31 May 2022

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi yesterday arrived in Stockholm, Sweden to participate in the Stockholm +50 international environment commemoration as well as to engage key global climate sector stakeholders on Botswana’s behalf.

Held under the theme “Reflecting on the urgent need for actions to achieve a healthy planet and prosperity of all,” the event will see President Masisi participate in the leadership dialogues aimed at engaging governments, indigenous peoples, businesses and the private sector, civil society, youth and other relevant stakeholders.

The engagements are aimed at serving as a springboard to accelerate the achievement of United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through tackling barriers to implementation, connecting actions and creating the pathways that reach across generations.

The dialogues will also give leaders an opportunity to reflect on commitments made in the past towards environmental protection and on progress towards the SDGs.

Among the considerations before the summit are to address the challenges of climate change, loss of biodiversity and pollution with a view to creating a balance between economic, social and environmental considerations for sustainable development.

The leadership dialogues will also focus on pursuing actions that lead to a healthy planet and prosperity for all, including the global goal to conserve 30 percent of lands and oceans by 2030.

The President and his delegation will share the experience of Botswana, where 40 percent of the landmass is already under Protected Area status including game reserves, national parks, bird sanctuaries, and forest reserves.

Botswana will also seek global support in adaptation strategies towards environmentally sound and clean technologies as developed in the country’s National Adaptation Strategy.

Stockholm +50 international environment commemoration celebrates 50 years of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm in June 1972. It was the first major global conference to have made environmental concerns a major issue, leading to half a century of global environmental action since.

Accompanying the President are ministers Dr Lemogang Kwape,  and Ms Phildah Kereng  of Foreign Affairs and of Environment and Tourism respectively as well as other senior Government officials. ends