By Saumu Juma
Former US President Barrack Obama has urged countries to fulfill the promises of the Paris Agreement so that the vulnerable countries can also boost their economic levels.
Delivering a speech at COP 26 summit on Climate Change, Obama stated that most countries that had signed the Paris Agreement initially have failed to fulfil their promises of adapting to more climate action measures, one that has led them to be hit by extreme climate change results such as floods.
“Most countries have failed to meet the action plans that they set six years ago and the consequences are becoming apparent all the time. Last month, a study found that 85% of the global population has experienced weather events that were more severe because of climate change,” he said. “Parts of the world are becoming more dangerous to live in triggering more migration patterns and worsening conflict around the globe.
According to Obama, the United States of America has achieved most of its plans that it had made in connection to the Paris Agreement six years ago such as creation of employment and a huge growth of businesses which has boosted the economy regardless of the objection it faced during the Trump’s regime.
Obama added that advanced Economies such as the US and the EU need to be the leading ones on climate change issues while urging that withdrawal of China and Russia leaders in the proceedings will largely affect the world to achieve its goal by 2030 because countries need to be united instead of being on the sidelines.
In addition, Obama recognised the efforts the youth are making towards fighting and advocating for climate action as well as empowering other young people to take the Pledge and save the future of the world and encouraged them to keep doing so because they are a source of inspiration to other generations.
“They are not just working for their own countries, they are forming a movement across borders to make the older generation that got us into this mess see that we all have an obligation to dig ourselves out of it and if those older folks won’t listen, they need to get out of the way” , he explained.
Obama also urged the youth to participate in politics and vote in leaders who will support climate action and serve the youth’s interests days after young climate activists protested on the streets of Glasgow demanding for answers to climate action.
