18 Feb 2014

The Kalahari Conservation Society (KCS) has underscored the need for Botswana to play a significant role in the realisation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Addressing a consultative meeting for leaders of the North East District on the proposed climate change policy recently, an official of KCS, Mr Baboloki Autlwetse, noted that Botswana, as a party to the convention, must work hard towards attainment of the UNFCCC objectives.

Mr Autlwetse said some of the objectives included stabilising greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere as well as enabling economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner. He said the UNFCCC called for signatories to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change.

The convention also enjoined members to ensure that food production was not affected by global warming and climate change.

Underlining the importance of doing all possible to combat the effects of climate change, Mr Autlwetse emphasised the need for all to understand that climate change could undermine the ability of developing countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

He said although Botswana did not do much in terms of producing greenhouse gases, it was important for the country to do all in its power to combat the effects of greenhouse gases produced by other countries.

Mr Autlwetse said because Botswana had begun to feel the impact of climate change, government saw it necessary to put in place a policy to guide how issues pertaining to the matter could be dealt with.

Citing examples of the signs that climate change had indeed begun to affect Botswana, he observed that there was, unlike in past years, an increase in the occurrence of such disasters as droughts and floods; an expansion of the geographical coverage of pests and diseases as well as the loss of some plant and animal species. ENDS