Luanda – The President of the Republic of Angola, João Lourenço, said Tuesday in Glasgow (Scotland) that Angola considers climate change as one of the biggest challenges facing humanity, due to the direct and indirect effects it causes to the economic and social life of nations.
The Angolan Head of State, who was speaking at the 26th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26), considered environmental actions as “a real challenge to development.
In this context, he explained that Angola embraces the cause of protection and repopulation of mangroves through a national campaign of replanting mangrove seedlings along the extensive national coastline.
He said that the Angolan government favoured the production and consumption of clean energy from existing hydroelectric dams and others yet to be built.
According to João Lourenço, his government prioritised promoting renewable energy sources, particularly photovoltaic energy production projects, with solar parks that will reduce consumption of fossil fuels in electricity production.
Currently, he noted, the national energy grid already incorporates 62 percent of non-polluting energy sources, with aims to reach 70 percent by 2025.
He noted that the country had recently signed an agreement in Washington D.C. (USA) with the International Conservation Fund (ICCF) for the conservation of the Luengue-Luiana and Mavinga parks, for the protection of animal and plant wildlife, as well as the development of sustained international tourism.
In his speech, the Angolan statesman also recalled that Angola has already approved the National Strategy for Climate Change 2021-2035, aiming at reaching the objectives set out in the Paris Agreement.
“My government recently approved an important package of environmental legislation, instruments that will be decisive in the fight against climate change,” he said.
In this vein, he said that Angola is aligned with the international consensus on sustainable development, including Africa – 2063, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
He added that the country had also defined its contribution, materialised in the reduction of carbon intensity in electricity production, with a timeframe of 2025, and complementary actions in the field of sustainable management of forests, transport and agriculture.
“Adaptation actions related to improving the climate resilience of our communities and the protection of social and economic investments have also been identified,” João Lourenço said.
The Angolan president reiterated Angola’s “firm will and determination” to remain committed to climate action and to adopting a low-carbon development model.
Today’s session was also marked by speeches from several African leaders, with highlight to the Presidents of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tchissekedi.
Source: Angola Press News Agency