xxE NYUSI AT COP27 CALLS FOR FAIR ENERGY TRANSITION
Maputo, 8 Nov (AIM) – Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Monday called for a fair and gradual energy transition, that will reduce the negative effects of the transition on economic development.
He was speaking at the plenary session on the first day of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh.
Recent statistics indicate that currently about 79 per cent of world energy production comes from fossil fuels and this is responsible for 87 per cent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. Energy transition away from fossil fuels is thus fundamental to comply with the international targets to decarbonize the economy.
Nyusi said the Mozambican government intends, over the medium term, to continue using resources such as natural gas, which are less polluting than other fossil fuels, and which will generate revenue to implement actions of climate adaptation and resilience.
As for the carbon market, Nyusi asked the providers of climate financing to make their disbursements in a balanced and satisfactory manner in order to implement more effective mitigation and adaptation initiatives.
Nyusi told his audience that Mozambique is one of the countries most exposed to the threats posed by climate change, including tropical cyclones, floods and cyclical droughts, which demand more assertive measures of adaptation and resilience.
These include improved early warning systems, which would make communities less vulnerable to extreme climatic events. Nyusi has launched a presidential initiative to set up a modern meteorological station in each of the country’s districts.
Mozambique also hosts the SADC (Southern African Development Community) Centre for Humanitarian and Emergency Operations. This was opened in the northern port city of Nacala in 2021, to coordinate the response to emergencies across the southern African region, with the main goals of preventing loss of life, and reducing the damage caused by disasters.
Other key actions included a regional conference in Maputo on the sustainable and integrated management of the Miombo forests, setting priorities for the next decade, and strengthening inclusive and transparent governance of natural resources. In Africa, the Miombo forests are the largest of the tropical forest ecosystems, and are essential for carbon sequestration.
The President also stressed the importance of preserving Mozambique’s mangrove forests. “Once again”, he declared, “we are urging all our partners to mobilise financial and technical resources to restore and conserve the mangroves and the rich biodiversity of Mozambique”.
(AIM)
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(AIM / AIMENG)
