Ethiopia’s Effort to adapt Climate Change

Taye Kebede

                                                                                                               
It is known that every country has to identify its problems and give solutions in order to adapt to the changing climate. In relation to this, the Federal environment protection authority has been doing many works to identify these problems. For this, there should be a scan made to identify positive experiences and technology that would increase product and productivity, stop environmental degradation, provide the necessary good and service needed to develop the environment, all the while creating job opportunities and being compatible to the task ahead.
Taking into the environment protection works that have been undertaken by various stakeholders, the Federal environment protection authority has been trying to spread these positive experiences and technology to different corners of the country. As a consequence, the authority has been able to import and implement green plant and fruit development technology in our country. The technology integrates plant and fruit development with soil and water terracing works that aims to lessen the damage that’s imposed in crop production in mountainous and steep lands. 

Not only is the technology improving the income of the society, it has helped many youths turn to various other income generating opportunities and options by breaking them free from making their living by harming the environment – like cutting trees. In addition to this, it helps the transformation of the agriculture economy to an industrial one. The technology also can expand the source of income by integrating the high-reward development works of sowing crops, trees, fruits and vegetable, developing and raising livestock, and beekeeping.
On top of the good vibe it inflicts on the economy, it plays a huge role in lessening the pressure on extracting natural resources. By implementing physical and natural environmental works, the technology is helping in increasing the fertility of soil by rehabilitating degraded lands and areas.

In other hand, the technology is also responsible for the raise in the variety of plants and animals. It also helps the effort to create clean and green areas for recreational purpose, considering an area being covered by variety of plants will be eye-catching to people. Out of the technologies that are employed for environment protection, the technology that rehabilitates degraded areas by quarantining them from animal and human contact is one. The technology will play its own role from the perspective of rehabilitating degraded lands and areas that are deteriorated in quality of resources as a consequence of shrinking vegetation cover and loss of soil fertility.
With regards to rehabilitating degraded areas and lands, the technology is compatible to the areas and can be implemented on the landscape. It also has enabled wide ranging works to be done by identifying a way by which the terracing work goes side by side with income generating scheme so that it benefits the surrounding society. In turn it helps members of the society improve their skills and ability, and provide the incentive for them to rehabilitate and re-green degraded areas. It has also helped the local community stop from fleeing to other area as a direct result of degraded environment.

Moreover, it contributes its own part in the government’s ‘prevention first’ health strategy, by spurring many households into planting and using garden fruits and vegetables. As a result, varieties of plants and animals that were lost are growing back. On top of its major contribution to environment protection, the technology also is creating link with the supply chain – augmenting its acceptance by the public. As its economic benefits are rewarding, it is guaranteeing its sustainability on the market. 

As it is known, in order to rehabilitate degraded lands, planting various indigenous trees is the main option. For this, we need to intensively use many seed stations. With regards to opening an opportunity for investors involved in the sector market high-rewarding plant, fruit and vegetable yields, the technology is contributing a lot. And it has also been able to augment the income of people organized in micro and small- scale enterprises by interweaving-ly producing crops, fruit, and vegetable yields.

The other technology that’s being utilized as a support to environment protection includes Bamboo development. As both dry and highland based bamboo tree can be utilized for fueling and burning, construction, household and industrial utilities, it can rack up income in addition to marketing Bamboo-made art and crafts. According to experts, as bamboo has long and interweaving roots, it can hold up soil. It also helps in decreasing global warming by capturing greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide). In addition to this, it helps rehabilitate degraded lands.

Thus, the government is focusing and working on it. 

I think here, we should also be looking at our day-to-day tools, in addition to the efforts being exerted to improve environment protection and conserve the nature. This is because; our country is using solar technologies to generate electric power alternatively, in order to curb the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This technology enables to generate electric power by absorbing solar energy. The electric power that’s generated from this particular technology is renewable, and can be used sustainably.

As it can be utilized at any landscape and sun-rich areas, it has become much sought after product in our country. Here, it’s necessary to raise the positive contribution the technology has on social issues – by mentioning that it contributes largely in lowering harms related to health through creating a clean and modern cooking stove.

Considering most of the population of the country is smallholder farmer, it serves as an important option in providing electric power by being accessible in places without electric grid. Also, as it lowers the greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere from traditional cooking stoves, it contributes in lessening environmental pollution. It lessens the pressure exerted on the vegetation and forest coverage as well. Also, again, as it doesn’t utilize motor or fuel as an energy source, it’s free from sound pollution.

As Ethiopia is situated 3 Degree and 48 Longitude North of the Equator and 33 Degree 48 Longitude into the East, the country receives sunshine all year long. So, there is a suitable condition and situation for the country to utilize this technology. On top of this, the country’s adhered green economy creates further conducive environment to utilize the technology.
Making use of natural and physical environment conservation schemes on sidelines of infrastructures and elongating their expiry dates is one of the ways that can help lower environment pollution. It’s a technology that helps stop roads from sliding, and save electric power generating and irrigation dams from soil siltation by planting various water and soil conservation physical structures. In this sector, smallholder farmers around the country are making various terraces by caring for the rivers found in their local drainage system.
There’s no denying that things have changed in Ethiopia. As a consequence to the works done in the environment for the last six years, by the public’s participation and the government’s supervision, previously degraded lands are now being covered by vegetation. These areas and lands are being rehabilitated. Dried up streams are now starting to spring up. Soil erosion has tremendously lessened, while the amount of water of in the rivers has risen. Coverage of trees and vegetation has shown an increase, whilst creating the option to utilize irrigation.
The works being done in terracing has stemmed soil siltation in rivers by stopping the soil from being eroded. This year alone wide-ranging works have been done in nature and environment conservation by the public around the areas adjacent to the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
Of course Ethiopia is self-aware of its responsibilities; it understands the important role developing countries have in stopping climate change. Thus, our country is playing a constructive role in the climate change negotiations and meetings. This implies that our country is in the forefront with regards to building Green economy, and also shows its commitment and huge chance to walk on a sustainable development path.

A development that’s based on carbon and non-renewable energy sources not only exacerbate climate change, but also its path leads to a dead end as well. Taking these facts into account, our country has decided upon, and is working to base its economic path on a new and renewable energy source. 

In addition to this, as the country has immense potential for renewable energy, it has served as an additional push to follow green development. And this in turn is helping the country build a positive image. As a result, Ethiopia has set a goal to reach zero net emission level by 2025. It should be noted here that, this path helps lessen the damage that will be inflicted by the inevitable climate change. 

To sum up, Ethiopia’s effort to adapt the changing climate is remarkable and achieves positive results by being more aware of the basic benefits of environment protection. And I hope the Success will continue until the country reaches its goal of zero net carbon emission level.