Staff Writer
Pohamba Shifeta, Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, says Namibia has lost nearly 20 percent of its forests area during the last 30 years.
According to Shifeta the lost of forest is a result of unsustainable use of resources. He said this today during a national conference titled: The Future of Namibia’s Forests – Sustainable Forest Management as Key to Unlock Its Potential. He says Namibia is taking concrete steps to mitigate the effects of climate change. “With only eight years remaining to reach our 2030 target as set out in the revised ‘Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), Namibia is taking concrete actions to reduce the impacts of climate change. This noble endeavour cannot be left to the government alone and I therefore implore all stakeholders to join us in meeting this target,” adds Shifeta.
Despite Namibia being one of the driest countries in southern Africa, it remains committed to reversing forest loss by reducing deforestation and encouraging tree planting. Furthermore Shifeta commends the Hans Seidel Foundation (HSF) and the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia (DRFN) for bringing them together to discuss the importance of forest management.
