Ethiopia’s Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed has announced that the second most populous country in Africa is attempting to foster a green culture in order to win the fight against climate change.
Ahmed, who made this known on Monday, said that although the country was one of the most vulnerable to climate change, it was “doing its share” to alleviate the effects.
He said that green jobs have been produced around the country as a result of various environmental initiatives and that his government remains committed to ensuring a sustainable and climate-resilient Ethiopia for the new generation.
“Doing so entails taking bold action now and instilling a green culture as we go along,” he said.
According to reports, Ethiopia’s Green Legacy initiative has helped create more than 750,000 jobs — mostly for women and young people — since 2018. The initiative has helped plant 25 billion seedlings within four years, equal to removing 64 million gasoline-powered cars from the road for one year.
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“The Green Legacy initiative, therefore, is our bold action, which has created national awareness on climate change and enabled the creation of green jobs and is making a positive impact on our surrounding environment,” said Mr Ahmed.
Speaking further he said, “Our initiative will certainly contribute towards removing the equivalent of hundreds of millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reduce deforestation.”
The State of the Climate in Africa 2021 report showed that rainfall patterns are being disrupted across the continent, glaciers are disappearing, and key lakes are shrinking. Despite the continent’s vulnerability to climate change, as a region, it contributes the least amount of emissions.
And rising water demand, combined with limited and unpredictable supplies, could intensify conflict and displacement.
“Although we are at the mercy of high emitters, we are nevertheless committed to doing our part,” said Mr Ahmed. “In this regard, Ethiopia has developed its long-term net-zero and climate-resilient 2050 strategy, which will enhance our ability to plan for decarbonisation of the economy.”
During one of the opening speeches on Monday, Majid Al Suwaidi, Director General of Cop28 said that the UAE has also set an example of how climate action can boost the national economy. He said that Cop28 would help create more awareness of this in other countries.
“The UAE is calling on the whole world to remember that not only is the scientific case for climate action clear but so too is the economic case,” said Mr Suwaidi. “And the UAE can testify to this from our own direct experience. We have spent the last two decades diversifying our economy and turning our nation into a powerhouse of clean energy.
This story was adapted from the National News.
