An environmentalist says the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change signing ceremony scheduled for Friday in New York is a milestone, especially for developing countries like Zimbabwe.
Barnabas Mawire, who is Environment Africa country director, says the Paris Agreement is very important as it fills in the vacuum that was left by the expiry of the Kyoto Protocol.
“We really look forward to this but we are not saying signing is an end in itself. We would actually call for action to implement some of the clauses of the agreement,” said Mawire.
He said there was also need for those that are not yet on board to join in because they are dealing with a common cause.
Zimbabwe is among the 196 United Nations member countries who signed the Paris Agreement in France in December of 2015.
President Robert Mugabe is already in New York for the ceremony.
Mawire said Zimbabwe will have to sacrifice and make sure that the treaty is followed because it is among nations hard-hit by climate change.
“I think borrowing a leaf from other international treaties, I think our performance has been good especially on the wildlife side.”
The Paris Agreement will see all member-countries working together to limit global temperature rise to below two degrees Celsius.
Mawire said developed countries were the main culprits in polluting the common Universe.
