How do you become a climate activist? What’s wrong with Eacop, TotalEnergies’ mega pipeline project, in Uganda and Tanzania? Why is the alliance of the countries of the North and the South essential to fight against climate change?
Aged 26, the Ugandan activist, Vanessa Nakate, has chosen to dedicate her life to the fight to save the planet. Passing through Paris, on the occasion of the Summit for a new global financial pact, which starts this Thursday, the objective of which is to increase financial solidarity between the countries of the North and those of the South in the fight against climate change. , “20 Minutes” met her.
“What they call black gold has mostly destroyed lives and increased misery”
With Greta Thunberg and Helena Gualinga, a 21-year-old activist from the Sarayaku community in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Vanessa Nakate, by agreeing to participate in this new Summit, came to recall the need to build a fair alliance between the countries of the North and those in the South. The latter are, in fact, the main victims of climate change even though they have contributed much less to it, as the Ugandan activist points out: “the African continent is responsible for less than 4% of global emissions, and yet it is one of the places where the effects of climate change are most visible and violent. This is what is most frustrating, and what generates the most sadness: to see that those who suffer the most from these effects are those who are least responsible for them. »
For Vanessa Nakate, turning your back on industries that exploit fossil fuels is not only necessary to fight against climate change. It is also an issue of social justice: “Companies that exploit fossil fuels have always promised to lift people out of poverty. Except that never happened. What they call “black gold”, has mostly destroyed lives and increased misery. You should know that in sub-Saharan Africa, about 600 million people still do not have access to electricity! The fossil fuel industry has therefore been unable to improve the living conditions of millions of people. This is why we must initiate a massive transition towards renewable energies, in particular in the countries of the South. »
To see the full interview that Vanessa Nakate has agreed to deliver to “20 Minutes” facing the camera, go to the top of this article!