By Prince J. Musa in Kenema
The Sierra Leone Environment Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Methodological Agency (SLMA) has engaged stakeholders in Kenema on the development of a national document on Climate Change.
The purpose of the engagement, according to officials, was to talk about the issues of climate change which affect the environment. They noted that the engagement would enable the participants to come up with valuable ideas towards the development of a Climate Change Policy.
The engagement, which was held with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), brought together paramount chiefs, representatives of the private sector, and the media.
In his statement, the Climate Change Focal Person at UNDP, Andrew Katta, said that the consultative review was to enhance the local authorities to come up with environmental problems that were occurring in their chiefdoms and to come up with tangible recommendations that would be embedded in the national document for action.
“We need collective contributions that will help to produce a document that will capture the views of the people across the country. We want to see the roles of key partners to combat the issues of climate and environmental protection,” he said.
He added that a nationally determined contribution will enhance the participation of all sectors since the document will be presenting the views of citizens and recommendations in relation to the challenges climate change is posing on the environment.
The Acting Deputy Director, Climate Change Secretariat, Environmental Protection Agency, Sheku Kanneh, noted that as an agency, they decided to collaborate with the Methodological Agency in a bid to meet the obligation of the Paris Agreement to address climate and to produce a nationally determined contribution.
“We need action to ensure that all factors that have threatened the environment are quickly mitigated. Local people need to come up with what they have put in place to address the issues of climate change. There is a need to put measures in place on how to reduce some of the pollution that goes into the air, which is called climate change action,” he said.
He noted that climate change impacted more on local people since they don’t have means to provide air conditioning at night, adding that drought, flooding and high temperature also affect local farmers greatly.
According to Kanneh, the local level engagement was very important in mitigating climate change by getting their concerns and recommendations through inclusion.
“We want local level knowledge in this document that will be owned by the people and private sectors are also very important in this action planning. The action of mining companies … has serious environmental impact and their input is necessary in developing this national document. We expect mining companies and timber loggers to plant trees as they cut them down in those communities they work,” he said.
Patrick Adu, a civil society activist, said the engagement was timely, noting that a community in Mandu Chiefdom was recently affected by windstorm because there were no trees that served as wind breakers.
He called on EPA to take full responsibility in enforcing environmental protection laws.
Copyright © 2020 Politico Online
