30 Oct 2016

There is a necessity for countries to adapt climate change strategies to cope with harsh climatic change conditions.

Mr Joel Smith, a consultant in the field of climate change vulnerability and adaptation said this at a three-day workshop in Palapye to equip the policy makers in Botswana with skills to draw the National Adaptation Plan for the country.

The workshop was hosted by the United States Embassy in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism and the United Nations Development Programme.

Mr Smith said the current human activities will always have an effect on climate change in the future.

He said although such effects may not be felt in the coming decade, they will certainly influence climate change even in the next century, adding that climate change vulnerability and adaptation plan is necessary for Botswana to prepare for the future consequences.  
He said Botswana is doing well in adapting to climate change vulnerability and adaptation plan, adding that she even participated in a programme called US countries studies programme. For Botswana, he said climate change has enormous consequences such as insufficient rainfall, the land getting dry and hard with frequent rise of temperatures, hence Climate Change Adaptation Plan is very important for future developments of Botswana.

He said climate change can limit the development of the country and negatively influence water supply, agriculture, mining, wildlife, and natural resources and slows down development.

Mr Smith said the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) encourages countries to adopt national adaptation plan.

He said there are opportunities for countries to be organised, identify their needs and requests so that they can get support from other international organisations.

In an interview, Mr David Lesole, a lecturer from University of Botswana in the Department of Environmental Science, explained that Botswana joined UNFCCC in 1992 and that all members of the UNFCCC are required to give reports on how climate change affects them and how they address such challenges. ENDS