African Activist Proclaims Carbon Markets as 'Bogus Solutions' at Climate Summit

A Nigerian environmental activist made a bold statement during the first African Climate Summit, denouncing carbon markets as 'bogus solutions.'

Priscilla Achakpa, founder of the Nigeria-based Women Environmental Programme, voiced her opposition to wealthier countries using Africa's green spaces to offset their own polluting activities.

Highlighting Africa's abundant clean energy minerals and renewable energy sources, the summit aimed to present the continent as a solution to climate change, rather than a mere victim.

However, the practice of investing in Africa in exchange for the freedom to pollute elsewhere has sparked anger among some African activists.

They argue that China, the United States, India, the European Union, and others should take responsibility and reduce their own emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases.

In a powerful plea, Achakpa urged the so-called 'Global North' to disassociate themselves from the perspective of the colonial past and reject imposed solutions on African lands.

The African Climate Summit serves as a preparation for the upcoming United Nations climate change conference in Dubai, scheduled for December.

Delegates from government, business, and civil society have gathered to address the urgent need to tackle the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

Recognizing the lack of time for constructive thinking amidst the back-to-back events, Simon Stiell, the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, speaks of the challenges in bridging gaps between diverse communities' emission reduction strategies.

The cost of carbon markets in Africa is relatively low compared to other parts of the world, where stricter regulations are in place.

African nations seek better compensation to aid their own emission-reduction targets and tackle climate change effectively.

While the voluntary carbon market dominates in Africa, concerns arise over its integrity and transparency.

Critics worry that it serves as a convenient loophole for continued pollution.

The voluntary carbon market currently values carbon emissions in Africa at less than $10 per ton, whereas other regions can command over $100 for the same amount.

Carbon trading operates on the basis that one credit issued equates to 1 ton of carbon dioxide or its equivalent greenhouse gas being removed from the atmosphere.

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