Luanda: The Minister of the Environment, Ana Paula de Carvalho, warned on Saturday in Luanda about the main environmental challenges Angola faces, especially climate change, soil degradation, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and inadequate waste management. The minister made these statements during the planting of 520 tree seedlings, held at the Botanical Garden of Agostinho Neto University, as part of the celebrations of World Environment Day, which was attended by the Vice-President of the Republic.
According to Angola Press News Agency, Ana Paula de Carvalho highlighted that Angola possesses a unique environmental wealth, characterized by vast forests, important river basins, unique ecosystems, and biodiversity of incalculable value. This natural heritage represents an inheritance to be preserved and, simultaneously, an opportunity to promote sustainable development, improve the quality of life of the population, and strengthen the country's climate resilience.
The official stressed that environmental challenges require a firm, coordinated, and permanent response from the whole of society. In this context, she mentioned that the Executive has reinforced the implementation of public policies aimed at environmental protection, biodiversity conservation, environmental education, sustainable management of water resources, promotion of the circular economy, and strengthening climate action.
The minister considered that planting trees symbolizes a commitment to a greener and more sustainable future, emphasizing that each tree represents an investment in environmental health, ecosystem recovery, improved air quality, and the building of more resilient communities. She also argued that environmental preservation should not be limited to symbolic acts, but requires changes in daily behavior, particularly in the rational use of water, waste management, protection of green spaces, and the education of new generations for a culture of respect for nature.
Addressing Angolan youth, she stated that the future of the environment depends on the ability to train conscious, committed citizens prepared to face contemporary environmental challenges. 'The environment does not belong only to the current generation. It is a common heritage that we have received from previous generations and that we have a moral duty to pass on in better conditions to future generations,' she stated.
In turn, the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Albano Ferreira, considered that the celebration constitutes an opportunity to renew the collective commitment to the preservation of natural resources and the promotion of environmental sustainability. The minister advised a multidisciplinary approach to environmental issues in higher education, with greater integration of these themes into academic curricula, in order to train professionals aware of the environmental impacts of their decisions.
Albano Ferreira also addressed the relevance of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda, especially those related to climate action, sustainable cities, clean water, clean energy and the protection of terrestrial ecosystems. He also encouraged higher education institutions to adopt sustainable management practices, transforming their campuses into reference spaces for the promotion of environmental culture.
Regarding the Botanical Garden of Agostinho Neto University, he stated that its development represents an important step for scientific research and for the preservation of plant species, contributing to the sustainable use of natural resources for the benefit of society. The minister also considered that the presence of the Vice-President of the Republic at the ceremony reflects the commitment of the Angolan Executive to environmental protection and the sustainable development of the country.
The activities took place within the framework of World Environment Day, an event established by the United Nations to raise awareness among governments, institutions and citizens about the need to preserve the natural resources that sustain life on the planet. This year, the date was marked under the motto "Inspired by Nature, Climate and Our Future."
