STORY: African campaigners call for better ecological governance to hasten green transition
DATELINE: Aug. 6, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:22
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: SOCIETY/ECOLOGY
 
SHOTLIST:
1. various of participants at the meeting
2. SOUNDBITE (English): SIMON MITAMBO, Member of Global Tapestry of Alternatives from Kenya
3. various of participants at the meeting
 
STORYLINE:
 
Sub-Saharan African nations should prioritize transparent and inclusive management of their abundant natural assets as they embark on hastening the transition to a green and resilient future, campaigners said Friday.
 
The campaigners who spoke at a briefing in central Kenya's industrial town of Thika stressed that by embracing sound ecological governance, the continent will be well-placed to tame the climate crisis, food insecurity and rural poverty.
 
Fassil Gebeyehu Yelemtu, the general coordinator of the African Biodiversity Network, said that enactment of policies that promote accountability and equity in the management of natural resources will not only unlock the continent's potential but also enhance its capacity to cope with climate emergencies.
 
In addition, Gebeyehu said grassroots-led efforts to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution will revitalize the green and food security agenda in Africa.
 
Green campaigners from the Global South including Africa will hold a forum on Aug. 8-13 in the central Kenyan town of Nanyuki to discuss new low-carbon and resilient development pathways.
 
Under the auspices of the Global Tapestry of Alternatives, a platform that fosters mutual learning and collaboration to reimagine social, economic and ecological order, 60 campaigners from 25 countries are expected to adopt resolutions calling for climate justice, equality, food and energy sovereignty.
 
SOUNDBITE (English): SIMON MITAMBO, Member of Global Tapestry of Alternatives from Kenya
"The line between sustainable and climate change is that the fight against climate change now has a lot of impact on many things across the world. We also see that we have a lot of losses of biodiversity because of this kind of effect. So what we are saying is that there is a serious measure to take and even to borrow from other knowledge systems, like our traditional knowledge systems, because this can also contribute and has (already) contributed (to us) for many years."
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)