Don’t Gas Africa! #COP28
Activists launched the “Don’t Gas Africa Campaign” at COP28 in Dubai, urging an end to gas production and rejecting it as a transition fuel. With over sixty thousand African signatures in under six months, the campaign emphasizes the urgency of addressing climate change. Despite support from international NGOs, activists express disappointment with COP28 leaders, citing the president’s unclear stance on fossil fuel phase-out. News Five spoke to Dean Bhebhe, one of the leaders of the campaign.
Dean Bhebhe
Dean Bhebhe, Don’t Gas Africa Campaign
“Already we have a petition of over sixty thousand Africans calling for an end for gas production, calling for an end for gas to be viewed as a transition fuel. That is sixty thousand Africans in under six months. We received massive collaboration and solidarity from even international NGOs who are not in Africa. But unfortunately here at COP28 the leaders have disappointed us. The COP28 president has clearly stated that the climate science is not clear for a fossil fuel phase out but we are requiring to do a fossil fuel phase immediately. The climate science is clear. We have seen the floods. We’ve seen the droughts. It is all clear. What is the worse is that it is already being operationalized. It is evidence that is tangible and that the climate emergency is hear and we need the commitment but unfortunately it has not been met yet.”
Hipolito Novelo
“The COP28 president said his statements, his comments were misinterpreted. That he basically didn’t mean what he said. What do you think about that?”
Dean Bhebhe
“The COP28 president is an oil giant. He is intellectual. He is smart. He is at the world’s biggest stage. Are you telling me that the climate emergency and the stuff that he provided that he provided was a mistake? Then that means that he is not worthy to take the lead because we need people who are action oriented, who want to make the right decisions, who are tasked to bring the conference of parties not the contest of polluters. And you cannot use a mistake as an example as why we should forgive you”
