African  Women under the aegis of African Women Uniting for Energy Food And Climate  Change have said that the current trend  on climate  change, if not checked may lead to the premature death of over 180 million Africans in the contiment by 2100.
This was  contained  in a publication titled;  “African  Women Unite Against Destructive  Resources Extraction” a copy made available to The Tide  in Port Harcourt.
The report blamed climate change for the rising sea level, increasing rate of  erosion,  drought and water  scarcity across the continent.
It described women as the greatest causalities of climate change, as rising sea level  is having negative impacts on the forest lakes, seas and agricultural land.
“Rising  sea level, all of  which have negative impacts on the forests, lakes seas and land that women depend upon for their productive  activities and residential life.
“And it is women, because of the patriarchal -capitalist division of labour and our greater responsibility for agricultural production and other domestic activities,” the women said.
The report  also blamed the increasing trend in climate change on the failures of the convention   on climate change conference of the parties (cop) to deliver binding  agreements  for  emission reduction.
“The failure is mainly due to the rich  countries that carry historical liability for a looming climate change catastrophe.
The women also called for a reduction in the exploration and exploitation of fossil fuel, stressing that this is not only contributing to the pollution of the environment but has led to the militarization of communities and societies in the country.
“Our governments and economic elite work hand  in hand  with transnational capital to exploit our planetary wealth for profit.
“This also leads to the   militarization of our communities and societies  as the politicians deploy the police and military against those resisting the theft of  our   land and the destruction of our eco-systems and livelihood”.
It said that women across Africa are reporting more of sexual harassment, bodily strip and searches and rape by security men of the state  as well private security  firms of multi-national corporations  “poor  communities and women carry the negative impacts of energy production, yet we do not  enjoy its benefit.
“Transmission lines carry   energy from major hydro dams and coal fired power stations past  communities to the energy corporations, mining  companies,  smellers  and industries in the global  north and parts  of the  south” it said  without even thinking of extending electricity to host communities, Reacting to the publication in a telephone  interview with The Tide, the Executive  Director of Women Initiative  on Climate Change,  Miss Emem Okon  said that  a lot of pressures have  been  brought on member nations of the united nations since 2016 to adopt a friendly attitude  towards climate  change.
Okon also said that  the Kebet kache  women Development  Centre has also embarked on climate change awareness  campaigns  across the Niger Delta.
She said that the  campaign  has been done in Erema”, River state Ughelli Delta State and  Ibeno in Akwa-Ibom State, adding that the campaign was to bring pressure  to on the Nigerian Government  to implement policies that  well  reduce  the impacts of fossil fuel  emission on the environment.