BY ADDISALEM MULAT
It goes without saying that climate change is one of the stumbling blocks that has been throwing cold water on the wellbeing of the world population residing under the world skies once in a great while.
It is evident that as seasons have been ever-changing, temperatures have been ascending, and sea levels have been going up around the globe, the repercussions of climate changes have been manifested in the left, right, and center of the world now and then.
If the whole world fails to get to the bottom of the problem in a short space of time by bringing a considerable amount of strategies into play climate change will put the whole thing worldwide upside down and turn the lives of the whole world into a living hell beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Although contending with climate change is a paramount challenge for the entire world, most countries have been attaching significance to build climate change on the globe whatever the cost may be.
In a similar manner, as most people unanimously agree, climate change is turning out to be a threat to Ethiopia, its impingements have been reflected on the health, transport, agriculture, energy, industry, natural resources, and things of that type.
Above and beyond, apart from reversing the gains made in the all-inclusive change, climate change has the prospective to slow down the vivacious pecuniary growth of the nation and escalating the social and economic complications in all parts of the country.
However, nowadays following the Green Legacy initiative of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the general public managed to plant billions of trees with flying colors in the length and breadth of the country. On the basis thereof, the whole lot concerning rehabilitation of degrading land all over the country has been moving in the right direction.
Along the same lines, as deforestation and degradation are some of the underlying factors for climate change which is an ecological hazard for the most part in the unindustrialized country, every Tom, Dick, and Harry should endeavor to straighten out the problem standing by the side of the government.
In a fashion similar, all without exception residing in the left, right, and center of the country should be able to keep an eye on the planted tree seedlings. In doing so, the intended target can be with no trouble achieved at some point in the future. From this perspective, everybody should be able to work like two peas in a pod with pertinent bodies.
Unless everyone irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, and other related aspects pulls out all the stops to plant trees and rehabilitate degraded lands all over the country, the envisioned target cannot be attained within a short period time.
Intending to enhance forest management and strengthen the effective use of forest products on a national scale, result-oriented cognizance conception needs to be provided for the community on the whole.
According to Sebsebe Demissew, Professor of Plant Systematics & Biodiversity, Department of Plant Biology & Biodiversity Management, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, it should also be remembered that the Federal Government of Ethiopia in 2011 had launched a ‘vision’ to build a Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) by 2025.
The development of a green economy was planned to be based on four pillars: “Agriculture: Improving crop and livestock production practices for higher food security and farmer income while reducing emissions; Forestry: Protecting and re-establishing forests for their economic and ecosystem services, including carbon stocks; Power: Expanding electricity generation from renewable energy for domestic and regional markets.
I am not evaluating whether the GCRE’s vision is realized or not as we are approaching 2025, the initiative by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in planting millions of trees in deforested landscapes will undoubtedly contribute to “protecting and re-establishing forests for their economic and ecosystem services, including as carbon stocks”
To minimize the impacts and maximize the opportunities posed by climate change, Ethiopia must plan and implement appropriate actions. Building a climate-resilient green economy is a long-term ambition, thus, a huge and urgent challenge for the country.
According to Professor Masresha Fetene, an Emeritus Professor of Plant Ecophysiology at Addis Ababa University, forestry had its ups and downs. The sector has suffered from institutional instability for a long time. It has come under different ministries at different times, and that had its effect on the continuity of visions, programs, and implementations.
There was a lot of progress in the sector in the 1970s and 1980s when there was a successful concerted effort in plantation forestry. The little commercial timber products that we see currently in the market have their origin from this period.
Even though the status of forest cover of the country is declining, efforts are being exerted by stakeholders on a national scale. Although the left, right, and center of the country have been endowed with a wide spectrum of fauna and flora, the intended target has not been achieved.
The Ethiopian Herald February 24/2021
