Minirena to promote green economy

The Ministry of Natural Resources (Minirena) has set out to develop sector specific interventions to implement the green economy in the next fiscal year. The ministry says it will focus on the follow up of the land master plan to ensure operationalisation of an integrated approach for land use with sustained land registry, implementation of the model mine concept through mining cadastre system, integrated water resources management through enhancement of water catchment management as well as appropriate weather and climate information for better planning and decision making. The priorities were highlighted yesterday by the Natural Resources minister Dr Vincent Biruta during a sector review meeting to assess the progress made on 2013/14 targets against Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategies (EDPRS 2) core indicators. The projects will be financed under the Fund for Environment and Climate Change (Fonerwa) which seeks to enhance sustainable financing mechanisms, developing green city and climate change response. During the 2013/2014 fiscal year, different studies were planned to facilitate the implementation of EDPRS2. Most of them were completed while others will be ready by 2015, officials said. The goal is to ensure sustainable wealth creation and poverty reduction in the country through proper management of environment and natural resources, and promoting climate resilient and green growth, the minister explained. Dr Biruta, said of the ministry’s budget of Rwf14.5 billion for the financial year 2013/2014, Rwf12.9 billion was spent, representing 88.5 per cent budget execution. He said the balance was allocated to some projects which were started towards the end of the fiscal year. Achievements The achievements cover the green investment with Fonerwa financing about 18 government and private projects aligned with conservation and rehabilitation of natural resources, renewable energy, research, development and technology transfer as well as environment and climate change mainstreaming. The fund, launched officially earlier this month, is the engine of green growth in Rwanda. It mobilises and channels domestic and international financing to public and private environment and climate change projects. Projects supported by the Fund are those that align with the country’s commitment to a strong green economy. According to a report by the ministry, an interface linking existing land administration information system (LAIS) and mortgage registration was created and 38, 557 mortgages were reflected into the system. The environment and natural resources sector also restored natural forests, including 2,090 hactares of Gishwati-Bigogwe, 576 ha of Gishwati native forests, and creation of fourth natural park (Gishwati- Kayove and Mukura with 4419ha) which created 11,392 jobs. The water resources master plan was also approved, showing that Rwanda is composed of nine catchments with total rainfall at 27, 505 billion cubic metres per annum, total renewable water resources estimated at 6.8 billion cubic metre per annum, while water availability per capita was found to be 670 cubic meters peer annum. A real time water monitoring system includes eight automatic gauging stations (Nyabarongo, Akagera, Akanyaru, Muvumba, and Mukungwa). The report also shows that mining sector contributed about 1.38 per cent of GDP in 2013/2014. Fifteen mining cooperatives and five scale companies trained in mining techniques and resources evaluation, environment protection and health, safety and security. The partnership between investors and mining cooperatives were also promoted whereby 16 companies partnered with artisanal miners to access mining technologies and finance using appropriate technology.

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Minirena to promote green economy