Adapting to climate change is one of Angola's environmental priorities, argues the president of the Minuto Verde Environmental Association - Quercus Angola, who hopes that the climate summit will contribute to mobilizing international support.
In anticipation of the 29th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP29), which takes place between 11 and 22 November, in Baku (Azerbaijan), Rafael Lucas, hopes that Angola will be able to secure financing and international support at the climate summit to implement measures mitigation and adaptation and strengthen the capacity to monitor and respond to environmental disasters.
This summit is considered crucial to achieving commitments to reduce emissions by 2030 and to increase climate financing.
"[Angola] has been strongly affected by climate change, especially in the southern and southwestern regions where provinces such as Huíla, Cunene, Namibe and Cuando Cubango face situations of severe drought, which has caused water and food shortages with an impact on agriculture and food security", highlighted the environmentalist.
On the other hand, the north of the country has faced intense rain events, "resulting in floods that damage infrastructure and negatively affect the quality of life of local communities", highlighted the leader of the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).
"Climate effects worsen the socio-economic challenges that already exist in the country, increasing poverty and unemployment", added the person responsible for Minuto Verde.
To mitigate these effects and invest in other priorities such as biodiversity conservation and promoting renewable energy, Angola has been adopting measures such as the adaptation plan, which includes ecosystem restoration projects and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices, said Rafael Lucas.
"The country is working to expand the use of renewable energy, especially solar and water energy, aiming to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases," he said, also citing investments in technical training for climate monitoring.
Furthermore, the executive has sought international partnerships that can financially support the execution of environmental programs for reforestation and ecosystem protection.
However, for the environmentalist, it is not enough.
"We need to do more to face the urgent challenges that Angola has been experiencing in terms of environmental issues. These actions demonstrate Angola's commitment to facing climate issues, although there is a need for more resources and external support to achieve lasting results", he highlighted.
The summit that will bring together representatives from 197 countries and the European Union in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, takes place at a time when the recent storms that caused more than two hundred deaths in Spain are an example of the worsening of extreme climatic and meteorological phenomena that justify the need to accelerate policies that curb global warming.
The latest United Nations report on greenhouse gas emissions (UN Emissions Gap Report 2024) predicts global warming of 3.1 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, if current policies are maintained and governments do not make more ambitious commitments. of reducing emissions.
COP29 will be marked by the absence of the presidents of the United States and Brazil, as well as the president of the European Commission, Úrsula von der Leyen, among leaders of several countries that traditionally participate in the negotiations.
The Angolan delegation will be led by the vice-president, Esperança da Costa.
