Botswana submits to Copenhagen Accords

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Friday March 19, 2010 00:00

The submission says Botswana's mitigation actions will be measurable, reportable and verifiable. 

'The mitigation actions have been identified as reductions, deviations from (the) baseline, finance and capacity building support in a measurable, reportable and verifiable manner,' says the submission. 

The mitigation actions will involve reducing greenhouse gases by cutting down on carbon emissions from burning petrol in the transport sector, from coal and from deforestation and by planting more trees.

'We can achieve greenhouse gas mitigation by applying solar energy, wind energy or carbon capture and storage,' says the report. The government will report on its mitigation actions every two years on the basis of the guidelines of the Copenhagen Accord.

The mitigations will be subject to international measurement, reporting and verification in accordance with the guidelines.

'Botswana will develop domestic measurement, reporting and verification approaches which will be reported through national communications,' the report says.  The report says climate change adaptation will have to be supported by adequate, predictable and sustainable financial resources, technology and capacity building and skills transfer.

USD30billion has been pledged as climate aid by developed countries to the help developing countries. This was agreed after 100 countries signed up for the Copenhagen Accord for fighting climate change two months after it was agreed at a summit last December. 

These funds can be used to help countries adapt to climate changes such as floods, droughts, rising sea levels and species extinctions.