18 Sep 2022

Mogoditshane community has been commended for its   participation in the World Clean-up campaign, a clear testament that government has enabled communities to contribute towards the achievements of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) led World Clean-Up campaign in Mogoditshane started at Nkoyaphiri location and ended at Ledumadumane on Saturday.

Speaking at the end of the campaign, the Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, Mr Tumiso Rakgare said Botswana remained committed to the 2030 Development Agenda.

“These integrated global goals form a blueprint towards achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. 

With this agenda there is a concerted effort towards environmental initiatives which will enhance sustainable development in future,” he said.

The area MP said the Agenda also ensured that no one was left behind as the country moved towards achieving the sustainable development goals.

He said since Botswana adopted the agenda, the country has adopted and implemented national risk reduction strategies in line with the Framework for Risk Reduction 2015 – 2030.

Mr Rakgare said communities could, therefore, act before a negative impact set on their daily lives as a result of urbanisation, increasing industry and community size and population density.

“We believe all of you here can attest to the recent climate change to the opposite extremes, where winters are extremely cold and prolonged while the summers are extremely hot and the rainy seasons are unreliable and unpredictable as compared to before,” he said.

He said the scenario had led to imbalance and mismatch in the communities, livelihoods and food security as production means had skewed to the higher extremes, especially for developing countries such as Botswana.

Mr Rakgare said sport had also  been impacted by climate change.

He said the International Olympic Committee had pledged to reduce carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2030, and to host climate positive Olympic Games from 2030.

This, he said, meant BNOC had to play its part in promoting the safeguarding of the planet.

The minister, therefore, appealed to Batswana to practice proper litter disposal and recycle waste whenever possible.

To conclude the day, trees were planted at the Ledumadumane kgotla, which the minister said should contribute towards reversing land degradation and halt biodiversity loss, which he said were key to minimising the impact on climate change. BOPA