What is good? University, Technical or Vocational Education for South Sudan.

 

By Ater Yuot Riak Amogpai, Ph.D.

Education has been progressively advancing in all its levels. In its evolving transformation, students must be carefully selective about their education interests. There are three major types of branches of education: vocational, technical and university. However, technical and vocational education are sometimes used synonymously. In fact, technical education refers to post high school courses of study and practical training aimed at preparation of technicians to work as supervisory staff while, vocational education on the other hands, refers to post primary school courses of study aiming to equip students with skills for a particular job such as carpenter, wilding, construction, automobile repair, electric wiring, cooking, cleaning, plumping, fashion design, etc.

Vocational Education is to give the students skills to make them ready for a particular job. It is more practical and hands-on and involves less theoretical study. Vocational education (Training) is more suitable for people who are looking for quick employment, as it trains people for jobs. It is also suitable for people looking to re-join work or transition into a new profession that requires skill. It is also very suitable for people who are short of time and resources to study at a university but can learn at flexible times.

Technical Education is the understanding and practical application of basic principles of science and mathematics. Technical education aimed at preparing graduates for occupations that are classed above the skilled crafts (vocational training) but below the scientific or engineering professions. Such persons are frequently called technicians. Technical occupations are vital in a wide range of fields, including agriculture, business administration, computers and data processing, education, environmental and resource management, graphic arts and industrial design, and health and medicine. Technical education is typically offered in post-high-school curricula that are two years in length, are not designed to lead to a bachelor’s degree, and are offered in a wide variety of institutions, such as technical institutes, junior colleges, vocational schools, and regular colleges and universities.

University Education is the traditional degree-based education system. Its aim is to make the student learn a particular stream of study. It covers the theoretical part extensively and gives students an in-depth understanding. It is commonly pursued after graduating from high school and leads to the degrees of Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD, in that sequence.  It is an investment for the future and acquiring practical skills on the job over time. A university education often gives conceptual or broad awareness that can be decided to apply to a range of roles within a line of work. University education or professional education, may include fields as science, engineering, law, medicine, economics, etc. Therefore, a university education degree is suitable for people who like in-depth knowledge and who like to become researchers, scientists and professors.

All three types of education: University, Technical and Vocational are good for South Sudan. However, the government should have a policy to prioritize technical and vocational education. Because, industrialization starts with technical and vocational education. Not many are interested or able to invest in university education. They prefer hands- on jobs with a stable income. Thus, I suggest 80% of the primary and high students should be prepared for technical and vocational education while the rest of the 20% reserves for university education who want to go for further knowledge acquisition. Those trained technical and vocational graduates immediately entered the market with their needed skills in hand. Currently, the government has no student support such as student’s loans, therefore, university education is entirely our own responsibility.

What after implementation of the Unified Human Resource Policy Manual (UHRPM 2020) in the South Sudan Petroleum Sector?

 

By Ater Yuot Riak Amogpai, Ph.D.

On Friday, June 18, 2021, the Council of Ministers chaired by the President of the Republic of South Sudan Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit held a meeting on the Unified Human Resource Policy Manual (UHRPM 2020) and came out with the resolution No: 08/2021. The resolution instructed the Ministry of Petroleum (MoP) to immediately implement the policy and fully. In response to the resolution, the Minister of Petroleum Hon. Puot Kang Chol issued several ministerial orders to Joint Operating Companies (JOCs) for further action. The implementation processes have not been easy between the MoP and foreign partners (Chinese, Malaysians and Indians) and, between JOCs management and the national employees on the other side.

From 2018 to 2019, the national workers in the JOCs started industrial actions demanding suspended and deleted allowances, loans and all other privileges. Anchored on South Sudan Labor Law, the UHRPM 2020 calls for bridging a wide and unacceptable remuneration gap between international and national workers. The gap runs in tens of thousands of dollars. It also calls for the reduction of expenditure of air tickets, accommodation, visas, and group life insurance for expatriates and secondees to reduce the operation cost. It further stated that the unification of salary structure among the JOCs shall be reviewed.

