One Planet Summit: Paul Biya At Frontline Of Global Resolve

The balance sheet of the One Planet Summit in Paris last Tuesday presents positive financial commitments to stem tide of Climate Change.

Curtains descended on the One Planet Summit Tuesday night at the Seine Musicale site but hopes and aspirations of participants appear to linger on the realm of reality. President Paul Biya and the over fifty other Heads of State sat through more than five hours of a plenary session loaded in promise, endeavour and global mobilisation to protect the planet.

The more than four thousand participants representing all nations on the planet sat through a long day to chart new strategies to implement the Paris Agreement and fill the financial vacuum created by the withdrawal of the United States of America.

The presence and active participation of President Paul Biya in this Summit, is in line with his constant and resolute commitment to the protection of the environment and the fight against Climate Change. Considering the fight against Climate Change as an emergency, it is on record that the President is also convinced that the solutions to this phenomenon must be found in a global framework.

From the reception at the Elysee through the boat ride to the Seine musicale site and the more than five hours of the plenary session, President Paul Biya was perfectly in harmony and strongly supported the global resolve to mobilise funding for the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Relevance.

The relevance of Summits on Climate Change for Cameroon and the Central African sub-region can be read through the forest depletion in the Congo basin and the dramatic shrinking of Lake Chad basin. As the most eloquent spokesperson on this subject in the sub-region, President Paul Biya has been loud and clear.

During the mini Summit of Heads of State dedicated to Africa on the occasion of COP 21 in 2015, the President advocated for saving the Congo basin forest through compensation to affected countries. He had also called for the shrinking of Lake Chad to be reversed to protect the environment and suffering populations.

The outcome of the One Planet Summit last Tuesday in Paris therefore was of interest to the climate policy of Cameroon and the Congo basin region in general. It was therefore in line with the pre-occupation of President Paul Biya on Climate Change, justifying his support and intense participation, from beginning to the end of the One Planet Summit.

Commitment

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