By Dawda Baldeh
Wyu Wahtan has on Tuesday 22 February 2022 held a consultative forum with stakeholders on climate change at Kairaba Beach Hotel in Senegambia. The forum brought together members and advocates on climate change to discuss the way forward in mitigating threats posed by climate change.
Wyu Wahtan is a Wolof (Gambia’s major local dialect) term which means “let us discuss.”
“We cannot afford to wait to act against the threats of climate change. We must work together to protect our planet and people and ensure a greener, resilience future for us all,” says David Belgrove, British High Commissioner.
“The Gambia has made a significant contribution to the conference and it set and example to the world. The Gambia has been singled out as the only nation with adequate plans to avert a climate catastrophe,” he added.
According to him, the Cop26 conference focuses on: mitigation, adaptation, finance and collaboration among others, adding that the progress was made on all the four of those goals and keeping the goal of limiting the temperature increase to just 1.5 degree Celsius.
On finance, he notes that billions and trillions have been mobilized, “develop countries have made progress towards delivering the $100 billion climate finance goal and will reach it by 2023 at the latest.”
He said working together to deliver Glasgow Breakthroughs will accelerate collaboration between governments, businesses and civil society to deliver on climate goals faster. Adding that collaborating with councils and dialogue in energy, electric vehicles, shipping and commodities will help deliver on commitments.
The Cop26 target the following: to ensure all parties commit to revisit and strengthen their NDCs in 2022, as well as develop and implement long term strategies.
It also focuses on ensuring that all countries put in place stronger policies and plans to meet or surpass these targets, including on coal, cars, trees, and fossil fuel financing…
Environment Minister, Hon. Lamin Dibba, said the objective of the meeting is to share with the public on actions that need to be taken after the Cop26 meeting.
“We know that climate is changing and it’s changing against our favour. We need critical actions to combat climate change.”
He said climate change is real and urged Gambians to take it very seriously, adding that the country has been facing challenges on climate change over the years. “We need to take actions now.”
He further stated that less developed countries are the most vulnerable to climate change.
He added that for the country to achieve these goals it needs the supports of partners and that nobody should be left behind in fighting climate change.
The Gambia Wahtan Dialogue is United Kingdom’s effort to support Gambia’s high ambitions at COP26 by further supporting campaign actions that brings people together to share stories, build empathy about vulnerability and assessing current climate action with the intention of seeking concrete solutions to tackle climate change.