Throughout the year 2021, the national’s workers in the oil sector have battled with JOCs over the full implementation of the UHRPM 2020. The national workers laid down their tools both at the headquarters in Juba and at the oil fields several times. They have been demanding for the harmonization of salary structure fair to both national and international workers, allowances, loans, social insurance fund among others.

On Thursday, June 16, 2022, the MoP held a workshop on the UHRPM 2020 intended to bring all parties on one page. It was attended by the Nile Petroleum Corporation (NilePet), foreign partners, National Petroleum and Gas Commission, and the Ministry of Labor. All parties have agreed to support the implementation of the policy with effect from January 2021. The workshop further approved the Nilepet and foreign secondees Tariffs are as well. Any amendments and corrections will be incorporated in the next edition.

Currently, the UHRPM 2020 has been approved and become a law that is eligible for petroleum sector utilization. It is not the end of history, with the ending of the Exploration and Production Sharing Agreement (EPSA) by 2027, partners may find a way to languish all benefits mentioned in the policy. The human resources departments in the JOCs have applied the salary structure proposed by the Mop for both foreign and national employees. The policy is not yet fully implemented, however, one thousand mile starts with one mile. The effective time of the policy started from January 2021, and all amendments and corrections would be added in the next editions of the policy. 

We would love to thank the President of the Republic of South Sudan Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit for his support and wisdom and his entire cabinet for their support. We also love to thank the Minister of Petroleum Hon. Puot kang Chol for his efforts to table the issue of the UHRPM 2020 to the Council of Ministers. We are as well thankful of the MoP staff who keep their eyes on the processes of the UHRPM 2020 till its implementation. We are very grateful for our foreign partners for their patients since the first day of the presses to the day of the agreement. It was a tremendous negotiation. We continue the spirit of teamwork, trust and advancement of petroleum business in South Sudan. 

Paul Adong Bith Arop (1975 – 2022)

 

Engineer, Oil and Gas Expert

By Ater Yuot Riak Amogpai

Eng. Paul Adong was born in Panyang Township of Ruweng Administrative Area on May 17, 1975. Eng. Adong was the third child to Bith Deng Arop. Eng. Adong is survived by his Mother, Nyibol Minyiel Bol Achuil. Eng. Paul Adong’s Father, Bith Deng Arop, had a second wife, Alek Nyok Deng. No children between them.

Eng. Paul briefly looked after his family cattle at around Lake Jaw County in the northern part of Ruweng Administrative Area. In the face of interminable raids and destruction of his village and the surrounding villages in the early 1980s by Arab militia, then known as Murahaleen, there was en mass migrations of Ruweng communities to northern Sudan, especially Khartoum. It is against this backdrop that Eng. Adong and his family left for northern Sudan in 1984.  The family first settled in El-kenana in today’s White Nile State where young Adong started his elementary education in 1986. The family would later move to Khartoum where he continued his education at Comboni College, Khartoum Bahri.

Eng. Adong sat and excelled in his Sudan Primary Education Certificate examinations at Comboni College-Khartoum. He subsequently got a scholarship to Comboni Secondary School although he later moved to St. Augustin where he would subsequently join the prestigious St. Augustin Secondary School, Khartoum. He sat for his Sudan Secondary Education Certificate examination in 1997 and emerged as one of the top performers in the country. He briefly joined Engineering School of the University of Juba in Khartoum where he was the top of his class in the first two years that he spent at the University of Juba. While he was still an engineering student at the University of Juba, he received a generous scholarship to the University of Technology PETRONAS (UTP) in Malaysia to study Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and graduated in 2002. After working for six years in Malaysia and Oman until 2009, Eng. Adong, got a scholarship to study for his Master of Science in Oil & Gas Management at the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom where he graduated in 2010.

During his postgraduate studies in the UK, Eng. Adong’s yearned to return home to serve his country. He was well known for being ambitious, patriotic, and obsessed with all things about oil and gas. He dreamed of transforming oil and gas industry and seeing all South Sudanese in the top rank at different levels in the industry. This ambition saw him return home immediately.

