Menase Kifle
2 April 2008
Addis Ababa — The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 'The Energy and Resources Institute' of India for the establishment of a UNECA-TERI Africa Centre for Climate Change Policy Studies (AC3PS), in Addis Ababa..
The centre aims at creating a knowledge base to strengthen Africa's efforts to address the challenge of climate change.
Abdoulie Janneh, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA and Dr. R.K.Pachauri, Director General of TERI signed the MoU.
Dr. Pachauri, co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2007 and Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change attended the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the UNECA on 31st March 2008 and delivered a speech on 'Climate Change and its impact on Africa' in the 1st Joint Annual Meetings of the AU Conference of Ministers of Economy and Finance and ECA Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
Dr. Pachauri, who was on a three day visit to Addis Ababa met and held discussions with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and FDRE President Girma Wolde Giorgis, to discuss issues of climate change and create capacities for sustainable development.
Dr. Pachauri addressed the Ethio-India Graduates Forum at a function organized in the Embassy of India at 6.00 PM on 30th March 2008 and elaborated on the impact of the climate change and related issues.
The meeting was chaired by Berhanu Adello, Head of the Office of the Prime Minister and Minister of Cabinet Affairs, who is the patron of the Ethio-India Graduates Forum.
The majority of the global warming and its harmful effects within the past 50 years was the result of man's actions against the natural environment Dr. R. K. Pachauri, said on the occasion.
In light of this fact, he said that local knowledge on impacts of climate change and the necessity of cutting down green house gas emission needed to be created.
He said governments have to get more engaged in emphasizing climate change related activities.
He said the in order to prevent climate change, the developed countries needed to cut back on emissions of green house gases.
The Nobel Laureate said Meles reaffirmed Ethiopia's readiness to play its level best in preventing climate change.
Ethiopia is taking various measures to resist climate change and furthermore would intensify every effort in utilizing alternative energy sources, the prime minister said.
The Prime Minister also noted that India's efforts to establish an institution to prevent climate change would help both countries share valuable experience on the issue.
Dr Pachauri said that the prime minister asked about the nature of the climate change and said that the areas most likely to be affected needed to be determined.
Pachauri said local knowledge on impacts of climate change and the necessity of cutting down green house gas emission needed to be created among the public.
He said government has to get more engaged in emphasizing climate change related activities.
"In the last year, the stance of various leaders on the subject of climate change has shown improvement. Various leaders who were skeptic have also shown changes" Pachauri said.
The Nobel Laureate earlier met and held discussions with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on world climate change and its consequences.
Climate change, and HIV/AIDS, will continue to be the main challenges in the next half of the century, UN Under Secretary and Executive Director of UNECA said in his opening speech at the first joint annual meetings of the AU conference of ministers of the economy and finance and ECA conference of African ministers of finance, planning and economy development.
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