ADDIS ABABA, November 25, 2009—H.E. Ato Girma Woldegiorgis, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, has said “concerted efforts are needed to better understand climatic change and [to] try to act together by pulling resources without playing the blame game.”
The President made the statement during the launch and dissemination conference of the World Development Report 2010: Development and Climate Change, and the World Bank Climate Change Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa Making Development Climate Resilient, which took place in Ethiopia at the United Nations Conference Center on November 16, 2009.
The efforts and most of the achievements so far made in accelerating development and economic growth and alleviating poverty in many countries are at risk of quickly dissipating because of the changing climate and occurrence of extreme events, according to President Woldegiorgis.
“For low income and poor African countries whose economies are largely based on natural resources, the warming of the earth in temperature by the end of this century would stress various types of ecosystems,” he said.
He also indicated that options that could help make development more climate resilient include mitigation and adaptation actions. The mitigation opportunities for Africa are linked to more sustainable natural resource management including adopting sustainable land and water management practices, adopting sustainable forest and savanna woodland management, harnessing cleaner energy sources and creating sustainable urban transport systems. The President said the developed world should also reduce their carbon footprints by adopting technologies and best practices and changing their consumption and production patterns.
State Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Chair of the National Climate Change Forum, Dr. Abera Deressa, said climate change is affecting ongoing development activities in Ethiopia and has been challenging the country’s effort to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Accordingly, he said concerted efforts are vital to mitigate the problem.
The World Development Report 2010: Development and Climate Change, released in advance of the U.N.’s December meetings on climate change in Copenhagen, cites warming of two degrees Celsius could result in a four to five percent permanent reduction in annual per capita income in Africa as opposed to minimal losses in high-income countries and a global average GDP loss of about one percent. However, WDR 2010 authors argue that climate-smart development that promotes growth without incurring catastrophic climate change is possible if we act now, act together and act differently.
The countries in Africa are among the ones most seriously affected by climate change, but also may find opportunities to advance development through climate action. The Climate Change Strategy for Making Development Climate Resilient in Sub-Saharan Africa (CCSSA), which is the World Banks’ operational response to climate variability and change, adds the climate change dimension to the development strategy and business plan of the Africa Region. It is based on the premise that increased climate variability threatens the development gains of African countries, and that these effects need to be anticipated so that development efforts can be made more resilient to climate change.
Authors of the report called for immediate action to ensure that Africa’s prospects are not compromised by climate variability and climate change. The conference was attended by government ministries and agencies, civil society organizations, academia, private consultants and the media.
A Special Session of African Heads of State and Government held in Tripoli, Libya, has selected Ethiopia to represent Africa in the upcoming Copenhagen Global Conference on climate change due to be held this coming December. Prime Minster Meles Zenawi is expected to lead the African delegation to the conference.
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