The eyes and ears of the world are now in the heart of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai, where world leaders are meeting to exchange views and decide on the fate of our planet. Climate change is now a phenomenon that has been affecting the lives of people day in and day out.
The world has convened a number of summits, spoken more about the consequences of climate change, and passed decisions that have not been translated into action. The Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is mentioned in this regard.
The Cop 28 aims to address the climate crisis by agreeing on ways to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. This international conference, which commenced yesterday, is expected to pass important decisions that will be changed into practicality so as to save our plants from the impacts of climate change.
With the next round of these plans scheduled for 2025, the outcome of the global process could encourage countries to raise ambition and set new targets, exceeding existing policies and commitments.
Ethiopia is expected to actively participate and share its experiences in combating climate change and renewable energy. In this international conference, more than 130 countries will participate, and Ethiopia will share its experiences regarding the implementation of the green legacy initiative and the development of renewable energy.
Ethiopia’s participation at the conference is a golden opportunity for the country not only to share its experiences with other developing countries but also to learn from best practices around the world. For those who want to take lessons from the Green Legacy Initiative, the gate of Ethiopia has remained open.
Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative has multiple targets, as it naturally touches on various targets of the 2030 Agenda. Contribution to food security is one of the objectives of the initiative. In 2022 alone, more than 500 million seedlings were plants that have premium values in local and international markets, such as avocados, mangoes, apples, and papayas.
This directly feeds into the current drive to become food self-sufficient by promoting sustainable agriculture as envisaged in Sustainable Development Goal 2. The Initiative is a major flagship project that will help attain its adaptation goals as set in the National Adaptation Plan. Ethiopia is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change.
Frequent droughts, floods, and locust infestations are some of the manifestations of extreme climate events. Over the past four decades, the average annual temperature in Ethiopia is estimated to have risen by 0.37 degrees Celsius each decade. Directly linked to Goal 13 of the SDGs, this initiative complements Ethiopia’s efforts to reduce its vulnerability.
Moreover, forest conservation, reforestation, restoration of degraded land and soil, as well as the promotion of sustainable management of forests Ethiopia’s forest coverage has been declining for decades at an alarming rate. Between 2000 and 2013, the net loss of forest cover was 72,000 hectares per year, which is equivalent to 100,840 football fields.
The initiative intends to reverse this, as this is unsustainable in a country where 85 percent of the population depends on rain-fed agriculture. Overall, the innovative aspect of the initiative lies in its potential to address multiple objectives. This entails enormous benefits in environmental protection, restoration of overexploited and degraded natural resources such as surface soil and water, halting desertification, and many other interrelated objectives. The enormity of the inter-linkages will significantly contribute to Ethiopia’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
In the meeting, Ethiopia’s and other countries green experiences will be discussed, as will the challenges faced by countries and ways to enhance the fight against climate change. The implementation process of the Paris Climate Agreement and the financing of projects to combat climate change will also be evaluated at the conference.
In side meetings, the Ethiopian delegation will also hold bilateral discussions with various development organizations present at the conference. Ethiopia will carry out various activities, including ministerial side events and meetings with potential partners and decision-makers.
During the summit, an agreement will be reached to help increase the rate of reducing greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide emissions, which contributes to reducing the rate of increase in the planet’s temperature to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius.
In my opinion, Ethiopia has been going forward with remarkable results in terms of implementing the green legacy initiative. Taking this into consideration, the world should give its ears to Ethiopia and draw lessons from its action against climate change.
Apart from appreciating what Ethiopia has already been and is doing, the world should learn from the green practices of the country and replicate the practice for the world at large.
The international funding agencies should also assist countries like Ethiopia, considering their commitment to reverse climate change at national and continental levels.
BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 1 DECEMBER 2023
