Nakeeyat Dramani Sam speaks at the plenary session of the 27th Conference of Parties. © 2022 Aiyana Caballero, Climate Vulnerable Forum.
“Many of us see dark clouds gathering on the horizon of Mother Earth”.
These were the visceral opening words of Nakeeyat Dramani Sam, a 10 year old Ghanian poet and climate activist, as she gave her speech at the plenary session of COP27 in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt.
Nakeeyat continued by telling those in the room of a recent flood caused by heavy rains experienced in her hometown Accra. The rains burst a dam on the River Densu, leading to streets, homes and belongings submerged in water. “Thousands fled their houses. It was very scary for us,” Nakeeyat shared.
Nakeeyat Dramani Sam is the youth ambassador for the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), an international partnership of countries spanning 58 countries and representing 1.4 billion people highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. At an international summit like the COP, the CFV articulates shared priorities, putting on the table the most urgent issues while pressing for accountability from high-emitting countries on their promises from past climate agreements.
At COP27, the CVF presented a new report that shows that the CVF countries emit just 5% of global emissions, making them fully compliant with the Paris Agreement that outlines commitments to keep the rise of global temperatures under 1.5 degrees. While the G7, just 7 countries compared to the 58 countries in the CVF, are responsible for 25% of current emissions and have already fully exhausted their carbon budgets.
In her own words, Nakeeyat reminds those at COP of this differentiated responsibility:
“Please be so kind to hear these requests we are making of you:
One: Decide here to do more of your fair share for 1.5 – as rich, powerful and polluting nations. Please do not come back next year, to yet another COP, empty handed.
Two: Decide now, again, if you are rich or powerful, to provide funds to help the ones who suffer most the costs of climate disaster not caused by us. Please do not leave our communities exposed, hurt and out of pocket while holding more and more of these COPs.”
Nakeeyat’s appeal to the generation of negotiators is clear and simple: in order for us to reach our goals, in order for promises to be kept, in order for the next generations to have a home, “When is now, if not today?”
Learn more about When Is Now, Agam Agenda’s global creative campaign for climate action.
