GLI Demonstrates Ethiopia's Commitment to Responding to Impacts of Climate Change: Minister of Water & Energy

Addis Ababa November 6/2024 (ENA)-Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Itefa said the Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) is a demonstration of Ethiopia’s long-term commitment of multifaceted response to the impacts of climate change.

Ethiopian Global Basic Observation Network-Systematic Observation Financing (ETH-GBON-SOFF) project was launched today.  

 

During the launching program, the minister said weather and climate prediction and early warning services are prominent mechanisms to build resilience to climate change. 

“While anticipating and acting towards natural hazards through early warning system, we also have to protect our environment against degradation,” he said.

To this effect, Ethiopia has been implementing the GLI, which Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed initiated in 2019, registering extraordinary achievements by planting 40 billion seedlings since its inception , it was indicated. 

The green legacy initiative is a demonstration of Ethiopia’s long-term commitment to multi-faceted response to the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation, he noted. 

 

State Minister of Finance Semereta Sewasew said “Today we mark a start of an ambitious initiative that will greatly enhance Ethiopia’s capacity to collect, analyze and act upon vital climate and weather data.”

For the state minister, the support from SOFF goes beyond merely strengthening national systems but also enables the country to contribute significantly to global networks aimed at addressing climate change. 

Building a resilient system for weather and climate observation is no longer a luxury but a necessity, she said, adding the SOFF project is instrumental in enhancing climate data infrastructure.

 

United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Resident Representative Samuel Doe on his part said this project will enable Ethiopia’s Meteorological Institute (EMI) to upgrade the existing weather stations. 

“UNDP as the implementing entity for the project is dedicated to supporting Ethiopia’s Meteorological Institute in achieving its objectives and contribution to the global requirements,” he affirmed. 

Director General of EMI Fetene Teshome said for his part that the objective of the project is to improve Ethiopia’s capacity to collect and transmit surface and upper air weather data that is needed globally. 

 

With the increase in climate variability, the role of climate services to minimize risks and optimize opportunities is non debatable, the director general pointed out.  

“Ethiopian Metrology Institute is working towards making available climate information that led to better and informed decisions including weather and climate early warning and advisory services.”

The ETH-GBON-SOFF  is a three-year project with an outlay of 9.9 million USD.