EJN took part in the Pan-African Climate Change and Poverty Hearing in October 2009. Hosted by Environmental Monitoring Group (EMG) and Oxfam International, the event was part of the build-up to the United Nations Climate Change negotiations in December this year. The aim of the hearing was to highlight the impact climate change is having on people in Africa. Over 250 people attended – among them, activists, professionals, government representatives and ordinary members of society.

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu led a panel of distinguished guests and experts (including swimmer, explorer and climate campaigner Lewis Pugh, climate scientist Dr Gina Ziervogel, and social justice activist Makoma Lekalakala) as they listened and commented on testimonies of Climate Change witnesses from across Africa. The countries included Kenya, Mali, Malawi, South Africa and Uganda. 

In his opening speech, Archbishop Tutu said, “Climate change is important especially because it least affects those most responsible for it.” He told the audience that “South Africa is the hugest green-house emitter on the continent.” In addition, he stated that “2.5 billion people in developing countries still rely on bio-mass fuels”, and elaborated that this was concerning, especially if we want to curb the problems of climate change. 

Archbishop Tutu called for “visionary leadership in Africa” that will acknowledge and act accountably around issues of climate change. He emphasized that “it’s a moral issue”, adding, “You’re either on the side of the perpetrator, or the side of the victim.” 

Fanta Diarra, a cotton farmer from Mali, described the increasing incidence of floods and droughts, and said these were making cotton farming impossible. At one point her government gave farmers rice seeds to plant instead of cotton, but they had no knowledge of rice farming. She said that African farmers did not want to be beggars, but "... if you want to help someone and you give them something they cannot use, it is like throwing a handful of sand into the river."

Constance Okollet, a farmer from Uganda, spoke of the devastating impacts of floods and droughts on her community. At first she thought it was punishment from God, but later learned that climate change is manmade. Referring to carbon-emitting industrialized countries, Constance said, “They are living on our lives. We are dying for them.”

On the second day (6 October) the Poverty Hearing focused on Food Security and Water. The Food Security Hearing was chaired by Rev. Malcolm Damon, the Executive Director of EJN, while the Water Hearing was chaired by Jessica Wilson, from EMG.

The testimonies were informative. Ernest Titus, a seasoned fisherman from Lamberts Bay (a small rural village on the west coast), said that he has witnessed a change in sea temperatures and a greater incidence of strong currents. He explained that these two effects result in fishermen catching less. This has financial implications for his family, as they survive on fish sales.

Sarah Niemand, who was also born into a fishing family, in Buffeljas (a village near Cape Agulhas), was emotional when she gave her testimony and spoke of the loss of brother due to the raging storms that have become more frequent in recent years. She asked, “Why are the sea temperatures higher and certain fish species moving south? … What has caused the sea levels to rise, and why are rain cycles unpredictable and more violent?”

Niemand suggested that there is a need for “policies that promote a sustainable marine system.” She urged government to act more strongly, and stated that it should also consult with people on the ground for indigenous knowledge when formulating policies.

During the Water Hearing, Barbara Nompumelelo Tapela, a Senior Researcher at African Centre for Water Research (ACWR), highlighted the importance of water. She explained that protests to do with water are linked to social issues, and emphasized the need for large infrastructure development to cope with water scarcity and climate change. She cited the building of dams and other related projects as a positive step towards increasing food security, but added that the reality is that water is now seen as an economic good. Tapela explained that it (water) has been driven by corporates as a profit area, and said, “We need water for livelihoods, not profits.”

The Pan-African Hearings were among similar events around the world that sought to provide a platform for "ordinary" people to speak about the impacts of climate change on their lives. EMG's Director Stephen Law said it was important to remember that "the people whose lives and livelihoods are most at risk from changes in the climate are also often the people who provide our food and protect our rivers and catchment areas – and do so with very little recognition, and very little environmental impact themselves."

Echoing the call for December's climate change conference in Copenhagen to agree to far-reaching emissions cuts, increased finance to the South and a larger and more accessible adaptation fund, Archbishop Desmond Tutu encouraged everyone to speak out:

 “Each one of us has a voice – make it heard.”