COP29: President Taye outlines Ethiopia’s major initiatives towards a journey to green future

Addis Ababa, November 13, 2024 (FBC) – In his remarks at the 29th edition of Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 29) Summit in Azerbaijan, the FDRE President Taye Atske-Selassie outlined Ethiopia’s major initiatives towards a journey to the green future

Extending his sincere gratitude to the COP29 host country Azerbaijan, the President said: “We aspire and hope to translate our Paris Agreement commitment in to tangible actions. We must collectively reverse humanity’s trajectory of destruction and do justice the victims of climate change, particularly vulnerable nations in Africa and small island states.”

Highlighting the success story of the Green Legacy initiative to date, President Taye said Ethiopia was able to plant 40 billion tree seedlings, expanding the country’s forest coverage to 23.6 percent with a potential to sink ten billion tons of carbon. The government earmarked 1 percent of the country’s annual budget for the Green Legacy and Land Restoration Fund.

The President noted that this initiative can be scaled up further, appealing for global support to scale up such endeavours.

On the wheat production, the President asserted that Ethiopia’s heat-resistant wheat project yielded 107 million quintals of wheat in three years, making the country’s food system carbon-negative and the crops climate resilient. With adequate financial support, Ethiopia’s model can be replicated globally.

Meanwhile, as part of its national determined contributions, Ethiopia has demonstrated measurable and unimplemntable renewable energy by heavily investing in hydro-based and diversified clean energy generation. The nation has accomplished this by leveraging its own domestic resources. In this regard, the country is successful in integrating energy grids in the region as well, Taye stated.

On reversing the declining urban space, Taye mentioned; “Cognizant of the fact that urban green space has declined, Ethiopia, through its corridor development program, prioritizes people-centered and climate smart approach to reverse this alarming trend. In this context, Addis Ababa is testament to this success.”

In addition, Ethiopia has now become among the few countries in the world to pass a law banning fuel automobiles as part of reducing the impact of greenhouse gas emission, he added.

Furthermore, the debate on climate finance has become overly complex and painstakingly slow-paced, the Ethiopian president noted, underscoring the imperative to simplify the process and focus on practical solutions.

President Taye also emphasized the need to finalize the new collective quantified goal on climate finance and make it operational. “While we demand increased financial support, we express deep concern over the inadequate, delayed and complex disbursement of existing funds.”

Many African nations are leading by example to the best of their abilities. In light of this, Ethiopia has adopted its subsequent Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), long-term low-emission government, and national adaptation plan that guide the collective commitment to significantly lessen the impacts of climate change, he mentioned.

He urged all countries, particularly developed nations and major emitters, to follow suit.

President Taye further called for concerted efforts to build sustainable future for generations to come.