Human Rights

Why is biofuel production an issue in Ghana/African?

Biofuel is an issue because developed countries are embarking on major policy shifts towards the use of biofuel as an alternative source of energy (for heating and transportation). It is thought of as a means to combating climate change resulting from the heavy dependence on fossil fuels.

This policy change has serious implications for developing countries as there is rush for investments and land with serious consequences for livelihoods, food security, the environment and human rights. As a result, small-scale farmers, the poor and vulnerable are battling with food insecurity or hunger, and are often the most hit by the effects of developed countries’ quest for alternative source of energy. In taking sides with these groups, it is not only appropriate and timely, but also our responsibility to make our opinions and demands known on the issue of biofuel production, to ensure people do not unduly suffer from this phenomenon.

This policy brief, covering the implications of biofuel production on food security, livelihoods and rural development, the environment, climate change, energy security and human rights, seeks to present the situation, effects and the position of civil society organizations. It also offers some indications on what policy measures to take, to ensure that the rights of small-scale farmers, the poor and vulnerable groups are respected, protected and fulfilled.

2.0 Bio-fuel production and Food security

2.1 Millions Go Hungry

The world has about a billion people in the developing countries that are chronically hungry. It is estimated that an additional 140 million people, of whom Africa and South Asia will account for over two-thirds, will be at risk of hunger, if biofuels production targets set by powerful economies are to be met in 2030. Biofuel projects are displacing farmers from their productive farm lands for Jatropha and other agrofuel plantation. Consequently this will affect food availability and accessibility among poor small-scale farm families and households. The competition for land for biofuels production by the rich and powerful companies, will lead to low food productivity and food insecurity, among small-scale farmers and the poor.

2.2 Competition between food and fuel

Crops that have become ready candidates worldwide for the development of biofuels include agricultural crops such as corn, soya beans, sugar cane, sorghum, cassava, rapeseed, palm oil, coconut oil, sunflower and Jatropha. Significant proportions of these crops, which otherwise would have been used for food are diverted into ethanol and biodiesel production. Biofuels production has significant implications for countries pursuing extensive production and use of biofuels. Analysis by UN agricultural scientists has indicated that the diversion of crops to fuel can raise food prices and reduce our ability to alleviate hunger.

3.0 Livelihoods and Rural Development

More than 70 percent of the world poor are found in rural areas of developing countries and most of them depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. This sector needs to be given the highest development priority, nationally and internationally. Meanwhile it has been estimated that with the current biofuel targets, crop and agriculture value addition will be increased by just 6 percent in the developed and 3 percent in the developing countries in 2030

Although biofuels production may help in improving livelihoods and rural development, especially when it is undertaken by the local people and meant to address local / community energy needs, destruction of the environment on which rural people depend for their livelihoods, can hamper rural development. Large-scale foreign dominated plantation for biofuel production involving the destruction of local environment will affect the livelihoods and development of the rural communities. Any biofuel production model, which is not supportive of community energy development model that caters for the developmental needs of community members, is an affront to rural dwellers’ right to livelihoods and development.

4.0 Environment: Deforestation and Biodiversity

Most small-scale farmers, the poor and vulnerable in our country, especially in the rural areas depend on the environment for their livelihoods. Naturally, environmental degradation impacts on availability of food. Large-scale plantation cultivation of biofuel crops also entails the increased use of agro-chemicals. These will have serious negative impacts on plant and animal life as well as the quality of water bodies close to the facility. Although biofuel is espoused as ensuring clean environment (as opposed to fossil fuels), the destruction of biodiversity through massive deforestation for large-scale plantations for biofuel is counter-productive.

Since environmental destruction for biofuel production will perpetuate poverty and hunger among affected communities, policy makers are expected to ensure strict enforcement of environmental impact assessment that encompasses the interest of affected communities. More importantly, incentive schemes aimed at avoiding deforestation need to be negotiated in the context of post-Kyoto agreements on combating climate change, when establishing biofuel projects.

5.0 Climate and Energy Security

It is often indicated that biofuel production can have positive impacts such as being considered to be a sustainable and cheap fuel alternative. It reduces carbon dioxide emissions and world dependence on finite oil supplies, and its use, therefore, would solve the energy and climate crisis. Despite these positive aspects of biofuel production, it is feared that the positive impacts and opportunities biofuel production may present, are an unwarranted optimism, since the threats land acquisitions present to people’s livelihoods and ecological sustainability are real. For instance, the estimated global greenhouse gas emissions in 2006 amounted to 45 Gt in carbon dioxide equivalent, of which some 62 percent is energy related. Meanwhile the current biofuels development will not result in greenhouse gas savings until after 2030. Indeed, it must be noted that liquid biofuels are only one among many sources of renewable energy and their efficiency and societal value needs to be assessed vis-à-vis other current and future energy options in the context of comprehensive national and global energy strategies.