Eng. Adong became a household name in South Sudan following his appointment as the Managing Director of South Sudan’s national oil and gas corporation, the Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet). In this position, Eng. Adong sought to materialize his ambition of using his engineering skills to produce commodities and ensure that South Sudanese engineers were employed and running the oil and gas industry. To translate this idea into practical programs, Eng. Adong worked in close coordination with the Ministry of Petroleum, relevant institutions of government and foreign partners. This could come to pass if he embarked on capacity development of South Sudanese nationals in all segments of oil and gas industry. For instance, while serving as the Vice President of Dar Petroleum Operating Company (DPOC) in 2016, he facilitated the contracting of one of the leading international oil & gas companies, Schlumberger, to train and develop capacities of local oil and gas experts, as well as to identify training needs and gaps of the South Sudanese oil and gas professionals. 

The following snapshot provides the chronology of Eng. Adong’s professional career.

·       2016- 2022: CEO of Adong Petroleum Co. Ltd: This was his own company

·       2017-2022: Technical Advisor in the Ministry of Petroleum

·       2016- 2017: Vice President of Dar Petroleum Operating Company (DPOC) 

·       2012- 2015: Managing Director of Nile Petroleum Corporation (Nilepet)

·       2009-2012: Senior consultant for oil and gas business development for JOSPONG Group of companies in charge of construction of oil facilities in Western Region of Ghana

·       2006-2007: Artificial Lift-Engineering Specialist in Oman with Schlumberger Oilfield Services 

·       2004- 2006: General Field Engineer for AL and Sales in Schlumberger for Blocks 1, 2 & 4 GNPOC Sudan

·       2004-2005:  Location Manager for Paloch and Adar in Schlumberger 

·       2003- 2004:  Senior Field Engineer for AL system in Schlumberger for Blocks 1, 2 &4 and 3 & 7 in the Sudan-GNPOC and PDOC

·       2002-2003: Operation Engineer for offshore platform in South China Sea- PETRONAS, Malaysia.

As shown in the above snapshot, Eng. Paul Adong served in several positions in the oil and gas industry in the Sudan, South Sudan, Malaysia, Oman, and Ghana. After his last position as the Vice President of Dar Petroleum Operating Company (DPOC) which he led between 2016 and 2017, Eng. Adong established his own company, the Adong Petroleum Co. Ltd in 2016, under which he assumed the position of being both the CEO and Chairperson of the company, until his last moments.

From his time as a student at the University of Juba and as a professional engineer, Eng. Paul Adong was a member of the following professional and political affiliations:

·       University of Juba Students’ Association (UJSA)

·       South Sudanese Engineering Society (SSES)

·       South Sudanese Engineering Council (SSEC)

·       South Sudanese Engineering and Architectural Society (SSEAS)

·       African National Front (ANF)

·       Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM)

·       University of Juba’s Mathematics Association (UJMA).

Late Eng. Paul Adong Bith Deng was a well-known family man. He deeply cared about his family and the larger society. He was married to Sarah Kuol Tong, from Abyei and with whom he has sons, namely Athiei (6 years old) and Deng (2 years old). Eng. Paul Adong died in Dubai on 18th June, 2022 allegedly after a short illness and, was laid to rest at hometown in Ruweng in June 30^th, 2022.

The Author Ater Yuot R. Amogpai can be reached through Email: ater.amogpai@gmail.com.

I was Untrained Red Army and Lost Boy.

 

By Ater Yuot R. Amogpai

Mr. Henry Yuot Riak and Mrs. Alak Maguen Acinbai have their first born in Khartoum Sudan in January 15, 1973. A new born was named Ater Henry Yuot and I am proud to my humble parents. My late father sat for the Sudan Secondary School Certificate in 1972 and he was preparing to join university, however, he decided to take care of his new family affairs. In the next year he got a job as Agricultural Assistant in Agricultural Research’s Scheme in Sennar Town, center of Sudan. By 1976, he got a job with the World Bank, as a First Agricultural Assistant, Seeds Program, to run a Project Development Unit (PDU) in Yei, a small Town in the Central Equtaoria, Southern Sudan. However, in 1980, he managed to join the University of Juba, College of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, specializing in Crop Sciences. In the same year I started my Primary education in Buluk Primary School in Juba.  

