Actionaid Launches Scooping Report on Climate Change
Mohamed Konneh
Actionaid International Sierra Leone on Thursday 10th November 2022 launched the Climate Risks and Opportunities scooping report on Climate Change bringing community people including government officials.
Launching the report the Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Titus Williams thanked Actionaid for having this program noting that it is very important not only to the planet but Sierra Leone as a whole.
Dr. Titus Williams said government dedicated a whole cluster to climate change in it Medium Term National Development Plan and this shows how important the government takes the process in mitigating climate change.
He said Sierra Leone like other least develop countries feel the brunt of climate change and yet the country emit less.
‘Preliminary echoes from Egypt is already asking for reparation for damages caused to the environment by rich nations. We have seen western nation going back to cold mines as a result of the Russia Ukraine War, he said.’
The Deputy Minister of Development and Economic Planning said government applauds Actionaid for having a conference like this and that the message from the conference will add to the already message at COP 27 in Egypt.
The Chairman of the occasion Abdulai Bockarie in his statement said Sierra Leone and other least developed countries are not the makers of climate change but that they suffer the most.
He said loss and damage is high on the agenda of COP 27 and that people who contributed more on climate change should pay more.
Mr. Bockarie noted that what is been discussed here will be cataloged and put on paper and will be presented to our delegates at COP 27.
Executive Director of Actionaid Sierra Leone Foday Bassie Swaray speaking earlier said ‘we are living in a climate emergency and we must not lose sight of it.
‘Climate change is real and that people living in poverty are feeling the brunt of it. The mudslide in 2017 that took away lives of Sierra Leoneans is a case in point and as the world meet on climate change in Egypt we are here to send a strong message.
We want our leaders to take action and come up with real and tangible actions to mitigate climate change, he said.’
Mr. Swaray noted that the aspect on loss and damage is key adding that coastal storms are causing significant damage ranging from sand storm and heavy wind.
‘The raising sea level is another challenge and that we are losing land including livelihood loss. Flashflood continue and if no actions is taken it will continue to affect us as a nation, he said.’
Mr. Swaray noted that the big issue is we must not disconnect the indebtedness
‘We need to address the debt crisis and that debt payment will impact negatively on low income countries like Sierra Leone.
Emma Spicer, Development Director, at the British High Commission in Sierra Leone making her statement said the aspect of debt is very important and this is something they are looking at.
She said the British government has been working with government on energy thereby developing mini grid within the country.
‘We are working on forest reserve and protecting Sierra Leone’s forest. Sierra Leone has not done well on climate financing and much program has not been put forward, she said.’
The UN Country Representative Babatunde Ahonsi said the program is timely and that getting the world to commit to climate change mitigation is important.
‘We are pleased with the discussion are done this way having an informed audience to discuss this issue. The ongoing COP has put on its agenda loss and damage and there are serious issues put on the COP agenda.
He said on loss and damage which are basically climate reparation we will see more money on loss and damage.
‘How can we ensure that the capacity gap are dealt with? This is important to deal with those issues. Are we able to work with government to be able to attract funding? Sierra Leone should be able to conserve it forest by stopping tree cutting. We should be talking about timber logging. Sierra Leone should be able to ask for climate reparation but we should be asking with our heads up high, he said.’
