Africa-Press – Eswatini. Eswatini has revealed that the total cost to implement Nationally Determined Contributions on Climate Change is over E15 billion.
This is contained in the country’s revised NDC report, which was submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The report indicates that Eswatini has achieved significant progress in overall socio-economic development, which is visible through economic growth, improvements in health, educational outcomes, greater access to energy, and, improvement in water supply, sanitation and hygiene, including associated infrastructure.
“However, climate change impacts felt by communities and ecosystems are reversing the development gains achieved till now. There is an urgency to act now,” part of the report reads.
The revised report states that Eswatini can implement the NDC measures conditional to receiving finance, capacity-building and technology development and transfer. The estimated total cost of implementing NDC is over E15 billion. Eswatini, according to the report, recognises that while the cost of climate action is substantial, the cost of in-action is even higher. It states that the country needs technical capacities, technology transfer and skills development for implementing adaptation and mitigation measures.
“The country recognises that indigenous knowledge can help with climate change adaptation and mitigation actions. There is a need for raising awareness across sectors and with all stakeholders to implement the NDC,” the report reads.
Explaining the alignment of NDCs with developmental priorities, the report states that The Paris Agreement presents an opportunity for countries to identify linkages between climate change targets and the larger developmental priorities.
It adds that in this context, Eswatini has identified potential synergies of NDC targets with SDGs, Sendai framework and the National Development Plan 2019 in this updated NDC, thereby setting forth an innovative and complimentary framework to accelerate climate action.
The new and enhanced mitigation contributions of Eswatini, according to the report for all sectors, include; increasing the share of renewable energy to 50 per cent in the electricity mix by 2030 relative to 2010 levels through the adoption of solar, wind, biomass, hydro and solar water heater technologies.
Under transport sector, the measures include introducing commercial use of 10 per cent ethanol blend in petrol by 2030, and conducting studies to assess the adoption of electric mobility options.
The country further states that it aims to reduce Green House Gases (GHG) emissions by 2030 compared to baseline scenario through improvements in waste treatment (including landfilling) across urban and rural areas. Some of these measures include decreasing open burning of municipal solid waste.
According to the NDC report, the country is strategically planning to manage ecological infrastructure, including grasslands, rivers, wetlands, woodlands and forests by updating and implementing the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), and ensuring that vulnerable ecosystems are addressed in national adaptation programmes.
“Climatic factors have affected Eswatini in multiple ways, exposing its population to problems, ranging from food insecurity and livelihood loss to epidemics and mortality,” reads part of the report.
The Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Moses Vilakati, earlier this month revealed that his ministry had secured E103 million for climate change finance.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
