Editorial: Let's stay the course in the fight against global warming

RWANDA remains committed to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change despite the US’s withdrawal from the deal. The Minister for Natural Resources, Dr Vincent Biruta’s remark is a timely reassurance that climate change mitigation is a priority for Rwanda. On Thursday, President Donald Trump said America would withdraw from the Paris agreement on Climate Change, on grounds that the pact was a threat to the economy and American sovereignty. The move has been criticized by several world leaders and experts with a view that it would weaken efforts to combat global warming. However, the move should not derail or reverse the current efforts to mitigate climate change effects in Africa and Rwanda in particular. Climate change is a real threat and measures to address it should be prioritized. For Rwanda, the robust measures in place to protect the environment should be sustained. We need to build on the current holistic approach to ensure that climate change effects don’t affect the country. Investing in climate change mitigation as well as ensuring its sustainability should be prioritized. Indeed, last month, experts during a two-day Forest and Landscape Investment Forum in Kigali called for investments to make green cover of more than 100 million hectares of degraded forests and land on the African continent. The call by experts is a reminder about the importance of environmental protection to achieve sustainable development. Climate change effects pose a big challenge to Africa’s future and Rwanda in particular. About three million hectares of land and forest cover are degraded in Africa annually. If this trend is not checked, Africa will suffer devastating effects of climate change. Unpredictable weather patterns and consistent increase in temperature are proof that climate change is also happening in Rwanda. However, if Rwanda keeps the course, the war against global warming will be won.

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Editorial: Let's stay the course in the fight against global warming