By JULIUUS PHIRI in Mchinji, MALAWI –
LILONGWE Catholic Archdiocese Bishop Tarcisius Ziyaye says Malawi has experienced several climatic variations that have resulted in the occurrence of extreme weather events ranging from droughts to floods.
Archbishop Ziyaye said Malawi used to have its first rains in October but over the years this changed to November and now in many parts of the country the rains do not start until December.
The prelate said, when the Zambian team on Climate Change passed on a baton to the Malawian team at Community ground in Mchinji on Thusday, that human activities, primary emissions from fuels, over-usage of land, wanton and massive cutting down of trees had the combined effect of increased carbon concentrations in the atmosphere contributing to the current ecological damage.
“While there are natural variations in the climate, there is a growing realisation that activities are to blame for the growing climatic variations the world is facing today,” he said.
Archbishop Ziyaye said God created people and that the universe, the resources in it and all the other creatures. He said humankind should not sit back and watch when the ecological balance that God put in place had changed.
He said the balance between ownership and care, right and responsibility had suddenly vanished.
He said forests in Malawi have been destroyed.
Malawi Council of Churches Chairperson Gilford Matonga said We Have Faith (WHF) was part of the global act now for Climate Justice Campaign.
Bishop Matonga said WHF was seeking to bring together faith communities and the youth to mobilise the public across Africa on climate change.
Chipata District Commissioner Kalunga Zulu said Zambia was part of the campaign of lobbying for signatures because it had not been spared from the effects of climate change.