Namibia progressing in addressing climate change despite challenge: minister

WINDHOEK, FEB 11– Namibian is making steady progress in combating the effects of climate change despite the challenge of lacking financial resources, an official said on Monday.

Speaking to Xinhua, Namibian Minister of Environment and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta said his country takes the issue of climate change with seriousness and has established in a cross-sectorial National Climate Change Committee (NCCC) to oversee all climate change related activities in the country.

“To be frank with you, resources are not enough at all. However, as country we are doing our level best to mobilize funding both at home and through multilateral climate financing windows,” Shifeta said.

The Minister also added that they have secured funding of 1 billion Namibian dollars (74 million U.S. dollars) from the multilateral funding system, mostly from the Green Climate Fund, the Global Environmental Facility, the Special Climate Fund and the Adaptation Fund to drive their quest for combating climate change.

An upbeat Shifeta said other crucial milestones achieved by Namibia include Cabinet approval of the National Policy on Climate Change in 2011 and the National Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, which set out the country direction towards addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation.

“Policy implementation is a process in itself. Namibia continues to implement its climate change policy that was established in (2011) together with its implementation strategies (2013-2020) to address medium and longer-term climate changes impacts that are projected,” he said. – XINHUA