6. Human Rights

The enjoyment of fundamental human rights and freedoms could be undermined by biofuel production. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, while calling for a 5-year moratorium on biofuel, has described policies of the US and EU for producing biofuels as “crime against humanity”, since by their policies they are contributing to an explosive global food crisis through using food crops to produce fuel.

Large-scale biofuel companies are forcefully ejecting small-scale farmers, denying them of their rights to settlement, livelihoods, social and cultural development and especially their right to food. No doubt that corporatization of land for biofuel production is a threat to Human Rights. Duty bearers should bear in mind that, biofuel must not undermine the Right to Food. Since all human rights are universal, interdependent and indivisible, companies embarking on biofuel production must not violate the rights of small-scale farmers, the poor and vulnerable in the communities that they operate

♫ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-Rx2ALxQQE

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"when the voice of the people become so loud the government has no alternative but to listen" Martin Luther King Jnr.

John F. Kennedy once observed that “our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man.”

Kenneth Nana Amoateng
AYICC West African Coordinator
Abibimman Foundation
Ghana National Youth Coalition on Climate Change (GNYCCC)
Energy crossroads-Ghana
GCAP/MDGs-Ghana
Torch-Ghana
IDAY-GHANA
P.O.BOX BT 1 Tema
Flat 1/A 74 Site 3
(OPP T.DC),Commmunit 1
Tema-Ghana/African
E-Mail: amoatengken@yahoo.com
Tel# 233-22-213918
Mob# 2332-244023651
skype:kenneth.nana.amoateng
I'm on assignment to my generation.

World Bank Talk Hypocritica

The World Bank at its best.
Earlier this week – the World Bank is investing heavily in coal, despite recently warning that climate change will cripple development efforts. Talk about hypocritical!
The bank has spent $5 billion over the past three years on fossil fuel projects.
The World Bank’s chief economist for sustainable development, Marianne Fay, defends this investment given that coal remains on of the cheapest and most stable energy sources available for the 1.6 billion people who currently lack electricity.
Straight from the horses mouth:
“There are a lot of poor countries which have coal reserves and for them it’s the only option. The [bank’s] policy is to continue funding coal to the extent that there is no alternative and to push for the most efficient coal plants possible. Frankly, it would be immoral at this stage to say, ‘We want to have clean hands, therefore we are not going to touch coal’.”
Sorry Marianne, “sustainable development” and coal simply don’t mix. I agree that we need to lift people out of poverty, but coal is not the way to do it.


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"when the voice of the people become so loud the government has no alternative but to listen" Martin Luther King Jnr.

John F. Kennedy once observed that “our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man.”

Today is a great day for ambition in these climate talks

Today is a great day for ambition in these climate talks. One of the most northern countries of the World, Norway, has announced that they will reduce their emissions by 40% by 2020 on 1990 levels. At this date, it’s the biggest commitment announced by an Annex 1 country. And the first that comes anywhere close to what the science demands Compared to the targets (or lack of) from countries such as USA or Canada, this target is very significant.

This is why we have to encourage this country and to spread the word about this! Norway has show that we can be ambitious in these negotiations. They have decided to break ice today, to avoid their glaciers melting and to avoid seeing more and more devestating climate consequences around the world.

Thanks to us, the tracker team, you can live and look at this exceptional time as if you were there with. Send this link round, speak about that with the politicians you know and encourage your country to follow Norway’s lead and be more ambitious.

The fight against climate change needs courage and ambition.
John F. Kennedy once observed that “our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man.”

What is Redd?

What is Redd?
It's a way of paying poor countries to protect their forests. Global deforestation accounts for nearly 20% of all CO2 emissions and all previous attempts to curb it have failed. Redd — "Reducing emission from deforestation and forest degradation " would allow countries that can reduce emissions from deforestation to be paid for doing so.
Where did the idea come from?
Papua New Guinea along with nine other countries proposed it in 2005 at a UN climate meeting. It has gained ground and is now likely to be one of the cornerstones of any agreement at the Copenhagen climate conference in December. It would not start until 2013, and could eventually channel tens of billions of dollars a year from rich to poor countries.
How would it work?
Countries would have to show, from historical data, satellite imagery and through direct measurement of trees, the extent, condition and the carbon content of their forests. Verification, reporting and monitoring would be done by communities which depend on the forests or by independent organisations.
Who pays?
There are several proposals. Countries could either be paid by "voluntary funding" — rather like existing official aid given by one country to another, or cash could be linked to carbon markets One plan is for an international auction of emissions allowances and another proposes to issue Redd credits which would be tradable alongside existing certified emissions reductions (CERs). Companies and governments unable to meet their obligations to reduce emissions would then buy them at the international market price. Payment for performance.
What are the problems?
How do you measure the carbon in a forest? There is no accurate data on most of the world's forested areas and so far no one agreed way to accurately measure the carbon content of vast numbers of different species of trees in different kinds of forests. Most forested countries also do not have the money to measure and assess their forests.
What about people in the forests?
Tens of millions of people live in and many more depend on the world's forests for a living. Most are traditionally marginalised or ignored by central governments. But their lifestyles could be drastically affected if governments or carbon companies move in, valuing the forests more highly than them. There are fears of land grabs and forced evictions.
Who owns the carbon?
Land ownership is highly disputed in most forested countries. Governments would have to pass new laws to refine who owns the carbon credits. Land in some countries is owned by the communities but trees may belong to the state. Does tree ownership confer carbon rights? How do you make sure that communities who protect the forests are rewarded, rather than say logging or mining companies who often have the legal rights on trees?
What about corruption?
by corrupt politicians or illegal logging companies. Many heavily forested countries are some of the most corrupt in the world and are home to some notorious logging companies close to politicians. Policing forests is nearly impossible, and money is likely to be diverted by people in power. The likelihood of international money getting to the people who depend on the forests is unlikely. Governments can overstate the case that their forests are in danger.
What if the carbon market fails?
The market price of carbon could collapse if too many Redd credits flooded onto the market. With no financial incentive to protect the trees, people would revert to logging.

