The whole world now knows the actions that Botswana intends to undertake in a bid to reduce Green House Gase (GHGs) emissions. This is after the country submitted its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). INDCs refers to action that a country intends to take to reduce its emission of Green House Gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere. The country intends to achieve an overall emissions reduction of 15 percent by 2030, taking 2010 as the base year.
Botswana submitted its roadmap before the 1st October deadline, and the four-page report will be part of the UNFCCC synthesis report. The submission follows a series of stakeholder consultative workshops in the country. Notable actions outlined in the submission include Botswana’s commitment to avail the finance to construct earmarked solar power plants and improved public transport system. Next, the country will continuously implement mitigation measures for the livestock sector to significantly reduce CH4 emissions mainly from enteric fermentation though these initiatives are not estimated in the 15 percent intended reductions due to associated uncertainty in the livestock sector.
It emerged during consultative meetings or workshops that over the years Botswana has experienced significant increases in GHGs emissions from 3292 Giga grams (Gg) Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq.) to 8303 Gg CO2 eq. between 1990 and 2010. Most of the emissions are mainly due to an accelerated growth in private vehicles ownership from the United Kingdom and Asian markets and expansion of Morupule Power Station. Batswana generally don’t use the public transport system because of its unreliability, congestion mainly due to use of mini-buses and safety concerns. Thus, in line with government initiatives, improving the public transport sector has been identified as one of the mitigation measures to reduce GHGs emissions in the country.
As for the Agriculture sector, stakeholders recommended smart agriculture initiatives as a way of reducing agricultural water demand and vulnerability of the crop sector to impacts of climate change.
“Other adaptation strategies include genetic selection for both crops and livestock to be drought tolerant. Importantly, it is vital that farmers plant crops that have shorter maturity periods.”
When opening the Parliamentarians workshop for Climate and sustainable development on in Gaborone recently, Minister of Environment Wildlife and Tourism, Tshekedi Khama said: “It is important to note that adaptation to the adverse impacts of climate variability and change has assumed a prominent place on the climate agenda in the country, the region and all over the world. For the SADC region in particular, adaptation remains first and foremost a development and poverty alleviation concern. Simply put, climate variability and change impacts threaten to undo, or reverse, social and economic gains in the country. The linkages between climate variability and change and the three pillars of sustainable development-environment, social, and economic deserve serious discussion. It is therefore my hope that this workshop will play a critical part in this regard.”
He also observed that it is a moral issue. Climate variability, he said is intrinsically linked to public health, food and water security. It is an issue of social justice, human rights and fundamental ethics.
“Together we must communicate that the science of climate change is deep, sound and not in doubt. Climate change is occurring now and human activities are the principal cause. I am quite confident that we all know that climate change affects us all, but not equally. Those who suffer most are those who are contributing least to cause it; the poor and most vulnerable members of society,” he said.
The Department of Meteorological Services has submitted to the UNFCCC that achieving the 15per cent GHGs emissions reduction target requires robust and comprehensive planning within the energy sector (stationary and mobile sources). Consequently, it is imperative that there are conducive legal frameworks in place for the energy and transport sectors to enable the achievement of the national target. Thus, there is a need to allocate more resources in the energy sector (stationary and mobile sources). The energy sector policy must support increased contribution from the solar energy, and also encourage/facilitate Public Private Partnerships in the development of renewable energy. Emphatically, the need for an improved public transport would immensely contribute to the 15 percent GHGs emissions reduction target. Thus, there is need to revamp or strengthen the public transport policy and infrastructural development. There is an existing legislative framework (Atmospheric Pollution Act, a newly developed Energy Policy) that supports the targeted emissions reduction.
Furthermore, the Botswana parliament will in 2016 pass the climate change policy. The Minister explained at the opening of the Parliamentarians’ workshop that the policy as it is could be considered conclusive, but this cannot be in a democratic environment like Botswana’s. When asked what the role of society structures like Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) who are working closely with ordinary citizens at grassroots level on daily basis; during the implementation stage of reducing emissions, the Principal Meteorologist, Dorcas Masisi said the roles will be brought about as the legal instrument (Policy) will be implemented.
Two weeks after submission, however, some stakeholders have not had time to access the document and therefore could not give informed comment on the matter.
“I am unable to give any tangible comment on the issue because I have not yet accessed it fully. I have just accessed the website,” said Tracy Sony, Chairperson of Botswana Climate Change Network. She had been in New York and Nairobi respectively in the past two weeks, still on climate change meetings.
Another Civil Society stakeholder, Dr. Kabelo Senyatso of Birdlife Botswana could also not comment because he had accessed only the final draft before comments were added and subtracted from the document before it was submitted.
Though public discussions had recently been staged in the country on the subject of climate change, a lot of ordinary citizens do not have enough information on the issue. This is despite the fact that its impacts are already being felt. While it could be because the country is semi arid and citizens know there are droughts in the country, it remains to be seen whether the coming climate change policy will help mobilize citizens to sufficiently tackle climate change.
