BY DARGIE KAHSAY
World leaders have gathered at the Sharm El-Sheikh city of Egypt to discuss and find solutions to the looming global threat of climate change. Since Monday, the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 27) of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC) is underway in Sharm El-Sheikh city attended by participants from over 190 countries including heads of state and governments, regional and international organizations, private and research organizations. Now, all climate-concerned actors are in Africa, in Egypt, to find solutions for the most critical problem of the world this time, climate change.
All actors, decision-makers, financial sources, researchers and stakeholders of the planet are in Sharm El-Sheikh under one roof. The world needs a real solution from the global actors and decision-makers in the climate sector, not new promises. The world’s suffering from climate action is worsening from year to year and the devastating impacts are continued to consume human lives and the economy of the world. It is time to change the status quo and business as usual moment, the world is in a critical time and needs only action, just now.
In addition to reaching a consensus to action and putting a practical roadmap to solve the world’s climate crisis, the world should recognize and praise the developing country’s efforts in combating climate change. Not only recognizing, but the developing countries that invest beyond their economic capacity to combat climate change should also be funded to support their effort. Every climate action contributes its share to save the world from the further climate crisis and these efforts should be promoted and supported.
In climate action, Ethiopia stands as one of the countries that are top in the list in terms of commitment. Ethiopia’s multidimensional actions in combating climate change remain exemplary actions and the world should recognize Ethiopia’s endless efforts and should take lessons to expand the actions. Ethiopia invests its maximum capacity both in the mitigation and adaptation climate actions to save the health and safety of the environment.
Ethiopia’s climate action focuses on every sector as the country is striving to build an environmentally friendly green economy. Hence, Ethiopia’s economic development endeavours give due priority to nature in addition to its direct investments to protect nature through reforestation, environmental protection, and soil and water conservation efforts. In addition, its energy production focuses on renewable energy sources that make its energy sources environmentally friendly.
As a developing country, Ethiopia has ambitious development plans as the country plans to become a middle-income economy country. Though the country is striving to become a middle-income economy by mobilizing all its resources and capacities, it gives due attention to additional investments to make the economic development journey healthy and environmentally friendly. Its industrial parks are the best examples of building a climate-resilient green economy as they give due attention to environmental protection.
Ethiopia has more than ten industrial parks that are operational and under construction. The parks give due attention to environmental protection, including applying modern wastage treatment technologies. The parks also use only renewable energy sources for their production as most parks are home to different manufacturing factories. Every factory is also responsible to take all necessary measures to protect the environment from any pollution.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia is leading the world in planting trees for the past four consecutive years. Ethiopia plants over 25 billion seedlings with its National Green Legacy initiative to increase the forest coverage of the country.
With an ambitious plan, by 2030, Ethiopia aims to increase its forest coverage from the current 17 percent to 30 percent. Ethiopia’s greening initiative was exemplary not only in planting seedlings but also on average over 80 per cent of the planted seedlings are growing with continuous caring. Now, Ethiopia is expanding its Green Legacy to its neighbours. Recently youth groups were sent to seven African countries to plant and promote planting seedlings to combat climate change.
The fast economic development of the country demands high energy. Its energy production only focuses on renewable energy sources, from hydro, solar, wind and geothermal sources. In addition, to minimize the emissions from the transport sector, Ethiopia is promoting Electric Vehicles.
Ethiopia also gives due focus to protecting and expanding natural parks to make these parks home to diversified biodiversity. In addition, Ethiopia’s attention to developing new recreational parks promotes both tourism and natural protection. The Entoto Natural Park, which already started operation and the parks under construction, and the Wonchi and Gorgora projects are among the newly developing tourist attraction sites.
All these actions are climate-friendly actions that Ethiopia is implementing with limited resources just to show its commitment to combating climate change. Such climate actions from third-world countries should be promoted, praised and supported at global forums like the COP 27 to further and expand these efforts globally. Ethiopia should get recognition for its endeavours in the climate sector. Financial and technological support from the global actors would also accelerate such efforts of the developing world countries.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2022