In 1983, the Southern Sudan executive and autonomous government was dissolved and the Southern Sudan regional government divided into three regional governments namely: Baher el Ghazal, Upper Nile and Equatoria region in a Republican decree announced by Marshal. Jaafar Mohammed Nimiri the former President of the Republic of the Sudan. As a political result, the family decided and moved to Wau town, the Capital of Baher el Ghazal region.

Between 1983 and 1986, Wau was experiencing ethnic fights between the Dinka  and Jurchol at one side against the combination of different ethnic group known as Fertit, despite that, I continued my study in Wau Buluk Primary School up to 1986. The Arabs in Khartoum armed the Fertit to fight the Dinka and Jurchol, because of their support to the liberation of South Sudan from Arabs.  The Fertit were in control of areas around Sudan’s Army garrison in Wau Town while the Dinka and Jurcol were in control of areas around the Police headquarters in Wau Town. The security situation was terrible and I witnessed many Dinka people who were continuously being targeted as they crossed to Fertit areas or performing their daily activities and duties in Wau town.

In August 1986, my mother decided and moved us into liberated areas under control of the SPLA/M. In the family journey we were together with my siblings: two brothers Amoch and Kon and sister Anyiel. We spent a month crossing a journey and roads distances from Wau to Yirol Area which I remember very well, Yirol area was under Cdr. Marial Chanuong. Shortly after our arrival at Yirol I became a Red Army Candidate to be in Agany preparation Camp and the first time I touched to use Ak – 47 prior to being sent to Bilpam Military Training Center but I was the Youngest (child) in the training center. However, the SPLA had policy of not recruiting children into the army, instead I was prepared to be sent to Itang refugee Camp in Western Ethiopia until I reached 18 years. However, my mother decided again and moved us into a cattle camp in Aliab Toc which is part of the Sudd Swamp area and, this was how I escaped and missed out from being a “Lost Boy”.

In the cattle camp, I learnt how to take care of cattle, how to milk a cow, collect cattle dung and dry it up. The cattle dung is used as charcoal for cooking and to warm bodies and its ash is used as a toothpaste too. Cattle urine is used to wash hands, faces, and dishes (traditional dishes). I have practiced all these activities. My mother also guided us to Juba through Tali Town, nonetheless, The Mundari tribe used to target Dinka between Yirol and Juba roads. Luckily, after seven (7) days, we reached Juba safely in December 20, 1987.  

In January 20, 1988 we landed in Khartoum International Airport, the family was reunited and I continued my education. In October, 2001, I graduated with the Bachelor of Science of Technology in Electrical Engineering, Sudan University of Science and Technology. During my study, I used to participate in community and university different activities. My Community activities included social, religion, cultural and sometimes political forums which Southern Sudanese students in the Sudanese universities practiced as well.

At those decades, the National Islamic Front (NIF) government was anti Southern Sudanese activities and, therefore, all southern Sudanese who’s were studying or working in different government levels were continually exposed to security screenings and harassments. As a security mistreatment results, many lost their jobs, lives, and quitted schools. This has further resulted in a mass refuge of the southern Sudanese into neighboring countries in such Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Egypt etc.

In April, 2002, I left Sudan for Egypt and actively participated in the community and the SPLM activities in the Arab Republic of Egypt as I worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as a volunteer (Interpreter) then I moved to Finland by March 2004 for further studies.

