By Happy Mulolani
The recent launch of the climate change and adaptation programme in Eastern province, provides a glimmer of hope as communities seek to encourage more people to adapt to practises aimed at tackling various climate shocks affecting their respective communities.
For these interventions to effectively work in communities, there is need to adequately sensitise and involve community members. In this way, when traditional leaders echo their voice, it is considered more authoritative and effective. All that is required is to continuously support the traditional leadership and also equip them with knowledge on the unsustainable practises which lead to prevailing climatic shocks which often affect even community’s production capacities.
Speaking during the official launch at the Emphendukeni palace, Eastern Province Provincial Permanent Secretary, Paul Thole, remarked the significance of empowering traditional leaders in order to raise the level of awareness.
“Our traditional leaders should learn from one another so that we can all take a proactive role in addressing the challenges posed by climate change,” Mr Thole reiterated.
He emphasized that the aim of the launch was to strengthen the critical role traditional leaders ought to take in mitigating the prevailing climate change effects such as droughts, floods, high temperatures, among others.
The fight against climate change is better entrusted with every community member, however, traditional leaders are key to this process as they have the required influence in their communities and more importantly, their voice carries a high level of authority in their respective communities, hence their involvement in the process of tackling climate change through mitigation.
“Emphasis will be placed on mobilising headmen and headwomen to champion awareness and adaptation measures within their respective communities,” Mr Thole stated.
Therefore, the launch of this national adaptation programme is critical as it endeavours to raise awareness against unsustainable practises, which contribute to degradation of the environment.
He pointed out that one of the contributing factors to deforestation was the high consumption of fuelwood in Eastern province.
“Fuelwood consumption levels in Eastern province contribute significantly to deforestation and forest degradation,” he explained.
He pledged governments commitment and also thanked the traditional leadership for their active involvement in the implementation of the Eastern Province Jurisdictional Sustainable Landscape Programme (EP-JSLP). He reaffirmed continued collaboration with partners such as Biocarbon partners (BCP) and community markets for conservation (COMACO) who are the major private carbon developers in the province.
With the status quo, the need to consider alternative sources of energy is key. The more reason why promoting alternative energy sources will support sustainable wood fuel utilisation and environmental conservation. The collaboration between traditional leadership with government and various stakeholder in promoting initiatives aimed at promoting climate change is a landmark achievement as it will restore deforestation and land degradation which has been a menace over the years.
His Royal Highness Inkosi yamakhosi Mphezeni commended the government for the efforts and strides towards empowering traditional leaders and communities, as it would have restored degraded lands and also address deforestation.
To further reduce carbon emissions from the forest, agriculture and other land uses, the Government with support from the World Bank is implementing the EP-JSLP in Eastern province. The initiative aims to support key interventions like climate smart agriculture, the establishment of community forest management groups, the distribution of improved and energy-efficient cook stoves, and participatory landuse planning at chiefdom.
Overall, the programme targets to generate carbon benefits to be distributed to all 56 chiefdoms depending on performance. This approach is expected to stimulate the community to be more focused and proactive on sustainable uses and practises to benefit them.