By Isatou Jawara
The Ministry of Environment Climate Change and Natural Resources (MECCNAR) through the Climate Change Secretariat has developed a strategic priority for The Gambia - Climate Vision 2050 - which is in line with the National Development Plan (NDP) to ensure resources are allocated to climate action by government in order to address the climate crisis.
The Climate Change Secretariat with support from the Long Term Strategy (LTS) Coordinator recently organised an interactive workshop to explore innovative delivery mechanism for enhanced resilience for decentralised finance and social protection mechanism convened under the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Initiative for Effective Adaptation and Resilience (LIFE AR).
The Long Term Strategy would translate the strategic priorities of The Gambia 2050 Climate Vision into more concrete actions, policies, programs and initiatives. It focuses on The Gambia’s key greenhouse gas emitting sectors: energy, agriculture, LULUCF, transport and waste management.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr Alieu Njie in his opening remarks during interactive workshop at Ocean Bay Hotel, said the LTS development process is led by the Ministry of Environment in close partnership with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs. To ensure that the formulation of the LTS is country-led, the process was led by a national coordinator and the steering committee jointly chaired by both ministries.
According to PS Njie the LIFE-AR is meant to overcome the pressing and unprecedented challenges of climate change faced by LDCs. “It is common knowledge that climate responses have often been short-term, and sectoral with climate action defined and led externally and not by LDCs or local communities that are affected the more”.
He added that Climate finance transfers to LDCs through the business as usual mechanism have proven inadequate and expensive due to the cost of channeling finance through intermediaries.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance Mrs Juldeh Ceesay said The Gambia Government has a desire and foresight approach to addressing the country’s climate calamity. Given the country’s increasing vulnerability to climate change, the ministry has successfully advocated for integration of climate change into the country’s policies and strategies. The government will support vulnerable communities affected by climate change with new plan to establish long term national development framework - Vision 2050 which timeframe is aligned with and takes into account the LTS,” the DPS explained.
The Gambia is one of the six front runner countries piloting the initiative. The former Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources was selected as one of the LDC Ministers to sign the partnership compact that brought the LIFE- AR initiative into existence.
