I remember when I was young at the tender age of 14, my father used to complain about the sudden change of the climate in Addis Ababa. He was saying “the sun has become more and more violent these days, I don’t know why. Perhaps, it is the wrath of God”. He had no knowledge about climate change patterns or underlying reasons. Time and again, he used to tell us that the morning sun was as sweet as a delicious breakfast when he was a child. I sometimes wonder what he would have said, had he has been alive today.
It was quite obvious to understand how the country’s climate looked like some 60 years ago, when nearly 60 per cent of the land was covered with forests, and population number was somehow 35 million. Nature strictly maintained its balance, the way God ordained it. Summer was summer. Winter, autumn and spring were all predictable seasons. Nature was not yet in a quarrel with the evil hands of man. There was no fear of thinning of the ozone layer; and hence no chance of exposure to hazardous rays that can damage our skin pigment”. Life was sweet. The country was vast enough to accommodate the 35 million population.
With the drastic change in the population, the pressure created on the fauna and flora increased. The need for additional farming land and dwelling areas aggravated deforestation. Urbanization started to stretch. The ecosystem started to experience the interference of man. Nature is no more intact. In 2000, the total forest coverage of the country had dwindled to be only 4 per cent, close to extinction.
Studies indicate that in less than half a century, Ethiopia has literally lost 98 per cent of the forest land. On the contrary, the population has nearly tripled within this period, making the country the second-most populous nation in Africa. Because of the astronomical increase in population, land degradation that followed deforestation for firewood and housing construction, Ethiopia has been hit by intermittent drought and famine for many decades in the past.
Cognizant to this, the launching of a huge afforestation program was the only a way-out to reconstruct the natural balance in the ecosystem; thereby restoring the fauna and flora. Yet, a genuine ‘greening Ethiopia campaign’ was started very recently, sometimes near the eve of Ethiopian millennium 12 years ago. By that time, the national plantation campaign managed to plant over 700 million tree seedlings. The efforts continued for sometimes when Ethiopian rainy seasons start in June. That has contributed a great deal for the betterment of the ecosystem in the nation today. By 2019, the forest coverage is estimated to have reached 14 per cent, following the enforcement of stringent environment conservation policies and strategies.
However, a major breakthrough was attained in the last two years; after Dr. Abiy Ahmed came to power. The first and foremost attention given in his development portfolio was revitalizing the policies and mainstreaming them with the overall development strategies. This was articulated in such a way that fosters climate-resilient economic growth thereby ensuring the prevalence of environment friendly, healthier and cleaner development path in the country. The premier personally modelled many by walking out in the street and planting trees and following their growth frequently. His unrelenting leadership and commitment to greening the country are in fact what the country has been demanding very badly.
Against the backdrop, Ethiopia has started huge afforestation campaigns in the last two years. Last year, Ethiopia marvelled the world by planting nearly 350 million tree seedlings in just 12 hours. The country has made an ambitious plan to plant five billion tree seedlings in the just started rainy season which will last for three months. This will be a mammoth, especially taking into account the COVID-19 bottlenecks which prohibit free movement and lending hands by staying closer. In the coming four years, the country aspires to plant 20 billion trees – quite an astounding number. All in all, the green legacy project upholds greening the country with a climate-resilient economy, which is in fact quite a flagship project in Africa.
Besides, the country’s electric power projects, including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, are green and renewable energy sources in line with global climate change accords such as the Paris accord which Ethiopia signed and ratified three years ago. In fact, Ethiopia always stood at the forefront in the move to curtail the impact of global climate change. No country in Africa is highly affected as Ethiopia by the impacts of climate change such as land degradation, deforestation and soil erosion. The high altitude and topography of the country coupled with the increasing number of population and dependency on natural resources were the reasons for uncontrollable soil erosion, land degradation and loss of fauna and flora.
It was with this realization that Ethiopia stood among the leading signatories in Africa; when the Paris Climate Change Accord was made. The agreement urges to curb carbon emission by 64 per cent by 2030; which is a mammoth undertaking that demands serious commitment. To achieve this ambitious objective, signatory countries devise various strategies. Ethiopia has been pressing ahead with the articulation of development plans and utilization of clean energy as a core mission, it was noted.
However, there are some concerned scholars who opposed Ethiopia’s move towards signing the Paris Accord ‘without careful considerations’. In fact, many African countries have signed the accord including Eritrea, except that Ethiopia moved one step ahead and ratified it three years ago. The reasons for Ethiopia to ratify the Paris accord, which the government said during the ratification was due to the benefits extra energy brings for the nation’s Climate-Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) implementation. Ethiopia has been implementing CRGE the Growth and Transformation (GTP’s) development blueprint. Besides, the ratification was also believed to further help developing nations. Generating financial resources, technology transfer and capacity buildings that would assist the nation’s endeavour to resist and mitigate the impact of climate change were also the advantages of ratifying the UN’s landmark accord, according to the government.
On the contrary, some scholars, both foreign and local stoutly believe otherwise. They say, to get out of the Paris accord, ‘Ethiopia should in principle agree with the World in international climate change agreements (such as the Paris climate accord), purely to avoid any political and economic sanctions from “Earth-friendly” nations and institutions; however, she should avoid becoming carbon neutral at the expense of adding costs and slowing her industrial development prospects. In fact, since CO2 emission (energy consumption) is directly correlated to economic prosperity and industrialization.’
Accordingly, they advise that Ethiopia should plan to increase her CO2 emission per capita as much as possible. The nation should understand that climate agreements such as the Paris accord are designed and destined to fail. Hence, Ethiopia should avoid carbon-tax, a different form of financial aid, poverty-trap; instead, she should plan on how to live with the inevitable global atmospheric CO2 concentration increase. The same is true for the majority of least developed countries missions.
These concerned scholars also believe that global climate change issue could be a neo-colonialism and neo-cold-war instruments designed by neo-liberal institutions; hence, if Ethiopia is willing to confront any political and economic burden from “Earth-friendly” nations and institutions, Ethiopia should lead other Africans’ towards the mid-way solution; and if “Earth-friendly” countries does not agree with such just and simple solution; then, Ethiopia should lead Africa, in following the USA, and exit from the Paris climate accord. In doing so, Ethiopia may repeat the leadership role she played during the African decolonization struggle.
Be it as it may, staying within the framework of the Paris accord or withdrawal due to its detrimental effects is what policymakers of the government have to decide. The country is moving towards a green economy and renewable energy platform as part of its internal development programs. The green energy development program is, therefore, plausible and long term investment; so that the coming generation will witness when they are hatched.
The Ethiopian Herald June 25, 2020
BY ENDALE ASSEFA