Upon my arrival in Finland, I met with the Sudanese who were exceptionally preparing to establish the SPLM chapter in Finland. In May, 2004, the SPLM chapter was established in Finland. I am the SPLA/M member since my joining history on May 1983 and, I was a founding member of the SPLM chapter in Finland. In July 21, 2005, the chapter organized a peace signing festival which was attended by the majority of the Sudanese in Finland. In July 30, 2005, a tragedy happened, Dr. John Garang de Mabior and was killed in a Helicopter crash on the border of South Sudanese and Uganda. In September 2005, I decided to go back to study. Subsequently, I successfully completed Master and Doctorate of Science of Technology in Electrical Engineering, Helsinki University of Technology and Aalto University in 2007 and 2011 respectively.

In December 21, 2011, I returned to South Sudan, however, I focused on my engineering career. In January 2012, I first joined the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Juba and in November 1^st, 2012, I joined the South Sudan Oil Industry. I did not pull apart the two careers, academia and the industry, however, I combined teaching engineering at university and serving production of oil in Dar Petroleum Operating Company. Nevertheless, I remain a committed SPLM technocrat who is ready to serve to my capacity.

Just to mention few names among the founders’ members of the SPLM chapter in Finland who are now residing in the Republic of South Sudan:

1.       Dr. Simon Nhial Monykuany, Medical Doctor, Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC), deceased in 2014, Leer County, Unity State

2.       Professor. Dr. Kuel Jok, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Dr. John Garang University of Science and Technology

3.       Professor. Dr. Owen Ondormo, Institute of Peace, Diplomacy and Security Studies, University of Juba

4.       Mr. Ukech Kidi Ujure, Lecturer, School of Social Sciences and Economics, University of Juba

5.       Dr. Etin Concordo, Director General, Ministry of Health, Eastern Equatoria

6.       Mr. Thomas Amudeng, Director General for Training, Ministry of Finance and Economics Planning

7.       Mr. Wol Mamer, Director of Account, Ministry of Finance and Economics Planning

8.       Abraham Chol Mathiang, Self-Employee

9.       Mr. Alex, Self-Employee

10.   Mr. Majok Matur, the last Chairperson of the SPLM chapter in Finland

11.   Capt. Peter Rual, Ministry of Defense

12.   Mr. Kur Madit, Lawyer

About the Author

Ater Yuot R. Amogpai is a South Sudanese Oil & Gas Industry Professional and Secretary General of the Workers Trade Union of Petroleum and Mining in South Sudan. Ater holds a Doctorate Degree in Electrical Engineering, Aalto University, Finland. Furthermore, he is a member of the Academic Staff University of Juba, School of Engineering. Email: ater.amogpai@gmail.com.

 

Mission Complicated: The Unified Human Resource Policy Manual (UHRPM 2020) between Foreign Partners (FPs) and the Ministry of Petroleum in South Sudan

 

By Ater Yuot R. Amogpai

In December 2020, the Ministry of Petroleum (MoP) launched the Unified Human Resource Policy Manual (UHRPM 2020) to replace outdated unfair Sudan Unified Human Resource Policy Manual (UHRPM 2008). In January 2021, the MoP issued directives to immediately implement the policy. Instead, the management of Joint Operating Companies (JOCs) namely, Dar Petroleum Operating Company (DPOC), Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC), and Sudd Petroleum Operating Company (SPOC) ignored the directives of the MoP. The partners mainly, Chinese and Malaysians, have concerns about the UHRPM 2020.

Anchored on South Sudan Labor Law, the UHRPM 2020 calls for bridging a wide and unacceptable remuneration gap between international and national workers. The gap runs in tens of thousands of dollars. It also calls for the reduction of expenditure of air tickets, accommodation, visas, and group life insurance for expatriates and secondees to reduce the operation cost. It further stated that the unification of salary structure among the JOCs shall be reviewed.

 

From 2018 to 2019, under the UHRPM 2008 the national workers in the JOCs started industrial actions demanding suspended and deleted allowances, loans and all other privileges. For instance, the Management Committee (MC) in DPOC reached an agreement with national workers but was later dishonored and trashed allegedly by the Foreign Partners (FPs). The same happened with national workers in the other two JOCs. This was what made the MoP act by launching the UHRPM 2020 with the intent to stabilize the oil sector.

