Gov't Committed To Leaving Climate Resilient Ethiopia For Next Generation: PM Abiy

Addis Ababa January 16/2023/ENA/ Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reiterated that the government is committed to leaving a sustainable and climate resilient Ethiopia for the new generation and has also embarked on the home-grown economic reform program.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has addressed Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit held in Abu Dhabi today, 16 January.

“We are also witnessing related increases in emissions of climate-changing greenhouse gases. The wellbeing of our and that of future generations requires us to unite and generate innovative responses to the effects of climate change,” PM Abiy pointed out.

Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa after Nigeria and is also the fastest growing economy he said, adding while it has been reliant heavily on agriculture for many decades.

Prime Minister noted the fact that Ethiopia is one of many developing nations that are vulnerable to climate change. "Considering this vulnerability, we are cognizant of the pressing need for climate change adaptation across all sectors in Ethiopia. Although we are at the mercy of high emitters we are nevertheless committed to do our part," the premier said.

In this regard, Ethiopia has developed its long-term net zero and climate resilient 2050 strategy which will enhance our ability to plan for decarbonization of the economy. The strategy outlines ambitious scenarios in priority sectors which will contribute to making the country's economy more innovative and sustainable.

This development pathway, for example, includes an energy transition towards low carbon and resilience; transport sector decarbonization and modernizing the agriculture sector through climate resilient and low carbon practices, Abiy elaborated.

PM Aby stated that Ethiopia is also blessed with abundant renewable energy resources and entirely generates electricity from hydroelectric, wind, solar and geothermal sources. While we have been making progress in effectively tapping into this energy potential, we still have more room and opportunities for growth.

In 2019, Ethiopia launched a practical action through the Green Legacy Initiative that within four years mobilized 25million Ethiopians across the nation to plant 25 billion seedlings.

This is equivalent to 250 seedlings per Ethiopian and the impact could be equated to removing 64 million gasoline-powered cars from the roads for a whole year.

“We are committed to leaving a sustainable and climate resilient Ethiopia for the new generation. Doing so entails taking bold actions now and instilling a green culture as we go along,” premier underscored.

The Green Legacy Initiative therefore is “our bold action which has created national awareness on climate change; enabled the creation of green jobs and is making a positive impact on our surrounding environment.”

Abiy noted that a sustainable future is predicated on the commitment of a nation to collectively and inclusively realize such a future. Today, Ethiopia's Green Legacy Initiative is the most extensive afforestation and reforestation program next to the Amazon.

He said “Our initiative will certainly contribute towards removing the equivalent of hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reduce deforestation. This implies Ethiopia's significant contribution to the global climate change mitigation efforts.”

Partnerships are of course crucial in sustaining these wins, as are they in manifesting the full potential of our climate resilient strategy.

He said “My government has recently launched a new Ten-Year Development Plan. This plan aims to sustain economic growth, while facilitating the shift towards a more private-sector driven, competitive, resource efficient and climate resilient industrial economy.”

The home-grown economic reform program, which prioritizes agriculture, manufacturing, mining, tourism and ICT as key pillars of economic progression, is underpinned by principles of sustainable growth, he added.

Ethiopia's inclusive prosperity agenda is anchored in enabling decent livelihoods, building resilience and setting a green foundation for generations to come.