T -20 days: participation, representation and the roadblocks ahead.

Author: Pamela EA

Welcome to On the Road to COP, where we look at the road to COP27 against a backdrop of rising urgency and optimism. In conversation with those on the frontline of the climate justice movement, we will be exploring the roadblocks to advancing climate justice, what is at stake, who is stepping up, and how everyone can join our journey towards a better future.

Here in our sixth instalment, we speak with Eric Njuguna about participation, representation, accountability within climate discussion, and what they see on the road ahead as we look towards COP27.

Eric Njuguna is a youth climate justice organizer based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Hi Eric! How are you? What have you been working on lately?

Eric: Hi! This past month, I have been working with Fridays for future MAPA to support Global south participation at the UN climate change summit - COP27.

Are you planning on attending COP27?

Eric: Yes, I will be attending COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt for both weeks. I do recognize and acknowledge that this is a privilege noting that it has been hard for many to get accreditation and funding. I do hope to use the opportunity to advocate for reparations for the most affected people and areas by the climate crisis.

With the work that you have recently been doing in connection to climate negotiations, what are your outlooks for COP27?

Eric: For starters, COP27 will have little representation from global south communities owing to the extraordinarily expensive nature of travel and accommodation and how hard it was to get accreditation. This will have a huge impact on the negotiations because the communities who are most affected by the crisis, will not be adequately represented and involved in shaping key decisions that affect them - and so can’t hold world leaders accountable.

A reason why climate negotiations have failed is because of the presence of companies that have a conflict of interest. Notably, this year, Coca-Cola, one of the world’s largest polluters, will be one of the sponsors of this year’s COP.

Polluting companies including the fossil fuel industry have had a history of influencing climate negotiations that had often led to a weakening of climate policies or the creation of false solutions like carbon markets which the shell Climate chief acknowledged that he had a role in creating

“ A reason why climate negotiations have failed is because of the presence of companies that have a conflict of interest. ”

Eric Njuguna

What are the roadblocks to advancing climate justice? How do you think this can be fixed?

Eric: The climate crisis is a product of systems like capitalism, neo-colonialism and patriarchy. They are not only the causes but also the systems that impede action in the face of worsening impacts of the climate crisis. We cannot be able to solve the climate crisis if we are not actively working to build community power and dismantle these systems. To tackle the climate crisis, we need to actively work to educate ourselves on these systems and how they manifest themselves in our own daily lives. The moment we are conscious of this and begin questioning then we are a step ahead.

I reckon that - All climate justice work is climate action - but not all climate action is necessarily climate justice. If anything, a lot of what is marketed as ‘’solutions’’ to us is actually causing harm to communities or derailing action. For instance, a lot of climate finance that has been given to global south countries has been in debt form which has left global south countries paying global north countries for a crisis they had the least role in causing.

“ All climate justice work is climate action but not all climate action is necessarily climate justice…”

Eric Njuguna

What should be done to ensure Loss and Damage is adequately addressed at COP27?

Eric : We first need to recognize that global north countries delivering loss and damage finance to global south countries is a prerequisite to achieving justice for communities who are affected by the climate crisis. I reckon that this message has not sailed through, evidently so because you might have seen the resistance the G77+China and the civil society have faced when trying to push for loss and damage to be in the agenda for COP27.

Eric **Njuguna representing Fridays for Future during The North IPC.**

What are potential or existing obstructions to the advancement of climate action in your country?

Eric: Firstly, unstable food systems: Years of neo-liberal policies have led Kenya and the African continent at large to be net importers of food. From policies that have criminalized indigenous seed sharing to policies that have promoted farming crops that are for export this has had a huge impact on food sovereignty and in the face of the climate crisis and other shocks that affect food systems (like the Russian invasion of Ukraine), Africa is left as the victim.

Secondly, lack of finance for adaptation, mitigation and loss and damage. As the droughts continue to ravage the north eastern parts of Kenya and the horn of Africa, communities are in urgent need of financial support. These communities had the least role in causing this crisis, and global north countries need to meet their climate finance commitments - they are nowhere near meeting the 100B USDs per year goal which was supposed to be met in 2020

Finally, What brings you optimism on the road to COP27?

International convenings like COP are powerful because they bring together multiple people who are leading the resistance - from indigenous people to BIPOC people. Whilst, because of systemic issues, we don't have a huge say in what happens at COP, it's an opportunity to strengthen the movement, strategize, etc.

To continue learning about the road to COP27, read our interview with our interview with Elijah McKenzie-Jackson & Jerome Foster II and Melissa Cáceres. Visit movement building to learn about what other changemakers are doing.

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