As a nation Ethiopia is determined to achieve middle-income status by 2025 while developing a green economy, which could harm the ecology of nature. Ethiopia is pushing to comply with green economy development values. The nation is engaged in improving crop and livestock production practices for higher food security and farmer income while reducing emissions through the real participation of communities at the urban and hinterlands. At the same time protecting and re-establishing forests for their economic and ecosystem services, including as carbon stocks.
According the strategy, it recognizes that achieving this through the conventional development path would result in dramatically increased carbon emissions and unsustainable use of natural resources. The climate‐resilient green economic strategy for Ethiopia demonstrates the commitment of Ethiopia to bypass the conventional approach to economic development and create a green economy where economic development goals are met in a sustainable way.
Ethiopia’s Climate Resilient Green Economy: Green economy strategy identifies the following four pillars of development in the green economic action plan: improve crop and livestock production practices for higher food security and farmer income while reducing emissions; protect and re‐establish forests for their economic and ecosystem services, including as carbon stocks, expand electricity generation from renewable sources of energy for domestic and regional markets, and leapfrog to modern and energy‐efficient technologies in transport, industrial sectors, and buildings.
In line with perspective, Ethiopia had conducted two round of green legacy initiatives that helped nation to plan seedlings throughout the nation with active participation of the communities. Yes, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) announced that this year’s green legacy program has embraced the East African countries and Ethiopia has prepared over one billion seedlings to its neighbors with a view to ensuring a shared prosperity in the region. The Premier’s remark came yesterday while launching the 2021 green legacy program which was held under the motto ‘Let’s make Ethiopia Greener.’
Noting Ethiopia’s intertwined fate with its neighbors, Abiy said that the country purses the principle of cooperation, not competition in relations with the East African nations. The plan to expand the green legacy to East Africa also showcases Ethiopia’s vision to prosperity would be cascaded to its neighbors. Agriculture Minister Omar Hussein said on the occasion that 7.7 billion seedlings are prepared to this year’s Green Legacy initiative whilst 6.6 billion are going to be planted in home. According to him, over one billion seedlings are made available to Eritrea, South Sudan, Somalia, Sudan and Kenya.
In his tweet prior to the launching event, the PM said that “As Ethiopians, our lives are strongly intertwined with trees and forest. Preventing flooding, food insecurity, environment-related conflicts, and other adverse effects is in our hands.” “When I call upon all Ethiopians to ‘Adorn Ethiopia’ the call is to cover our nation green to see beyond lines of divisions-region, ethnicity, religion sex, and in unity let us dress Ethiopia with prosperity and dignity the people of this great nation deserve,” he added. Over 25 million people are expected to partake in this year’s Green Legacy program that runs from May to September 2021, it was learnt.
Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Dr. Seleshi Bekele in his remarks at the national event organized by the Office of Prime Minister to brief private foreign investors on the Green Legacy Initiative called upon the global community to invest in reversing climate change. The Minister also presented implementation results of 2019 and 2020 and plan of 2021 Green Legacy Initiative to over 100 private Foreign Investors in Ethiopia.
“The world should invest in reversing climate change with similar practical initiative that immensely offset carbon and emission. GLI is also useful for reversing degradation, reducing sediment into GERD and increasing rainfall” the Minister paraphrased. In the past two years, Ethiopians have planted over 10 billion seedlings and have a plan for a 7 billion planting target in 2021. 1 billion of this target is to be planted in the neighboring countries, Dr. Seleshi said.
Ethiopia launched the 2021 edition Green Legacy Initiative yesterday under the motto ‘Let’s Adore Ethiopia’ The Office of Prime Minister has briefed foreign investors on the ongoing green legacy initiative. A number of investors of various countries operating in Ethiopia have attended the briefing session.
The role of investments in environmental protection has been highlighted on the occasion, and the briefing session is intended to notify the investors about the need to preserve natural resources. Ethiopia officially launched the 2021 edition of the Green Legacy Initiative. The nation is going to plant 6 seedlings at home and additional 1 billion saplings in neighboring countries in this rainy season.
Finally, since the transition to a green economy could have a large beneficial impact. It will transform current economic development practices and touching most sectors. Ethiopia has the domestic potential to contribute to the global effort to mitigate climate change by reducing around 250 Mt CO2 emissions a year in 2030 as compared to conventional development practices, 60 percent less than estimated for a business-as-usual approach and near-zero net emissions. To this end donors and development partners should support the effort for the common good of our globe the theme adoring Ethiopia will be materialized through the well-established approach.
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
The Ethiopian Herald May 23/2021
