Environment, Forest and Climate change Commission in collaboration of Wetlands International Regional Office in Nairobi organized a workshop this week in Addis Ababa.
The program aimed at validating the research outcomes of two imminent scholars conducted on ways to exploring the impact of the Ramsar Convention Ratification- a Convention aimed at to safeguard the wetlands for sustainable development- in Ethiopia, and to learn the real potential impacts of Ethiopia’s accession to the Convention.
Addressing the workshop, Professor Fekadu Beyene, Commission’s Commissioner noted that the wise use of wetlands and their ecosystems is vital for the sustainable provision of water security, biodiversity, climate regulation, sustainable development and human livelihoods and health.
Wetlands provide a wide range of important ecosystem services, placing them at the heart of sustainable development. Wetland degradation has been shown to result in both environmental and economic difficulties and the aggravation of multiple hazards.
For these reasons, wetlands play a key role in the endvours of a country to meet all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as, Agenda 2063 of the Africa Union.
Ethiopia has a long tradition of protecting and promoting the wise use of wetland resources. More recently, numerous wetlands related laws, policies and strategies have been adopted at both the Federal and local levels. Many of the regional states have taken steps to formulate one or more general environment law designed to protect and conserve nation’s natural resources and wetlands.
Such instruments have helped to slow or reverse some wetland degradation though given the particular nature of wetlands special treatment is required.
Professor Fekadu further noted that the Commission has drafted a standard on National Wetlands Convention, Protection and Utilization Proclamation, and when enacted it will provide a comprehensive legal framework to manage wetlands in sustainable manner.
“Sustainable wetland management requires strong partnerships and international collaboration. At the international level, the Ramsar Convention has developed an effective framework for the promotion of such partnerships.”
According to him, Ethiopian strives to obtain all available information and duly consider the potential impacts before ratifying or acceding to any multilateral agreements.
After going through relevant laws and strategies of the nation by two eminent scholars, they had come out with recommendations saying Ethiopian should be part of the Convention.
Dr. Melese Damtie, Lecturer at Addis Ababa University School of Law on his part suggested Ethiopia to join and sign Ramsar Convections saying the move enables the nation to make the best possible use of its resources in the quest for sustainable development.
According to him, while wetlands are home to more than 40 percent of the world’s species, including freshwater fish, which provide a vital source of protein to almost three billion people, they are the most rapidly declining ecosystems in the world.
To the contrary in many countries, wetlands have been equated with wastelands a place to be drained, filled in burnt off, and re-purposed for other uses.
Scientific studies show that almost 87 percent of the earth’s wetlands have been destroyed since the 1700’s with 64 percent of wetlands having been lost in the last one hundred years, he added.
Ethiopia is naturally endowed with diverse wetland ecosystems that provide countries socio-economic and ecological services and benefits. The country’s wetland ecosystems are among the most productive and have been utilized by humans for generations.
It is estimated that 1.5 essential functions such as ensuring the availability of drinking water, agriculture, assimilating organic waste and improving water quality, reducing flood risks and soil erosion, providing habitats for a range of species and ensuring groundwater recharge.
According to him, these wetland resources are facing serious threats and exposed to increased degradation challenges.
Climate change and increasing demands on alternative water resources means that increased numbers of people and livestock are utilizing wetland resources causing increased pressure and lost wetland resilience.
This loss of resilience is resulting in shrinking wetlands, water resources drying up and droughts hitting land and the populations’ dependent on it, more severely.
The Ethiopian wetlands mainly harbor many endemic and migratory species those that have not only of extreme value to Ethiopia, but also for the world. If strong action is taken to protect these wetlands and promote proper management, the effects felt across diverse landscapes will reduce significantly.
According to him, most of nation laws, strategies and policies align with the Convention. Thus, to tune this, pertinent stakes should come together and shore up efforts to sign the Convention, and work on to ensure established wetland practices.
Commission’s Policy, Law and Standards Research and Development Director General, Ayele Hegena noted that the recommendations are valuable in shaping nation effort in joining the Ramsar Convention.
“The objective of the workshop is to collect and adopt comments and feedbacks from stakeholders and validate the findings of the research report.”
The Commission will keep on working with all stakes and ready to inculcate research reports and reconsider in developing the related documents, he added.
The Ethiopian Herald June 26/2019
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
