By Fatou Dahaba
The Climate Clock Organization and Environmental Activists on Saturday, 22nd July 2023, converged to commemorate Climate Rally with a match pass along Kairaba Avenue leading to Westfield Youth Monument with a renewed call for climate justice and accountability.
As the world will mark a pivotal moment when the Climate Clock ticks below six years for the first time in history, climate advocates and activists from over 30 countries across the globe will act.
The aim is to expedite global climate action and increase transformative measures taken worldwide.
Climate Activist firmly believes that the Climate Clock can help them achieve their goal, ensuring the safety and health of future generations.
The President of the Gambia Environment Alliance, Momodou Inkeh Bah, said it is evident that the world is facing global disaster in the form of climate change that is affecting every sector of life, ranging from agriculture, food security, and survival, all threatened by the devastating effects of climate change.
He pointed out the importance of government, authorities, and duty bearers to commit themselves and take climate actions seriously.
“The global food insecurity is caused by climate change, floods across the globe that are claiming the lives of thousands of people, windstorms, hurricanes, and unprecedented deaths due to climate change,” he uttered.
Bah, outlined the importance of people coming together to stand firm and strong to fight against the effects of climate change by taking climate actions.
Kemo Fatty, Executive Director of Climate Club Green Up Gambia, said plastic was invented less than 50 years ago. ‘Today, there is more plastic in the ocean than fish that have existed for millennia.’
“I think we need to look at ourselves and rethink what way to take,” he said.
He added that the River Gambia is the only source of fresh water.
However, he explained that salt is taking more than half of its navigable length today, and they have realized that the River Gambia is far saltier than the Atlantic Ocean from which it gets the salt. ‘This is a threat to river growers in those areas, he added.
“All these are due to climate change, so we must come together and protect our environment and country.”
Fatou A. Jeng, Finance Officer of Gambia Environment Alliance, encouraged her fellow women to make changes in climate change as they are directly affected.
She maintained that women should stop using plastic or reduce using it, as it is harmful to humans and not climate-friendly.
“We have only five years to go and can make changes, especially us women. Let us grow as many trees as possible to protect our environment,” she appealed.
Dawda Cham, Climate Change Leader, said climate change is two things – carbon budget, which means the remaining carbon for humans to emit in the atmosphere, and the clock is serving as a count-down telling people to take significant steps towards climate change.
He said, according to research, in 50 years, Banjul will sub-match or sink and will not exist.
“Banjul is flooding every rainy season because of the amount of carbon we emit into the atmosphere and the amount of greenhouse gases. This is causing the ice in the Atlantic region to melt, and it melts at 150 tonnes per year, which is huge, and if it continues, it means Banjul will sink in a few years.”
Climate leaders and activists have made demands and pleas, such as telling the environment minister to stop selling the Tanbi Wetland. Some urged the government to make regulations that will safeguard the environment. They also committed to growing more trees during the summer to protect the Gambia and her environment.
The Climate Clock organization, comprised of scientists, artists, and activists, has created the Climate Clock as a powerful and precise symbol of climate urgency. Since its launch in September 2020, the Climate Clock has gathered international attention, focusing the world’s gaze on the Critical time window for climate action.
