Climate adaptation key to SDG—ministry
Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining Aggrey Masi has challenged least developed countries (LDCs) to prioritise community-led climate adaptation world leaders adopted in 2015 to end poverty by 2030.
He was speaking in Lilongwe yesterday when he opened the day three of the 12th Community-Based Adaptation Forum (CAB12) which has brought together almost 300 delegates from 45 countries.
In his speech, he said climate shocks are affecting the well-being of people in both developed and developing nations, with chronic floods and drought exposing Malawians to worsening hunger and poverty.
“Over the next few years to 2030, we will have to learn how climate risks affect the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs] targets as well as how to harness effective locally-driven climate action,” he said.
Masi warned that building community resilience is the way to go because climate-related risks and uncertainties hurt livelihoods and economic outlook of vulnerable countries.
Its effects, especially the unpredictable amounts and timing of rainfall, affect over 84 percent of Malawians whose livelihoods hinge on rain-fed agriculture and natural resources, he said.
In an interview, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) Climate Change Group director Clare Shakya asked governments, financiers and investors to incorporate local experiences in interventions to create resilient livelihoods and economies.
“Now, we have a fair idea of what works and what we need to do. We need to work together on getting messages of the right approaches and finances down to the local level and getting the right technology to the local people who need it most,” she said. n
