This is the last and the third part in a trifecta of feature articles covering Nyombi Morris. You can read 

 before you start reading this. Or if you're someone who doesn't go by the rules you can read this first and then proceed with the others. Either way, it will be worth your while. 

This renewable energy debate gives me a chance to ask you about 

 In the meeting held last year, we saw that 

India and China blocked the resolution for the phasing out of coal?

 What future do you see for renewable energy in this backdrop? 

 So first off, we should agree that fossil has done more harm than good. The moment we accept this we must also realize that renewables have the potential of replacing everything. We are trying, but there are still a lot of projects that need to be financed. For example, Uganda has some projects for renewable energy but they are lacking funds. In COP 26 they said that fossil fuel is an intruder, that must be faced out if we have to keep Paris alive. But these are only words because when only after a month of organising the COP 26 did the 

UK government approve an oil and gas project called Abigail.

 Imagine just one month after assuring, that yes we must phase out fossil fuels! 

The Abigail project will be situated on the North Sea

This means that leaders are acknowledging that renewables are required, but they are interested in earning more money. How many times are we going to continue the exploration when we are polluting the land? Or causing soil erosion? 

This will destroy farming practices. It will also hike up the prices of pesticides and renewables and the profits will go down. Why? Because you have already destroyed their land! In the coming years, renewables will be more expensive! Because leaders are using this trick to pollute everywhere and we will be forced to go back and buy from them. In the end, they have money, they will invest in renewables and sell to the people for a profit. It is a vicious cycle! We as ordinary men will have no option but to buy. 

Q) Expanding upon your point of Uganda lacking funds, leads me to my next question. We have seen the $100 billion figure being thrown around a lot. The amount that is allegedly required to fight climate change. Do you think that this is sufficient? 

 This figure put forth in COP 15 in 2009 has been expanding every year. Many projects need that money. If in 2009 50 countries needed that money, the number now has increased to 200, because the global south continues to expand. 

If we are talking about money then the funds from UNFCCC to the African continent to mitigate the climate crisis are insufficient. Scaling up finance should be a must! If you take COP 26 which happened last year, just 2 months after the world had suffered floods, wildfires, and tropical cyclones in developed and developing countries alike, the demand for funds for Africa was not met! Developed countries can recover but what about us? We have been demanding money since the Obama regime.  We are standing on the money that you have promised us. Companies from Global North are using our leaders to exploit us, and when we demand finance, we get nothing. 

How many times do we have to tell you to listen to science? Year after year there is a report but leaders just turn a blind eye! They do not feel the pain of those who are suffering. How are going to recover from our wounds without support? 

And this is only financial. What about here (points to his head)? What about the trauma? When we lost our farm my mom and dad were traumatized. It could be one of the reasons why my dad abandoned us. This crisis also means that girls are treated badly as well. Loss of livelihood means that girls are sent off to marriage at a young age. We have lost so many women leaders because of this. I might be 23, and I am still called youth but a girl at 23 is called a woman or a lady. 

Q) Wow, I must say that is a connection that is often overlooked. We see the extreme weather events happening around us but we do not see these societal changes that happen as well. The families that are disrupted or abandoned. It is heartbreaking. 

Q) We have spoken about the $100 billion figure, but there is also another figure that we see in the news a lot. The efforts to limit warming to 

within 1.5 degrees Celsius of pre-industrial levels.

A) It is going to be so hard, even the solutions we are putting in place are not supported. I remember they said, we are reducing our carbon footprint but I have never seen the efforts take place. They also said they would use the carbon credits to invest in projects for young people but they lied! The investments are lacking. 

Keeping the promise of 1.5 degrees alive is an uphill task

We will never be able to limit it to 1.5 degrees unless we take serious action. Investing in renewable energy is one of the solutions, like solar for example. African continent receives a lot of sunlight so it is possible but the support is lacking. We only see words in conferences and not enough action, it goes beyond that. For me, I am sure currently we will not even reach a quarter to our goal. We must invest in reforestation. 

Another excellent example is seaweed farming. It is a great absorber of carbon from the atmosphere but the seaweed farmers are not receiving enough support. 

Q) We have spoken about COP 26 that happened last year. We have COP 27 coming up now to be held in Egypt. What do you think we should expect from that conference? 

 First, don’t expect a lot. Don’t. Unless they give chance to new policymakers and new ideas. The current leaders are just edging. We have to change our policymakers. If that is done, we are going to come out with new results, compared to COP 26th. Give young people a chance, especially African voices. Let us stop giving a platform to activists who can just give a good speech. It is beyond that. That is why people like me cannot make it to the decision making tables. We will not give you a speech that you want to listen to, No! We are direct to the point and outspoken!

I would also like to see, Climate Finance! That is our main aim as activists. Scaling up climate finance should be prioritised. Also, the $100 billion should be approved as well. I would also say add up the money because we have waited a lot. That was in 2009, it is now 2022. We have been so patient.

COP 26 was billed as the most exclusionary conference of all time

Q) I sincerely hope something good comes out of COP 27. I have my doubts about it but the optimist inside me wants to hope that something good happens. 

We do not have much time left, unfortunately, so I would proceed with my last question. World Environment Day is tomorrow, what message do you have for people around the world? 

 I will tell them, that whatever is happening, it might be scary but it is not the end of this world. We are not ending tomorrow. It may flood, it may rain but in the end, the sun will shine. So always when something happens, talk about it and believe something good is going to happen. It might not happen to you or your community but someone somewhere is doing something. So, be hopeful and never give up on speaking up. Your voice matters. Use your story, and if you are not a victim of climate change and if you don’t have a story, do it in your style. Because that style might change the world. You never know the impact of your style and how many people might be motivated. 

It was with a heavy heart that I bid farewell to Nyombi. We spoke for about an hour and I wanted more. His strength to stand up to power and correct the wrongs in his life so that the children of today do not suffer the same fate blew me away.  

Today, we are the most politically aware and conscious and digitally connected generation humankind has ever seen. I can safely say that if we have people like Nyombi leading us, we can be sure that we can make that count. 

Nyombi Morris; Uganda's beacon of hope - Part III

0 Comments