By Comm Unit-MoENV
Given the keynote address, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Environment, Edward Bendu, on behalf of the Minister said Sierra Leone like many other countries, is currently bearing the brunt of climate risks and hazards thus there is need for a coordinated approach to address the related vulnerabilities. He noted that adaptation and building climate resilience remains Sierra Leone’s, and indeed Africa’s priority response to climate change.
He affirmed that a called “for global goal for adaptation” that took into account adaptation needs and associated costs, was affirmed during the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN). In addition, he disclosed that AMCEN advocated for a mechanism that seeks to facilitate adaptation actions including support for developing countries while at the same time recognized the need to increase adaptation investments in developing nations.
He noted that the National Communication Strategy is a road map that is strategic for outreach activities that will lead to creating public awareness and participation and engagement for effective and efficient reporting to popularize and showcase national resilience towards adaptation and mitigation of climate change in Sierra Leone. He said the strategy aims at fostering communication products, systems and networks for engaging national stakeholders and to promote advocacy to ensure climate change mitigation and adaptation in the country are achieved.
He intimated that the NDC is a response to Article 4, paragraph 2 of the Paris Agreement which requires parties to the United Nation Framework Conventions on Climate Change UNFCCC to prepare, communicate and maintain successive NDCs that parties intended to achieve. He furthered that the NDC strategy should identified the communication needs, gaps, messages, channels, audiences and the roles and responsibilities of relevant stakeholders to roll out the strategy in a participatory and sustainable manner.
He took cognizance of UNDP support to develop the strategy that seeks to disseminate the nationally determined communication to the relevant stakeholders.
He implored stakeholders that their views and concerns are relevant in developing the strategy, noting that regional stakeholder’s contributions were compiled by the consultant to produce a draft document that is to be validated and finalized.
He underscored the relevance of the strategy, noting that is to create awareness, influence changes in behavior, disseminating information and knowledge, practice and inclusiveness and involvement of communities and implementing agencies. He added that the strategy would assist government to be able to effectively communicate the NDC and it desired outcomes to address climate change issues in the country.
He assured that the Government of Sierra Leone will always ensure that climate change issues are integrated into the national development process look forward to achieve the desired objectives and outcomes of the NDC.
Meanwhile, the validation workshop on NDC saw in attendance UNDP, MoENV, EPA-SL, SLMet and other MDAs, Local Councils, Civil Society Organizations and the Media.
