BY EPHREM ANDARGACHEW
Climate change or environmental issues are borderless and touches human life and its day-to-day activities. Hence, several attempts have been held to address the issues and still the issues continue to be addressed at a multilateral level via green diplomacy.
Currently, Climate or Environmental diplomacy gets dominance in international relations, and states, governmental and non-governmental organizations, Civics organizations, and so on are actively involved to address the issues of climate change.
Moreover, Climate or Environmental diplomacy addresses issues and actions related to environmental security by comprising the involvement of various stakeholders. It also calls for preparing appropriate risk assessment and risk management strategies at a global strategic level. Climate diplomacy also means prioritizing climate action with partners worldwide – in diplomatic dialogues, public diplomacy, and external policy instruments
Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program Inger Andersen argues that the right to a clean and healthy environment matters because it compels governments, businesses and institutions to respect, protect and fulfill that right. Enforcing this right could change so much. It could reduce pollution, which affects human health and is a significant cost to health systems. It could protect environmental defenders and indigenous peoples from persecution. It could make our cities more liveable. Guaranteeing the right to a clean and healthy environment could change everything.
It is true that the right to a clean and healthy environment is imperative to protect not only this generation but also the coming generation from environmental hazards since environmental challenges have contributed to flooding, soil erosion, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and so on. Hence, green diplomacy can help to mitigate climate change effects.
Taking the importance of green diplomacy into consideration, Ethiopia has been discharging its local, regional, and global responsibilities in fighting climate change. The Horn of Africa, as a region, has frequently experienced recurrent droughts. Especially, arid and semi-arid parts of Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia have been seriously affected by drought and related problems.
Besides, climate change causes crop production to be below average, rising cereal prices, poor rangeland conditions, reduced livestock production, and drought-related animal deaths in many areas. Cognizant of these negative impacts, Ethiopia set the Green Legacy Initiative project in 2019 to plant tree seedlings in mitigating climate change which helps to foster sustainable development.
The Green Legacy Initiative is a milestone to fight climate change. Apart from aspiring various environmental protection and conservation works, it targeted to see 20 billion tree seedlings to be planted across the nation by the end of 2022. Accordingly, by the years 2019 and 2020, over 23 million and 27 million Ethiopians have participated in the seedling plantation campaign respectively. Even in 2021 alone, Ethiopia has planted about six billion tree seedlings. So far the country has planted 18 billion tree seedlings across the nation. The country has also launched this year’s green legacy initiatives.
Unlike other initiatives, in this planting tree seedlings campaign, in the past three years, Ambassadors, International Organizations, and diplomatic communities residing in the country have actively participated. Moreover, the initiative gives the Horn countries to link through green diplomacy. Ethiopia has given tree seedlings to the Horn countries to plant in accordance with their weather conditions.
Addressing the 35th African Union leaders and governments summit, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called on neighboring countries to participate in the green legacy initiative adding that it is critical to Ethiopia’s aspirations of building a green and climate-resilient economy. “Our natural environment is our important determinant of human health.”
Indeed, Ethiopia previously focuses on economic diplomacy while the current government gives due attention to both economic and green diplomacy. Because the emphasis on Green Diplomacy in the Horn countries could pave the way to partnership and promote the principle of working for common goal principles.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Demeke Mekonnen said that Ethiopia’s green diplomacy activities have been linked to the Horn of Africa. This would help to mitigate climate change and environmental degradation together.
The people and the government of Ethiopia have successfully planted over 18 billion seedlings in the past three years. This has been implemented as a tree-planting program that is an example for all Africans and the world, including the region, he added.
The region has been affected by climate change: floods, droughts, desert locusts, and other climate-related natural disasters have increased food insecurity for millions of citizens in the region. Therefore, afforestation is taken as one of the most effective ways to mitigate climate change and Ethiopia has declared its readiness to supply tree seedlings to neighboring countries to inspire regional efforts.
Aware of the positive impact of afforestation, Djibouti becomes the first country to apply the green legacy initiative with the belief of reducing the recurrent drought that occurs frequently. The government of Ethiopia is also working to expand the initiative to neighboring countries to create a green Africa by supplying seedlings.
According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Demeke, Ethiopia’s regional ties and influence in East Africa should be reflected in peace, development, problem-solving, and effective partnership. Furthermore, the government is working to further enhance its cooperation in the economic and infrastructure sectors through green diplomacy.
Green diplomacy is being undertaken in the region to enhance Ethiopian influence and strategic partnership in the Horn of Africa. This helps Ethiopia to overcome its national and international challenges and realize its renaissances. Hence, the achievements of the Green Legacy Initiatives program should be repeated in peace and security, economic and social sectors.
Along with working to ensure peace and stability in the country, the government will work tirelessly to plant tree seedlings with neighboring countries which is important to mitigate climate change effects, he explained.
Former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn in his part noted that Ethiopia is achieving remarkable results with a green legacy initiative. The success of being registered under the green legacy initiative is good but every citizen including the regional countries should continue to work on it.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 3 JULY 2022
