September 22, 2021
As the focal point for Multilateral Environmental Agreement (MEA), the Environment Protection Agency Sierra Leone has on the 17th September 2021 ended a day regional consultative workshop on the development of the country’s National Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan in Bo southern region.
The meeting was convened to get inputs from regional stakeholders into what is expected to be a national document.
Sierra Leone as a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement has an obligation to develop a strategy to reduce its national emission level thereby contributing to the global fight against climate change.
The development of this document demonstrates Sierra Leone’s commitment to its international obligation and provides the pathway to environmental sustainability.
The consultant who is working on the document Dr. David Kargbo said the world was witnessing significant warming, with the last decade recording the highest warming in history. There are indications that the next decade will be even warmer that will give rise to even more extreme whether events with untold consequences for ecosystems, livelihoods, human health and sustainability.
A recent report launched by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stated that unless there are immediate, rapid and large scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to 1.5°C will be beyond reach.
This therefore call the need for urgent actions at national levels to reduce emission levels. This is the direction Sierra Leone is heading.
The development of this document will ensure that appropriate actions are taken to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Dr. Kargbo remarked that this document will provide the pathway for the sustainable development of the country and provides opportunity to transition into a middle income country.
The Assistant Director of Climate Change at the Agency, Mr. Alfred Tejan Jondie said climate change issues were crosscutting and affect every sector.
He said the more reason participants were drawn from various sectors including environment, agriculture, road and transport, energy, local Council, civil society and the media amongst others to discuss how climate change was impacting various sectors, and identify strategies that will be put in place to minimize climate impacts.
He added that the idea was to mainstream climate issues in all institutions so that it can be factored into the programmes and operations including budget of various institutions. He said all the contributions from participants will be reflected into the draft document which will be validated on a later date for submission at the global stage. He concluded that the submission of the document was important not only to meet Sierra Leone’s reporting obligation but also provide opportunity for a lot of projects to be funded using the document as a point of reference.