Ethiopia, Germany Discuss Cooperation on Climate Action
ADDIS ABABA – Officials of Ethiopia and Germany held talks over cooperation on climate action and implementation of green projects, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
The discussions took place between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen and German Special Envoy for International Climate Action Jennifer Lee Morgan, on Friday.
The two sides “discussed cooperation on climate change, renewable energy, tackling carbon emissions and Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative (GLI),” the MoFA said in a statement today.
Ethiopia, one of the most climate vulnerable countries, repeatedly experience extreme weather and droughts that exposes millions of its to severe food and water insecurity.
During his meeting with Morgan, Demeke mentioned that his country has taken several measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change.
These measures include the Green Legacy Initiative – an annual tree planting campaign. The second phase of the four-year campaign which authorities launched a few weeks ago, aims to plant another 26 billion seedlings across the country.
The Initiative is geared towards meeting the global Sustainable Development Goal 13 on Combating climate Change in an effort to reduce vulnerability, FM Demeke told Morgan.
He also added, Ethiopia is investing in eco-friendly renewable energy carbon-free projects including hydroelectric powers such as the multibillion USD Grand Ethiopian Reinsurance Dam (GERD) project.
Germany’s International Climate Action Special Envoy Morgan expressed her country’s readiness to support Ethiopia to achieve climate resilience and successfully implement the GLI, the MoFA statement reads.
The two officials met two months after Ethiopia launched its Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) which aims to achieve a net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050 while “delivering significant development objectives.”
But fully implementing the ambitious objectives – set as per the 2015 Paris Climate Accord – requires a total capital investment of more than 157 billion US Dollars.