Throughout the year 2021, the national’s workers in the oil sector have battled with JOCs over the full implementation of the UHRPM 2020. The national workers laid down their tools both at the headquarters in Juba and at the oil fields several times. They have been demanding for the harmonization of salary structure fair to both national and international workers, allowances, loans, social insurance fund among others.

On February 21, 2022, the MoP and the partner’s oil companies reached a deal in a Press Conference to fully implement the UHRPM 2020. As a result, the MoP sent directives to all JOCs to implement the UHRPM 2020 with immediate effect. Dishonorably, the (FPs) namely, China National Petroleum Company (CNPC), Malaysia PETRONAS, China SINOPEC and Tri-Ocean produced a provocative letter which conditioned the implementation of the signed agreement to a set of five (5) conditions.  Among them was the formation of a joint committee constituted by members of FPs and MoP to review and amend the UHRPM 2020 (which is a law) not later than six (6) months. Formation of another joint committee to restore their “economic rights” to their previous level had reforms (UHRPM 2020) not taken place among other conditions. In response to the MoP directive that was supposed to be the final, the three JOCs sought another approval from their respective country managers, who signed the agreement with MoP, to go ahead with implementation of the policy per their previous agreement. The FPs responded to three JOCs requests to wait for the further directives since discussion is going on between MoP and FPs. This is all after they have already declared it on the National Television (SSBC) that they reached an agreement with the MoP.

In their letter received by the MoP March 2, 2022, the FPs requested for the conditioned the implementation of the UHRPLM 2020 to the following conditions:

1)      Approval of all existing and future applications including renewal of FPs secondees assigned to JOCs

2)      Reinstatement of FPs Manpower Tariff payment which has been suspended in October 2021 pursuant to the existing Manpower Tariff Rate

3)      Continuation and acknowledgement of long standing practices since the establishment of the JOCs in 2012 relating to the FPs secondees benefits to JOCs, including the flight tickets, rotational leaves and accommodations

4)      Continuation and acknowledgment of the FPs existing Manpower Tariff Rate

5)      Restoration of the FPs economics rights and benefits as per Exploration and Production Sharing Agreement (EPSA) and the Transitional Agreement (TA) 

Intentionally, the FPs have violated the resolutions of the Council of Ministers No: 08/2021 held on Friday, June 18, 2021 and several ministerial orders submitted by the MoP. The last order issued was No: 02/2022. Further, the FPs continue undermining the sovereignty of the country by dishonoring the agreement they reached in a Press Conference with the MoP on February 21, 2022. However, after this meeting, the FPs secretly sent letters instructing JOCs not to start implementation. It was a deception action by the FPs.

This has desperately angered the national workers in the oil sector. Therefore, the national workers are requesting the FPs to immediately implement the resolutions of the Council of Ministers together with the last issued ministerial order and the agreement they reached with the MoP. The national workers have been without salaries since July 2021. They are patiently depending on the Optional Individual Loan (OIL). The National workers are looking forward to the full implementation of the UHRPM 2020 and harmonization of the wide gap salary structure between national and foreign staff that was approved by Council of Ministers Resolutions’ and the country leadership.

How to Limit Global Average Temperature at 1.5 °C – Case South Sudan

 

By Ater Yuot R. Amogpai

 

Human activities are responsible for causing approximately 1.0 °C of global warming. Range of 0.8°C to 1.2°C global warming is projected to reach 1.5°C between 2030 and 2050 if it continues to increase at the current rate of 0.2°C per decade. At the moment, global mean temperature is around 1.08 ±0.13 °C above the 1850 -1900 pre-industrial average.  

Atmospheric concentrations of the major greenhouse gases (GHG), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), continued to increase up to now. The rise in these gases leads to warming of the atmosphere, ocean and land. Warming of the ocean leads in turn to rising sea levels, which is added to by the melting of ice in response to increasing atmospheric temperatures. On land, impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems, including species loss and extinction.

