’s attempts to gain the trust of Nigeria, President Buhari is open to positions that would make Africa stronger and more united.

Algeria’s diplomatic outreach in Abuja is deep and entrenched making Rabat’s job difficult and demanding but not impossible.

Furthermore, Morocco needs to expose Zuma’s toxic and poisons policies that are dividing Africans and keeping Africa’s influence on the international scene weak and laughable. Since his took office in South Africa, the continent influence has been waning.

As Nigeria under Buhari set out to improve its business and economic outlooks to attract international investments, Zuma’s follies continue. His last comment about wanting to be a dictator for six months so he can fix his nation’s ailments is a sign of his feeble state of mind and an embarrassment to all Africans.

Full text is here . . .