Rwanda in drive to increase green growth awareness

As Rwanda gears up efforts to promote green growth and fast track sustainable development outcomes, the country will host, for the first time, the Rwanda Green Growth Week (RGGW). The event, according to Environment Minister Vincent Biruta, is aimed at increasing collaboration between national and international stakeholders working on Green Growth and to improve understanding the role of climate finance in green growth and sustainable development in Rwanda and across Africa. Biruta announced this during a Twitter question and answer exchange on Friday evening. “From 4-8 December, Rwanda will host a Green Growth Week, a development ‘t approach that builds a sustainable economy while reducing pollution, waste and the inefficient use of natural resources –all in a way that maintains biodiversity,” Biruta mentioned. The Rwanda Green Growth Week, Biruta says, will be launched with a High Level Policy Dialogue on the Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy at the Kigali Convention Centre. It brings together organizations and institutions to share experiences and best practices on Green Growth in Rwanda. Green Growth is a development approach that builds a sustainable economy while reducing pollution, waste and the inefficient use of natural resources - all in a way that maintains biodiversity. Green growth seeks to spur investment and innovation in ways that give rise to new, more sustainable sources of economic activity and jobs. Rwanda’s green growth efforts are guided by the country’s Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy. “We will use the #RGGW platform to make sure the #GreenGrowth message reaches as many people as possible through various channels; radio, twitter, newspapers. We count of the support of the media! The Minister said that Rwanda Green Growth Week will also feature the launch of Rwanda e-Waste Recycling Facility, the second of its kind in Africa - financed by FONERWA and implemented by the Ministry of Trade. Coletha Ruhamya’, Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) said the launch of various activities at the Green Growth Week will also help raise awareness for people’s participation in building a greener Rwanda. The Green Growth Week also comes at a time Rwanda prepares to begin implementing the new National Strategy for Transformation. In 2011, it introduced a national Green Growth and Climate Resilience Strategy. The cutting-edge policy document guides the country’s sustainable development agenda and response to climate change. Since that time, the Government of Rwanda has taken a number of steps to integrate green growth into policy making and planning as well as institutional development. According to Biruta, Rwanda is now embarking on the next stage of its development through the National Strategy for Transformation, and green growth will be central to achieving the goals of the strategy. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Rwanda in drive to increase green growth awareness