The sources of CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions can be either natural or human. Natural sources include respiration, decomposition of plants, and ocean release. Human sources come from cement production, deforestation, burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas), landfills, and gricultural activities. In addition to, coal mining, stationary and mobile combustion, wastewater treatment, land use, industrial activities, and solid waste.

The main sectors contributing GHG emissions in the globe are transportation, electricity, industry, commercial and residential, agriculture, land use and forestry. However, developed countries typically have the highest GHG emissions into the atmospheric, while some developing countries lead in the growth rate of GHG emissions. These uneven contributions to the climate crisis are at the core of the challenges the world community faces in finding effective and equitable solutions to global warming. GHG emissions are normally resulting from the combustion of coal, natural gas, oil, and other fuels, including industrial waste and non-renewable municipal waste. The United States of America, Russia, China, India, and the United Kingdom (UK) are the leading countries in the world for emitting GHG into the atmosphere.

South Sudan GHG emissions is the lowest globally and dominated by land use, forestry and agriculture. GHG emissions from these sectors are mainly driven by reliance on wood fuel by the majority of the population coupled with the increasing demand for agricultural lands and urban development. In urban areas including Juba, charcoal is the most used energy source for cooking. Fuel wood and charcoal are used for cooking and lighting and has led to a catastrophic loss of forest around big cities, Juba, Malakal and Wau. In the energy sector, despite only 5% of the population having access to the electricity, energy emissions are mainly from electric power generation followed by transportation and crude oil production.

Any period of time before the start of the industrial revolution could be a reference as the temperature decreases as we go back in time. To do so, we change our diets to reduce meat consumption, reducing food waste, driving less and using more public transportation, using more efficient appliances and installing better insulation systems to depend less on air conditioning in hot regions and heating in cold regions. In recognition of this, the overwhelming majority of countries around the world adopted the Paris Agreement in December 2015, the central aim of which includes pursuing efforts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. The same commitment affirmed by the COP26 in Glasgow, UK.  

Benefits of limiting global warming to 1.5°C can be summarized as follows:

-      Reduction risks to marine biodiversity, fisheries, and ecosystems, and their functions and services to humans

-      Reduction the number of people susceptible to poverty by up to several hundred million by 2050

-      Resultant in smaller net reductions in yields of maize, rice, wheat, and potentially other cereal crops, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America, and in the CO₂-dependent nutritional quality of rice and wheat.

Healing the planet starts in your garage, in your kitchen, and at your dining room table. The goal is simple. CO2 and other GHG are the climate’s worst enemies. They are released when oil, coal, and other fossil fuels are burned for energy—the energy we use to power our homes, cars, and smartphones. By using less of which, we can curb our own contribution to climate change while also saving money. Here are some effective ways each one of us can make a difference:

-      Power your home with renewable energy

-      Invest in energy-efficient appliances

-      Reduce water waste

-      Eat the food you buy and make less of it meat

-      Buy better bulbs (LEDs)

-      Drive a fuel-efficient vehicle (Electric Cars)

-      Rethink planes, trains, and automobiles

 

Contribution to global warming can be roughly defined as the economic development and prosperity of the nations. Developing countries and emerging economies are in rapid growth to global warming while, developed nations couldn’t yet determine the most effective ways to limit global warming at 1.5°C.

South Sudan as one of the least developed countries is vulnerable to global warming.  Nevertheless, it has developed mechanisms to regulate the exploitation of natural resources and land use to reduce environmental degradation. Unfortunately, deforestation and forest degradation areas around big cities are still being observed at an exponential rate.  

The responsibility is huge for the G7 and G20 to take us back to the pre – industrial period 1850 – 1900 if they can. There is a very great doubt that the G7 and G20 would agree on a mechanism on how to limit global warming at 1.5°C. As a result, emerging economies countries continue to increase in numbers – temperature continues to increase and climate crisis causes our planet to die gradually. 

 

Email: ater.amogpai@gmail.com