TIME is running out for the Namibian Government to make a decision on whether to sign or snub the  Copenhagen Agreement on climate change set for end of this month.

The Copenhagen Agreement deadline was set for countries to commit to fighting the effects of climate change.
This was said by Prime Minister Nahas Angula while addressing industrialists at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday at a local hotel.
“We went to the conference with an ambitious plan to convince the world to come up with a strategy to fight global warming but we came back empty handed as the group of rich nations failed to agree with African demands,” said Angula.
The Namibian premier said government is stuck between a rock and hard place as they  are faced with a tough decision on whether to abide by the resolutions proposed by the richer nations at the previous Copenhagen Conference or snub them.
He added that Namibia does not have much choice but to abide by the resolution although it is not a binding agreement as far as developing countries are concerned.
“We do not have much of a choice at the moment because there is too much pressure from the developed nations,” said Prime  minister Angula.
According to the PM, Cabinet is still deciding on whether to abide by the Copenhagen Agreement which states that countries should come up with mitigatory measures such as food security, disaster management along with adaptation plans to fight the effects of global warming.
He said the decision taken by different countries who attended the conference could divide the developing group of 77 countries excluding China and that it is unfortunate the deadline for all countries to abide or snub the Copenhagen Agreement comes a few days  before the African Union meeting which started this week.
He said African countries were banking on the leaders to come up with a resolution on the  way forward concerning the Copenhagen but unfortunately the deadline comes days before the  AU conference.
However, the PM said the Government has laid down a plan to fight the effects of global warming through encouraging the use of renewable energy.
Angula gained popularity at the Copenhagen conference for his “polluters must pay speech” which emphasised that developed nations were the main drivers of global warming and they should be responsible for funding the fight against climate change.
He added that it is difficult for the Government to adopt other forms of energy because they affected the ordinary person.
The PM said Government has, however, laid a back up plan for the country through the establishment of a commission to oversee the protection of the country’s climate by engaging stakeholders and coming up with strategies.
The commission will be working under the supervision of the of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment.
He called on interested industrialist to work with the government through the Ministry of Tourism and Environment in averting the effects  of climate change in the country. -
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