Documentary Sheds Light on Climate Change’s Impact on African Communities
The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has unveiled a documentary that examines the effects of climate change on African communities. Titled “Climate Change: Africa’s Cooked and Sinking Communities,” the film highlights the severe impact of climate change in Taita Taveta County, Kenya, Kambele, Cameroon, and Ayetoro, Ondo State, Nigeria.
Presented at the COP28 climate change conference in Dubai, the documentary sheds light on the consequences of mining and oil extraction in these communities, strengthening the case for a Loss and Damage mechanism to address the challenges faced by local communities across Africa.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) defines loss and damage funds as compensation for harm to human societies and the natural environment caused by human-induced climate change.
In Taita Taveta County, Kenya, the documentary tells the story of a community grappling with drought, a place once abundant with agriculture and animal husbandry. The once fertile land has now turned into arid terrain due to climate change, leading farmers to resort to emergency mining, exacerbating climate-related challenges.
Gideon Ndambuki, a resident of Taita Taveta, shared, “This land was once used for farming for all of our lives. But things have changed. We used to plant various crops, but for the past three years, no rain has come. This land is no longer productive due to changes in the climate.”
In Kambele, residents are dealing with landslides, extreme heat, and irregular weather patterns caused by unregulated gold mining. Nearly 150 individuals have tragically lost their lives due to these hazards, in addition to the health issues affecting residents daily.
Kulu Florin, a native of Ngaland Le Trois, expressed concern about the mining-induced changes in climate, stating, “Since the Chinese arrived with their toxic chemicals, the flu season has become unpredictable and the weather patterns have drastically shifted.”
Ayetoro’s story portrays a city sinking due to ocean surges, which escalated after the installation of oil extraction facilities near its shoreline. Oba Ojagbohunmi Oluwanmbe, the Oba of Ayetoro, attested that the ocean surges intensified in the 1980s after oil exploration began in the community, disrupting the natural cycle of the sea.
Akinbode Okuwafemi, CAPPA’s Executive Director, underscored the need for sustainable climate finance for the continent, emphasizing the urgency for COP28 to establish a predictable, democratic, and sustainable mechanism for addressing the impact of climate change on frontline communities across the continent.
“These moving narratives highlight the imperative to address climate change in Africa. The West owes Africa and the global south climate debt, and it is time to start repaying it,” Oluwafemi remarked.
NAN/Oyenike Oyeniyi
