- Posted by Modou S. Joof on March 21, 2010 at 6:04pm
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Forestry Official Says the World is at a Critical Cross Road
Banjul, The Gambia (TNBES) In a bid to discuss ways and means of tackling one of the hottest issues which has serious challenges in our global society, stakeholders in West Africa convened a two-day Sub-Regional Conference on Climate Change in West Africa.
The programme, better known as the West African Conference on Climate Action, was held in Banjul from 18 to 19 March, 2010.
The Conference time when evidence of the destructive impacts of climate change are being felt all over the world, the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Forestry and the Environment said in his opening
remarks.
remarks.
Mr. Kebba N. Sonko noted that the world has seen over the past decade huge loses both in human and material resources at an amount no one can value in terms of money.
“This has compelled us to act together to avoid enormous calamities that will undermine all our efforts to uplift the lives of our populations and the highly vulnerable rural community in West Africa,” he
acknowledge.
acknowledge.
According to him, the entire global community is at a critical cross road vis-à-vis for the formulation and adoption of concrete strategies and action programmes that will address the burning climate-related
issues of the day.
issues of the day.
He pointed out that attitudinal change is required in terms of new lifestyles for adaptation, hence
the continuing problems of depleting
water resources for our expanding urban sectors; unsustainable forest resources
exploitation for domestic and industrial use; the degradation of agricultural
lands threatening our food security; the southward expansion of the Sahara
Desert desiccation and covering our productive crop and woodlands and the use
of fossil fuels for industrial energy in order to satisfy over expanding
population.
the continuing problems of depleting
water resources for our expanding urban sectors; unsustainable forest resources
exploitation for domestic and industrial use; the degradation of agricultural
lands threatening our food security; the southward expansion of the Sahara
Desert desiccation and covering our productive crop and woodlands and the use
of fossil fuels for industrial energy in order to satisfy over expanding
population.
He also told the participant that in order to confront these challenges in the Sub-Region, “they need collectively, an immediate search for immediate solutions that are technically feasible, socially sound and
environmentally friendly to ensure a better livelihood for all and sundry.
environmentally friendly to ensure a better livelihood for all and sundry.
He further highlighted some of the valuable commitments of the Government of The Gambia for the implementation of programmes and projects of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), as indeed
all other Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs) and also the very signing
and subsequent ratification of all relevant MEAs. “All clear a testimony of The
Gambia Government’s commitment to fight climate change in Africa,” he said. Vol:2
Issn:134
all other Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs) and also the very signing
and subsequent ratification of all relevant MEAs. “All clear a testimony of The
Gambia Government’s commitment to fight climate change in Africa,” he said. Vol:2
Issn:134
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