The November 2011 edition of AEFJN's Forum for Action is now online. It contains articles on the ethical responsibility of the Church on the climate issue, on the clean up of the Ogoniland oil spills, which will take decades, on the spread of Libyan arms in the Sahel, on the production of medicines in Africa and on the EU's attempt to force African countries to sign EPAs.
The national election campaign officially started the 28th October in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), exactly one month ahead of historic presidential and legislative elections, scheduled for November 28 2011. 41 humanitarian and human rights organizations, among them AEFJN, have expressed concern about the high political tension and deteriorating security situation. They have called upon all Congolese and international actors involved to take urgent measures to prevent electoral violence, better protect civilians and ensure credible, free and fair elections.The agricultural sector finally received particular attention in the climate change negotiations in the run up to Copenhagen and at the COP itself for two primary reasons: first, agricultural production is a large contributor of greenhouse gas, responsible for at least 14 percent of global emissions; second, the sector will be highly affected by the increased temperatures, droughts, floods, doubts and unpredictable rainfall associated with global warming.
The negotiating group on sectoral approaches has developed a text that focuses solely on the agricultural sector. Going into Copenhagen, this text was heavily bracketed, meaning there was little consensus. It remains so today. However, the text has evolved in the Copenhagen negotiations, and now emphasizes the relationship between climate change and food security.
The text also recognizes the importance of traditional knowledge and calls for a special work programme on this issue. Many scientists and experts remain puzzled at the immensely unequal attention that forestry and agriculture have received in the UNFCCC context, dealing both as they do, with similar issues related to land use, carbon sequestration functions and emissions.