ADDIS ABABA – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) announced yesterday that Ethiopia has called for adequate financial support to its climate change prevention efforts at the ongoing COP29 conference in Azerbaijan.
Addressing climate crisis requires more than financial targets since it demands equity, common but differentiated responsibility, and historical accountability, Abiy posted on X.
He added that clear climate finance definitions are essential to track progress with new goals prioritizing vulnerable regions, especially least developed countries like those in Africa.
Ethiopia is advancing its Paris Agreement and COP 28 commitments of last year through three initiatives such as the green legacy initiative, which has increase forest coverage by 6 percent with 40 billion seedlings planted to date, an irrigated wheat program that transformed a grain deficit into surplus by 2023, and climate smart urban projects creating sustainable, greener cities with renewable energy, pedestrian pathways and electric vehicles, according to the premier.
At the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, Ethiopia has called for adequate financialfunds. The country is showcasing its flagship Green Legacy Initiative, renewable energy projects, and summer wheat production as key components of its commitment to combating climate change, he added.
Ethiopia’s achievements through the Green Legacy Initiative are also featured at the Ethiopian pavilion at COP29. As global leaders deliberate on climate action, let’s take a journey in this video into Ethiopia’s practical contributions through the Prime Ministerial Green Legacy Initiative.
Addressing the attendees of the Conference, President Taye Atske-Selassie highlighted Ethiopia’s forward-looking commitment to environmental conservation and sustainable development, citing key national efforts such as the Green Legacy Initiative.
He stressed Ethiopia’s proactive measures in protecting and nurturing natural resources and outlined major projects aimed at addressing and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
President Taye further stressed the importance of international collaboration and support for such environmental efforts, underlining that global backing is essential to ensure the success and sustainability of climate resilience projects.
On the occasion, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged world leaders at COP29 to focus on three areas such as making emergency emissions reductions, protecting people from the ravages of the climate crisis and tearing down the walls to climate finance by agreeing a new finance goal that contains a significant increase in concessional public finance.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary Simon Stiell on his part said that climate impacts are carving up to 5 percent off GDP in many countries so that climate crisis is a cost-of-living crisis because climate-driven disasters are driving up costs for households and businesses.
Bolder climate action can drive economic opportunity and abundance everywhere as cheap, clean energy can be the bedrock of many economies. It means more jobs, more growth, less pollution choking cities, healthier citizens and stronger businesses, he added.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2024
