09 Nov 2021

The ongoing COP26 negotiations should emphasise tailor-made resources targeting individual needs of countries, says Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism Ms Philda Kereng

“We need to acknowledge that countries have special and peculiar needs and the adaptation support should address those varying needs. There is diversity in countries’ needs, hence it is important to tailor-make resources for such,” she stressed in an interview.

In the case of Botswana, she said, there was need for capacity building and support in order to address extreme weather conditions emanating from climate change effects such as floods, droughts and heat waves.

Ms Kereng said the country also needed to have resilience in sectors such as water, land and agriculture to efficiently address climate change effects.

“We must be able to address loss and damage through specific and targeted resources in order to reduce expenditure on social protection,” she added.

She said it was regrettable that developing countries had limited access to climate finance despite needing it the most.

The minister called for increased collaboration on funding to accelerate adaptation measures in less developed countries.

Minister Kereng however said she was impressed that the COP26 negotiations enhanced inclusivity by encouraging local communities to play a role in combating climate change.

She said the negotiations  would not only enhance implementation of Botswana’s climate change policy but would further address priority areas as identified by a local COP26 model conducted in April.

“I am happy that COP26 covers a wide range of issues affecting Botswana. The deliberations and negotiations will go a long way in enhancing implementation of the climate change policy through capacity building,” she said.
 

As the end of negotiations approaches, COP26 president, Mr Alok Sharma has called on countries to commit to their ambitions for effective global action against climate change and its effects.

He told a ministers’ meeting that even though reaching a consensus was not smooth sailing, considering unique and peculiar needs of the parties, it was imperative that countries showed a high level of commitment to their pledges.

Mr Sharma commended the negotiators for making progress in the first week of the two-week conference.

The negotiations, which end on Friday, have covered key issues including financial support for poorer countries and the 2015 Paris Agreement in which parties agreed to limit temperature rises to below two degrees Celsius.
Botswana is taking part in the negotiations through the African Group of Negotiators and G77. Ends