2015: Crucial year for climate negotiations

Due to its geographical location and its booming population, Malawi is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. The impacts of climate change in Malawi are being manifested in various ways such as intense rainfall, changing rainfall patterns, floods, droughts and prolonged dry spells. Millions of farmers in Malawi are no longer able to rely on their once predictable weather. Consequently, farmers are being subjected to deeper cycles of poverty and vulnerability.

2015 is a decisive year for climate negotiations. To keep us on track to limit a global temperature rise to below 2°C, it is essential to secure a fair, ambitious and legally binding international agreement at the UN climate change negotiations (COP 21) meeting in Paris in December.

Other multilateral processes are also underway throughout the year: the Financing for Development conference in July, the UN Special Summit on Sustainable Development Goals in September, the World Trade Organisation Ministerial in December. All four events have the ability to set the direction of global development, environment and climate change and trade agendas for the next two decades.

The EU and Malawi both have an important role to play in reaching successful conclusions to these negotiations.

The Post-2015 Development Agenda negotiations take place parallel to the climate negotiations. Without addressing climate change it will be difficult to eradicate extreme poverty and deliver sustainable development. The shared futures of present and future generations here in Malawi, Europe and the rest of the world are dependent on mutually beneficial agreements.

The need for ambitious action is clear. We have already seen in Malawi, through floods and drought, the effects of extreme weather as the symptoms of climate change, in combination with local environmental degradation. Climate change has already negatively affected global production of wheat and maize.

The EU has, and will continue to play a strong and active role in contributing to a global climate agreement. The EU has consistently advocated the need to look at development activities through a climate change lens. An agreement, under the Global Climate Change Alliance-Malawi Programme (GCCA), aims to implement some adaptive measures to the effects of climate change on the poorest and most vulnerable people in Malawi to ensure they are more resilient to future shocks.

The GCCA is also looking to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on climate change between the EU and developing countries most vulnerable to climate change, in particular the Least Developed Countries, of which Malawi is one, and the Small Island Developing States, which will most likely be the hardest hit by the adverse effects of climate change.

Many of our on-going and planned programmes work to assist Malawi to mitigate and adapt to climate change and we will continue to support vulnerable communities to become more resilient to shocks in order to bend in times of crisis, and not to break.

We recognise that Malawi has made progress in mainstreaming climate change, particularly in terms of preparation of the climate change policy, the climate change investment plan and various strategies at the national level. At the same time, more needs to be done to ensure these actions are delivered at the most appropriate level.

We also call on government to step up efforts to prevent further environmental degradation. For example, de-forestation is exacerbating the impact of climate change in Malawi and there is a lot government and the people of Malawi can do to improve the conservation of its natural forests without depleting them. By protecting the forests, lives are protected.

Malawi is well-placed to pursue a renewable energy agenda. Hydro, wind, geothermal and solar energy sources remain under-exploited. Solar technologies are now able to compete with coal on cost, and mini-grid and off-grid solutions are available. EU encourages Malawi to consider how it can set out a clear commitment to have a strong renewable energy focus, which would help the country further access a range of financing opportunities.

Such a vision, could optimally position the country to harness the necessary finance and technical resources to provide for the present and future growing population, providing sustainable viable and rewarding livelihoods, while maximising and protecting the country’s natural resources.

Malawi must be an advocate of a global deal at Paris that limits a global temperature rise of no more than 2°C, with increased efforts by all countries to address mitigation and adaptation. The EU looks forward to Malawi’s active participation in pressing for an ambitious global deal at the climate change conference in Paris.

This article is written by Head of Missions of EU Delegation, Germany, Ireland and the UK