Angola Reaffirms Commitment on Climate Impacts

Luanda: Environment Minister Ana Paula de Carvalho Pereira reaffirmed Angola's commitment on Friday in Luanda to integrating human mobility into public policies, in light of the growing impacts of climate change in the country. According to Angola Press News Agency, while closing the National Dialogue on Human Mobility in the Context of Environmental Degradation, Disasters, and Climate Change, the Minister drew attention to the fact that this phenomenon is already affecting thousands of families, shifting from a future concern to a current reality. The environment minister emphasized that phenomena such as prolonged droughts, floods, soil degradation, water scarcity, and the loss of livelihoods compromise food security, local development, and community dignity. "The future will not be determined solely by climate change, but above all by the choices we make today," she stated. She identified institutional coordination, the production of scientific data, the strengthening of national and local capacities, th e integration of human mobility into public policies, and increased access to climate finance as priorities. She also reiterated the need for a cross-cutting approach to climate challenges, involving areas such as economic development, social justice, human rights, civil protection, and disaster risk management. The Minister also noted Angola's adherence to the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment, and Climate Change, which aligns with the National Climate Change Strategy, the National Development Plan, the African Union's Agenda 2063, and the Sustainable Development Goals. However, she acknowledged the role of local communities, regarding them as key players in implementing adaptation solutions, such as sustainable water management and resilient agriculture. Over two days, the event brought together representatives from the Government, IOM, the United Nations, academia, and civil society, as well as national and international experts, to analyze strategies for addressing the impacts of climate-induced human mobility.