Yaounde, February 17, 2023: More than half of Cameroonians consider the government’s efforts to fight climate change unsatisfactory, according to a poll of 1,200 people. This data is not surprising, given accelerated deforestation and the ever-increasing use of plastic, and urges us to think about the harmful effects of climate change.
The data is drawn from a recently published report on Cameroonians’ perceptions of climate change. This document, produced by the think tank Afrobarometer, reveals that 56% of the population surveyed considers the government’s response to the climate crisis to be unsatisfactory. Yet, as this document reveals, everyone is affected by climate change. Deforestation tops the list of environmental problems affecting the study population, followed by waste management and plastics, according to the report. Dissatisfaction with Cameroon’s public policy on combating climate change is in part the result of environmental crimes that continue to be perpetuated on the ground and specifically in Cameroon’s forests.
For Ranece Jovial Ndjeudja, head of the forest campaign at Greenpeace Africa, “the issues of climate change and environmental protection are not yet sufficiently prominent in Cameroon’s public debate. However, even if people are not sufficiently informed, they feel the effects and demand that concrete action be taken. This implies actions at the individual level, especially in the fight against plastic pollution, but also at the state level, with, among others, the adoption of adequate policies and laws and the implementation of concrete actions at a national or even regional and local level”.
In addition, “the government of Cameroon must necessarily go beyond words and put an end to deforestation. Large areas of forest are granted as concessions to companies and therefore will be destroyed, which accentuates the climate and biodiversity crisis. Meanwhile, the fight against plastic waste pollution is still insufficient or limited and suggests a certain inefficiency,” he added.
CTA: Support the people of Campo and Niete in their fight to protect their forests.
Luchelle Feukeng
Communications Officer, Greenpeace Africa
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +237 656 46 35 45 (WhatsApp)
Ranece Jovial Ndjeudja
Congo Basin Forest Campaigner, Greenpeace Africa
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +237 699901742