08 Nov 2021

Parliament has adopted a climate change policy in order to enhance government’s commitment towards reducing carbon emissions to 15 per cent by 2030. 

Delivering the State-of-the-Nation Address today, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the policy promoted access to carbon markets, climate finance and clean technologies such as solar energy. 

He said Botswana had managed to mobilise US$30 million from the Green Climate Fund to implement agriculture related adaptation interventions, particularly in Ngamiland, Bobirwa and Kgalagadi districts. 

He said other interventions by government aimed at reducing the effects of climate change included rolling out the biogas technology programme. 

He said the programme aimed to deliver small-scale digester plants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1 650 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2023. 

He noted that so far 97 small-scale bio-digesters had been constructed in the southern and Kgatleng districts, and that the gas was used for cooking, lighting and heating. 

President Masisi also noted that the level of ambient air in the country stood at 95 per cent, and that it demonstrated that Batswana continued to breathe good quality air. 

Additionally, he said government had expanded the air quality- monitoring network to cover Tsabong, Ghanzi, Kasane and Tamasane, and that it had also developed standards to monitor emission concentrations in the country. ENDS