Maravi

Govt considers compensating forest-dependent communities

Govt considers compensating forest-dependent communities
Written by Margaret Habbuno
Monday, October 05, 2009 8:42:32 PM

COMPENSATING forest-dependent communities through provision of alternative energy sources has been proposed as one of the key measures required to address the problem of climate change.

In a statement yesterday, tourism minister Catharine Namugala said the ministry was advocating the UN supported-Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) programme, to go beyond pilot stage and ensure that the initiative is comprehensive for communities to see value in conserving forests and other natural resources.

Namugala appealed to the UN to ensure that the REDD initiative was factored into the country framework being formulated to cover development needs for Zambia, for the next four years.

She said the campaign against climate change needed concerted and global efforts and should be taken to the level of the HIV/AIDS fight.

She praised Japan’s leadership for committing to reduce green house gas emissions by 25 per cent by 2020, at the recent UN General Assembly on climate change, and called on other annex one countries to follow suite.

And United Nations country director Viola Morgan pledged to support advocacy programmers relating to climate change.

“These will include raising climate change literacy among vulnerable groups to empower them with information on what role they would play in helping to ease the impact of climate change which had a bearing on their livelihoods,” she said

Morgan said the UN was also in the process of producing a film on climate change as part of its awareness campaign.

Labels: FORESTRY

posted by MrK @ 7:43 PM