Climate change will affect the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals

Climate change will affect the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals

Climate change will affect the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs) since it will increase poverty, affect education, women and children, and plunge the whole world into a disaster.
The impacts of climate change were indiscriminate and affected anybody over 300,000 deaths are recorded annually due to climate change while over 300 million people are affected severely by climate change annually
Millions of people especially in Africa are already suffering from the effects of climate change, examples of people migrating from the drought and flood hit areas in some part of the Northern region recently.

We MUST put in place mitigation measures to reduce the effect of climate change on our people

"when the voice of the people become so loud the government has no alternative but to listen" Martin Luther King Jnr.

Kenneth Nana Amoateng
Abibimman Foundation
Ghana National Youth Coalition on Climate Change (GNYCCC)
GCAP/MDGs-Ghana
P.O.BOX BT 1 Tema
Flat 1/A 74 Site 3
(OPP T.DC),Commmunit 1
Tema-Ghana/African
E-Mail: abibimmanfoundation@gmail.com,amoatengken@yahoo.com
Tel# 233-22-213918
Mob# 2332-244023651

I'm on assignment to my generation.

Ghana has lost 45 per cent of forest cover

Ghana has lost 45 per cent of forest cover

Ghana has already lost about 45 per cent of her forest cover, and suggested an efficient regulation of the activities of chain saw operators in the country.

Currently about 36 billion tons of carbon dioxide is produced annually out of which about 17 billion tons is released into the atmosphere.Africa will reduce its carbon dioxide emission since the continent contributed very little to carbon dioxide emission globally.

Low public awareness about the subject and the effects of forest cover and climate change. emphasizing the need for people to know about the happenings , to facilitate attitudinal change among the wider public.

"when the voice of the people become so loud the government has no alternative but to listen" Martin Luther King Jnr.

Kenneth Nana Amoateng
Abibimman Foundation
Ghana National Youth Coalition on Climate Change (GNYCCC)
GCAP/MDGs-Ghana
P.O.BOX BT 1 Tema
Flat 1/A 74 Site 3
(OPP T.DC),Commmunit 1
Tema-Ghana/African
E-Mail: abibimmanfoundation@gmail.com,amoatengken@yahoo.com
Tel# 233-22-213918
Mob# 2332-244023651

Achieving the clamate change adaptation requires Political and National Leadership

Achieving the clamate change adaptation requires Political and National Leadership
Achieving the clamate change adaptation requires consistent political will from government and other state actors. It is government’s primary responsibility to put in place mitigation measures to stem the raging effects of climatic changes.
Ghana has not done so much on climate change and the imapct is beein felt currently. The rainfall patterns have currently reduced by 20 per cent. Been a developing country, it is imperative for government and other stakeholders to act now to reverse the trend.
Government as a matter of urgency should begin mass awareness creation by engaging citizens and other relevant stakeholders to mitigate its impact. Ghana also need to develop an adaptation measure to safeguard her citizens especially the poor.
“By 2020, between 75 million and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to increased water stress due to climate change. If coupled with increased demand, this will adversely affect livelihoods and exacerbate water-related problems.”
“Agricultural production, including access to food, in many African countries and regions is
projected to be severely compromised by climate variability and change. The area suitable for agriculture, the length of growing seasons and yield potential, particularly along the margins of semi-arid and arid areas, are expected to decrease. This would further adversely affect food security and exacerbate malnutrition in the continent. In some countries, yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50% by 2020.”“Local food supplies are projected to be negatively affected by decreasing fisheries resources in large lakes due to rising water temperatures, which may be exacerbated by continued over-fishing.”
“Towards the end of the 21st century, projected sea-level rise will affect low-lying coastal
areas with large populations. The cost of adaptation could amount to at least 5-10% of
Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Mangroves and coral reefs are projected to be further
degraded, with additional consequences for fisheries and tourism.”

We the Youth must investment in clamate change adaptation


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"when the voice of the people become so loud the government has no alternative but to listen" Martin Luther King Jnr.