Ghana's High Commissioner to Britain expressed concerns about the potential harm of ending imports of fresh food from Africa in the name of fighting climate change. He highlighted the impact on communities reliant on this trade and questioned the effectiveness of reducing food miles to combat carbon emissions. The Commissioner emphasized the importance of global justice and economic prospects for small farmers in Africa during a meeting discussing the impact of global warming on the continent. Environmentalists suggest increasing local food production and consumption to eliminate airfreighted imports of fruits and vegetables. However, development specialists argue that many poorer regions of Africa rely on this trade for their livelihoods. Cato proposes alternative ways for British consumers to reduce their carbon footprint without negatively impacting African farmers. Scientists predict a significant rise in global temperatures this century due to carbon emissions, leading to severe consequences such as floods and famines. Africa is expected to suffer the most from these effects despite having low per capita carbon emissions. Cato emphasized the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a fair, scientific, and rational manner, stating that making cuts at the expense of the world's poorest is unjust and not conducive to building an international consensus on climate change. UN environment ministers are set to meet on the Indonesian island of Bali next month to discuss urgent talks on a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. Europe is aiming for a deal by the end of 2009, despite the challenges in negotiating and ratifying such agreements. The United States and China, two of the biggest polluters, are hesitant to take responsibility for the crisis. Cato stressed the need for the post-Kyoto agreement to include proposals for promoting adaptation to climate change and an effective implementation regime. "This is a matter that concerns not just fairness on a global scale, but also the very survival of nations." He went on to say that while some of the most influential countries in the world have caused the damage, it is the most vulnerable nations that are suffering the worst consequences.