04 Jun 2020

Botswana joins the rest of the world in celebrating World Environment Day today with the theme; Time for nature. 

In an interview, the national coordinator of Botswana Climate Change Network, Ms Tracy Sonny said since 1974, the day had been celebrated every fifth of June, where people from various backgrounds identified actions that communicated the need to preserve the environment, as biodiversity supports life either on land or below water. 

Ms Sonny said human interaction with nature continued to affect the latter’s existence, saying continued deforestation encroachment on wildlife habitats and intensive farming among others, pushed nature beyond its limits. 

She highlighted that efforts should be made towards advocating for policies that are responsive to the global needs for conservation of biodiversity, adding that the Post 2020 Biodiversity Framework serves as an important basis for targeted action for maintaining biodiversity and commitment to save nature. 

Post 2020 Biodiversity Framework is a stepping stone towards achieving the convention on biological diversity’s 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature.  

Further, Ms Sonny indicated that this year, the day would be commemorated through a virtual meeting to adhere to health measures to avoid the spread of the Coronavirus. 

She explained that the virtual meeting would host different experts in the field of environment.

The objective will be to identify interventions of ending the drivers of biodiversity loss, explore strategies and opportunities for mobilising innovative finance for nature based solutions for climate change and enhance awareness on feasible eco-system based adaptation approaches that can be adopted. Ends