At least 17 presidents of science academies have urged Commonwealth Heads of Government to take coordinated and equitable action to address climate change and biodiversity loss at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to take place in Kigali from June 20 to June 26. The presidents of science academies, whose countries are all member states, in a letter addressed to Patricia Scotland, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, and heads of governments, said that such action could ensure a resilient and environmentally sustainable recovery from Covid-19. The key points that they wish to draw to leaders’ attention during the summit include using the opportunities of CHOGM and COP27-summit on climate change this year to coordinate discussions on the joint challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss and recognise their inherently interlinked nature. In doing so, they said the action will ensure that nature and biodiversity are properly valued and accounted for in national and international decision making. The academia has called for states to work with the global research community to identify scientific and holistic approaches for addressing these issues without causing unintended damage. Developing realistic, evidence-based roadmaps to reach net zero carbon emissions by the middle of the century, grasping opportunities for a decarbonised economy and its benefits for people and life on earth, strengthening cooperation on research, assessment, monitoring and data-sharing relating to the health of the oceans as well as promoting greater collaboration on data use between Commonwealth countries to address these and other critical sustainability challenges are among the other recommended actions. “Address global inequity and inequality when tackling all of these challenges to ensure a resilient and environmentally sustainable recovery from Covid-19. Failure to tackle these issues in the increasingly narrowing timescale required, will pose significant risks to human development, welfare, and societal inequities and inequalities,” reads part of the letter. The failure, the letter adds, will impact all Commonwealth countries, particularly those that are most vulnerable. “Delivering action on the urgent and interlinked issues of climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable energy provision presents economic, social, and environmental opportunities for the whole Commonwealth,” the scientists added. Manasse Mbonye, the president of Rwanda Academy of Science, which also signed the letter, said that both developed and least developed common wealth countries are also affected by climate change and therefore should take urgent action to mitigate and adapt to its effects. “Rwanda like other Commonwealth countries, is affected among other least developed countries. We need to curb deforestation and stop using wood for cooking fuel, we need to eliminate fossil fuel use in different sectors and this needs climate finance which is limited. CHOGM is a good opportunity to discuss and take decisions,” he said. Governments of Rwanda and the United Kingdom are expected to host a side event dubbed “Keeping 1.5 Alive - The Glasgow Climate Pact and Building Momentum towards COP27” It will take stock of COP26 outcomes, especially progress on the Glasgow Climate Pact, discuss innovative ways to access climate finance, including an introduction to the Kigali Principles on Carbon Finance, and aims to generate momentum for COP27 which will take place in Egypt in November 2022. The event will bring together a range of leaders from across the Commonwealth, United Nations organisations, civil society, private sector, young people and women to discuss progress on the Glasgow Climate Pact, accessing climate finance, the desired outcomes of COP27 in Egypt and how Commonwealth Member States can work together to achieve them.
