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U.S. climate envoy Kerry calls on African nations to help curb emissions

Published 09/16/2022, 06:05 PM
Updated 09/16/2022, 06:10 PM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. climate envoy John Kerry gives a statement ahead of the meeting of the G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers during the German G7 Presidency at the EUREF-Campus in Berlin, Germany May 26, 2022. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. climate envoy John Kerry gives a statement ahead of the meeting of the G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers during the German G7 Presidency at the EUREF-Campus in Berlin, Germany May 26, 2022. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

By Edward McAllister

DAKAR (Reuters) - African nations must help combat climate change and halt a rise in temperatures that is hitting crop yields and causing flooding and drought in the region, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry told a conference in Senegal's capital on Thursday.

At the African Ministerial Conference on Environment in Dakar, Kerry acknowledged that the 48 countries of sub-Saharan Africa emit only 0.55% of global harmful emissions, but said that every nation had to pull together in the face of crisis.

"All of us are threatened by emissions - and Mother Nature does not care where those emissions come from," Kerry told delegates.

"The challenge of the climate crisis comes from the crisis of emissions in every country."

Twenty countries, including the United States, are responsible for 80 percent of global emissions, Kerry said. Coal, oil and gas - drivers of the American economy - are the worst emitters, climate experts agree.

As the impacts of climate change come into focus, large economies have the difficult task of trying to persuade African nations to curb emissions or reduce investments in fossil fuels at a critical juncture in their own economic development.

Senegal will become a significant oil and gas producer when newly-tapped fields off its Atlantic coast begin producing in the next two years. President Macky Sall has said that ending financing for gas exploration would be a "fatal blow" to emerging economies.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. climate envoy John Kerry gives a statement ahead of the meeting of the G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers during the German G7 Presidency at the EUREF-Campus in Berlin, Germany May 26, 2022. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

Yet, Kerry's message comes at a telling moment: Floods killed hundreds this rainy season in Nigeria, Niger and Chad, and millions face severe hunger in the Horn of Africa from drought.

"We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past," said Kerry. "How you decide to approach the future will have a profound impact, not just on Africa, but on our ability as a planet to solve this problem."

Latest comments

U.S. is the biggest emitter in per capita terms and rest of the countries are following the american dream... U.S. is the single handedly responsible for the current situation.
kerry,I think Countries are more concerned with inflation caused by too much government spending As well as, high energy costs due to the climate change cult pressuring the industry. Meanwhile your flying around the world preaching that other people cut fossil fuel use. You leftest Dems are really out of touch with reality.Alternative forms of energy are a good thing. But they cannot replace fossil fuels.
Check your own monopolies before checking others.
Kerry needs to hop on his jet,and crash!
how stupid indeed to even visit Africa for telling them to curn emissions
what a joke. sorry Mr Kerry but work at home if you want to curve the emissions.....this is pathetic Mr Kerry. courage to fight on your own territory please
As old horseface burns up the frequent flyer miles on our tab! Brilliant!!!
Scammer
Bah hahaha! Can you imagine Africans listening to a rich white man telling them they need to restrict their behaviors of trying to become like him because he said so? "Fellas...I've reached my goal in life. You need to stay where you are, though. Good luck." Talk about arrogance.
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