Despite the disruptions that were brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic which hit different sectors including the environment, steps toward green Rwanda continued to be registered in the country. The New Times has compiled 15 key steps that were made towards greening Rwanda during the just-concluded 2021. The $175m green urbanisation project The Government of Rwanda, in January 2021 unveiled a new $175 million (approx. Rwf173bn) project to green and implement Nature based solution in urbanization investments in the City of Kigali and the six secondary cities. The secondary cities are Nyagatare, Rubavu, Rusizi, Rubavu, Musanze and Huye. Kigali urban wetland master plan In 2021, a new Kigali urban wetland master plan was unveiled and it revealed that over 20 per cent of wetlands in the City of Kigali - equivalent to 15.76 square kilometres –should be rehabilitated so as to regain quality and pristine nature. More steps to phase out single use plastics In December, Inyange Industries Ltd, a local beverage producing company launched two products- new natural mineral water and sparkling water- in a recyclable glass bottle. The move is in line with a law enacted in 2019 prohibiting the manufacturing, the importation, the use and sale of single use plastic items. In the same vain, in June it was announced that the Private Sector Federation (PSF) would contribute Rwf690.9 million for collecting, transportation, disposal and recycling of single-use plastics in the next five years, Fronting Nyungwe National Park as a UNESCO World Heritage site In December, a cabinet meeting approved the request to nominate Nyungwe National Park as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This will make the forest, which is home to hundreds of tree and animal species, a protected area under the UN body. Studies show that the park worth $4.8 billion value feeds two of the world’s largest rivers – the Congo and Nile rivers, - and it is the source of at least 70 per cent of Rwandas freshwater. 17,000-tonne strategic reserve for cooking gas project Ernest Nsabimana, the Director General of Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) announced, in December, that a local firm is currently working with government to set up a strategic reserve for cooking gas with capacity of 17 million kilogrammes (17,000 tonnes) and this will ensure availability of affordable gas in the country for at least three months. The announcement followed spike in cooking gas prices which triggered the government by introducing subsidies. Rwanda seeks to reduce the percentage of households that depend on unclean energy in cooking from 79 percent to 42 percent in 2024. New conservation law A new law on biological diversity and wildlife conservation was gazette in the just-concluded year. Experts say the law will play a role in implementing the Nagoya Protocol, an international agreement to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources. Rwanda at COP26 and launch NDCs implementation Like other countries, Rwanda attended COP26 UN Climate Change Conference that took place in Scotland in November. The conference had been postponed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the conference, Rwanda was interested in international climate finance and also joined a group of countries that declared to end polluting vehicles by 2040. The country needs over $11 billion to implement the measures between 2021 and 2030 to mitigate and adapt to climate change in a ten-year plan dubbed Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) whose implementation Rwanda launched this year after submitting it to UN in 2020. It is expected that, under the climate plan, $4.155 billion will be sourced from domestic financing, while $6.885 billion will be sourced from external financing. $100m facility for private sector green projects During the same year, the Rwanda Green Fund, announced in November that it is working with Rwanda Development Bank (BRD) to set up a $100 million facility to spur the country’s ability to meet the growing opportunities for climate finance in the private sector. The facility dubbed Rwanda Green Investment Facility (RGIF) is being modelled on the “green bank” idea. The facility will be considered by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) board in February 2022. Revamp of Kigali’s car-free zone The revamping works for Kigali’s car-free zone started in March this year to turn the zone into a green and recreational zone with more attractive features and completed in the end of the year. New waste management deal in Kigali Rwanda through the Ministry of Environment and the Climate and Sustainable Development of the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg signed a three-year project to boost efforts to recycle waste from Nduba landfill to produce energy for the national grid, aerobic composting to fertilize crops, and other valuable products. Rwanda secures $50m to fight drought in Eastern Province The government of Rwanda, in July, secured $49.6 million aimed to green the eastern province that are vulnerable to drought. The implementation of the six-year investment will be jointly executed by the Government of Rwanda through Rwanda Forestry Authority (RFA), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Enabel, the Belgian development agency. Rwanda revises green growth strategy In June, the Ministry of Environment announced it is revising the Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy (GGCRS) that was developed ten years ago. The strategy is keen on positioning Rwanda as a developed, climate-resilient and low-carbon economy by 2050 and the review is setting up clear targets that have to be achieved. Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC) In April, it was announced that Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC) to be hosted by Rwanda in March next year. The congress is convened by the government of Rwanda, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Africa Wildlife Foundation. The Government of Rwanda through the Ministry of Environment also signed a five-year agreement with Africa Wildlife Foundation to partner in boosting conservation efforts in the country. Kagame joins Giants Club Paul Kagame became the sixth African Head of State to join the Giants Club and sign the forum’s declaration, according to a statement by Rwanda Development Board (RDB) released in March. The Club is an initiative of Space for Giants, an international conservation organisation that ‘connects leaders of African states accommodating significant large mammal populations to financiers, conservationists, scientists, and well-known supporters’. Construction of Nyandungu Eco-Tourism Park complete Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) informed that Rwf5 billion Nyandungu Eco-Tourism park construction was complete. However, it is not yet open to visitors.
