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Africa Moyo in SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt

ATTEMPTS by wealthy countries to stampede developing nations into signing the Global Methane Pledge have been fiercely resisted by developing countries amid fears it might mean cutting down on coal mining.

Coal is a critical source of electricity for many developing countries, including Zimbabwe, but the global methane pledge demands that all coal users cut their methane emissions by 50 percent.

It is understood the United States, together with other developed countries, had wanted to ambush developing countries to sign the pledge.

In a wide-ranging interview yesterday at the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP27, in Egypt, the director for Climate Change Management Department in the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Mr Washington Zhakata, confirmed that a plan had been hatched to make developing countries sign the methane pledge.

“We had a situation whereby we are discussing issues to do with some cuts on emissions like methane, which the governments had been approached with the push of the United States and the EU, to say ‘let’s have a Global Methane Pledge for all countries through a declaration that we are supposed to append our signatures on,” said Mr Zhakata.

“The Global Methane Pledge really is another back door attempt that the developed countries would want (to use) to corner developing countries who are heavily dependent on coal use, because most of our methane is derived from mining coal.

“It means automatically, we have to cut our emissions by 50 percent from our coal production; a situation that we are saying no to. So, we are not moving in that direction.”

Developed countries have been pushing developing countries to abandon the use of coal, so as to save the environment.

At COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, last year, an agreement had been struck that all countries should stop using coal.

However, developing countries said they would agree to phasing down the use of coal instead of a total ban, to allow them to invest in renewable energy, with support of funds from wealthy nations.

It was, therefore, expected that discussions around the phasing down of coal use would take centre stage at COP27, but the move by a number of European Union countries to dust up their coal mines and start mining to starve off a power deficit following challenges with getting gas from Russia, have thrown the coal talks into disarray.

Mr Zhakata said COP27 was supposed to be “an implementation COP”, which would grind out impactful results for developing nations including Zimbabwe, but all that has changed.

“We came here in the hope that we would conclude issues such as the creation of a mechanism that would address the losses and damages fund that we are subjected to right now as Zimbabwe,” said Mr Zhakata.

“You recall we have had cyclones Idai and Dineo, which have caused extensive flooding and destruction of property, loss of lives and loss of livestock in Chimanimani, Chipinge as well as Tsholotsho and the Hwange areas.

“All these are supposed to be paid for in one way or the other, by the developed countries through a mechanism that was initiated some five years ago, and to be concluded at this COP.”

Encouragingly for the Africa Group of Negotiators, discussions around Loss and Damage Funding were adopted as an official agenda item at the start of COP27.

“But from the negotiations at the moment, nothing much has progressed from COP26 from the establishment of these funds, the architecture of this Loss and Damage Fund and also the architecture of the modalities, procedures for implementation of this issue.

“So, we are really struggling to discuss with the developed countries, which promised to double the funds for adaptation at COP26 that we should have seen the results during the course of the year 2022.

“However, nothing much has come onto the table,” said Mr Zhakata.

Developed countries had also pledged to avail US$100 billion to developing countries for climate change adaptation and mitigation, but nothing has come up.

In his address last Friday here, US President Joe Biden promised US$150 million for adaptation and mitigation.

At COP26, the US also pledged US$50 million for climate adaptation, but nothing has been delivered up to now, raising fears that whatever other promises made may not be fulfilled.

In the meantime, the effects of climate change caused mainly by developed countries are being felt in developing countries, with Nigeria, Sudan, Pakistan and in Southern Africa.

Zimbabwe has obligations under the UN to reduce its emissions, the greenhouse gases under the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by 40 percent per capita by 2030.

The obligations will be met partly if funds are released by developed countries.

With 2030 approaching and no funds released, Zimbabwe may not meet its obligations.

There is hope that the meetings of ministers this week will result in a movement in the provision of funds by the developed countries.

Said Mr Zhakata: “Issues of financing have been a major hurdle, there’s no one who is ready to put finances into the financial mechanisms. The US$100 billion which was supposed to be in the Green Climate Funds and under funds around 2022, nothing up to today is there.

“We are still struggling to discuss with our partners from developed countries on how this could be accelerated. These funds were pledged by the developed countries in good faith but right now, we don’t see that good faith.”