By Olimatou Coker
The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources (MECCNAR) with the support from the long term strategies national coordinator and Pakau Consultancy on Saturday concluded two days workshop for another 3 sectors on formulating and communicating LTS, held in Kartong.
Six sectors have so far undergone the LTS, and the recent meeting serves as the final activity for the sectors.
The activities are geared towards to the development of Gambia’s long term climate strategy known as LTS.
The workshop covered 3 sectors namely tourism, transport and waste management, exploring which would need to go to net zero greenhouse gas emissions, and to elaborate on some of the policy actions that need to be taken, as well as to define national sectoral targets to 2050 and interim milestones.
Data used for existing models and quantification exercises were presented on the three sectors by different experts and discussed by the part serving as a basis for the elaboration of the LTS.
In an effort to put long-term goals of the Paris Agreement into practice, countries are invited to formulate and communicate “long- term, low greenhouse” (LT-LEDS), referred to as long term strategies (LTS). These are visionary plans for achieving low-carbon, climate-resilient societies out to 2050.
Speaking during the closing, Momodou Mbye Jabang, permanent secretary, MECCNAR, said they are pleased that this is a very fruitful and successful stakeholders engagement, with the participants all having an important stake in determining the final shape of the longterm strategies.
“For us at MECCNAR, we are proud that The Gambia has actually achieved the footing. We want to keep up with the NDC that the director of climate change was talking about has been identified worldwide as the only nationally determining contribution (NDC) that is on track to achieve the Paris Agreement goals and this has been internationally recognized,” he explained
PS Jabang described the engagement as a very important milestone in the LTS elaboration, adding that the meeting is given the due regard by the participants as it is expected of them.
He therefore called on all to put all hands on deck so that any document coming after workshop can mirror the excellence that has already been captured in it.
He also advised them to keep forging ahead and to believe in themselves so that they can go beyond what they had achieved.
“I want to beg you all in here to maintain the momentum that we already had in this LTS process.”
He added that this is “going to tell well for the whole country and of course all the 6 sectors to achieve the long-term strategy, and also the vision that has been set out in the climate change top standing.”
PS Jabang concluded by expressing delight with the level of participation.
The event was moderated by Ebrima Jawara, DPS finance and administration, MECCNAR and LTS national coordinator and facilitated by Alpha Jallow, director of climate change secretariat, Francis Mendy of agriculture.
Participants included Prof Dr. Makie Taal, vice chancellor of AIUWA, Musa Sowe, president of NACOFAG, Beatrice Mboge CEO of Gambia Women’s Chamber of Commerce and industry, Dr. Mohammed A.B, lecturer AIUWA, Alagie Sarr, senior program officer, ozone unit at NEA on waste management, Morro Sanyang, Ministry of Transport and Mamadi Dampha, DPS at the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
