South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The government in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Friday organized the Conference of Parties (COP 29) preparatory meeting to adopt government position that will be used to mobilize resources.
Sheila Ngatia, the Deputy Country Resident Representative of UNDP, said the upcoming COP 29 is setting the foundation for advancing ambitious climate action and as well ensuring financial resources to support accelerated implementation.
“The upcoming COP29 presents an unprecedented opportunity to amplify our voices, to showcase our commitment to climate action. We recognize that our commitment to climate action is not just a responsibility,” said Ngatia.
Ngatia said that COP29 will focus on establishing a new climate finance target, that reflects more significantly the needs of developing countries to effectively mitigate and adapt to climate impacts.
“It is an opportunity to build a sustainable future for our communities, especially rural communities, which are at the forefront of facing the brunt of the impact of climate change,” she disclosed.
Guy Warrington, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to South Sudan said the Global Biodiversity Framework seeks to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and make progress on the framework for the Global Goal on Adaptation.
“We need to identify means to empower communities to adapt to climate change and build resilient communities, economies and ecosystems. There is no pathway to recovery and development in South Sudan without climate resilience, action and access to clean energy,” said Warrington.
Josephine Napwon, the Minister of Environment and Forestry said flooding, droughts, excessive heat, heat waves, haphazard rain patterns have resulted in crop failure, thus impacting the livelihoods of people, especially in Eastern Equatoria State and northern parts of the country.
“Over 60 percent of our people are now categorized as food insecure. Therefore, life-saving interventions are needed urgently, hence the prospect of climate-induced displacement and climate refugees will become a new normal,” said Napwon.
Lutana Musa Lasu, the Director General for Climate Change and Meteorology in the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, said South Sudan has produced the National Adaptation Program for Action (NAPA), and also a National Adaptation Plan for the country.
“There are projects and programs, actually that have to be implemented. We have 14 prioritized sectors, ranging from agriculture, animal resources, fisheries, forestry, waste management, transport, humanitarian affairs and disaster management, health, and among other sectors,” said Lasu.
The conference of parties of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) also known as COP 29 will be held from November 11 to November 22 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
