SADC members urged to protect the environment
Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) secretary general Boemo Sekgoma has urged members to prioritise land restoration, combat desertification and enhance drought resilience under the theme 'Our Land. Our Future'.
Sekgoma was speaking on the occasion of World Environment Day 2024, where she emphasised the dire need to protect and preserve the environment for current and future generations.
She underlined that SADC members have an obligation to accelerate target achievement processes that consider their national role in regional and continental contexts by adopting and enforcing policies that enhance socioeconomic growth and sustainable development.
“Without habitable land, our future as healthy citizens is severely compromised. The role of parliaments is therefore integral in shaping and enforcing environmental regulatory frameworks that seek to protect natural resources, reduce pollution and promote renewable energy," she said.
Worrying numbers
Sekgoma highlighted alarming statistics, showing that the frequency and duration of droughts have surged by 29% since 2000. Projections indicate that by 2050, over three-quarters of the global population could be affected by droughts.
"All over the world, ecosystems are threatened. From forests and drylands to farmlands and lakes, the natural spaces on which humanity’s existence depends are under severe environmental strain. According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, up to 40% of the planet’s land is degraded, directly affecting half of the world’s population," Sekgoma said.
Sekgoma stressed the essential role of parliaments in shaping and enforcing environmental regulations, protecting natural resources, reducing pollution and promoting renewable energy.
"Through oversight functions, parliaments can ensure that governments and industries comply with environmental regulations and commitments. Parliaments must therefore prioritise climate-resilient policies and support initiatives that enhance adaptive capacities, protect endangered species and their habitats, promote efficient resource use, prevent over-exploitation, reduce pollution levels and encourage cleaner production methods," she said.
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Sekgoma was speaking on the occasion of World Environment Day 2024, where she emphasised the dire need to protect and preserve the environment for current and future generations.
She underlined that SADC members have an obligation to accelerate target achievement processes that consider their national role in regional and continental contexts by adopting and enforcing policies that enhance socioeconomic growth and sustainable development.
“Without habitable land, our future as healthy citizens is severely compromised. The role of parliaments is therefore integral in shaping and enforcing environmental regulatory frameworks that seek to protect natural resources, reduce pollution and promote renewable energy," she said.
Worrying numbers
Sekgoma highlighted alarming statistics, showing that the frequency and duration of droughts have surged by 29% since 2000. Projections indicate that by 2050, over three-quarters of the global population could be affected by droughts.
"All over the world, ecosystems are threatened. From forests and drylands to farmlands and lakes, the natural spaces on which humanity’s existence depends are under severe environmental strain. According to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, up to 40% of the planet’s land is degraded, directly affecting half of the world’s population," Sekgoma said.
Sekgoma stressed the essential role of parliaments in shaping and enforcing environmental regulations, protecting natural resources, reducing pollution and promoting renewable energy.
"Through oversight functions, parliaments can ensure that governments and industries comply with environmental regulations and commitments. Parliaments must therefore prioritise climate-resilient policies and support initiatives that enhance adaptive capacities, protect endangered species and their habitats, promote efficient resource use, prevent over-exploitation, reduce pollution levels and encourage cleaner production methods," she said.
[email protected]
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