Scientists urged to lay strategies for climate change

The Minister of Environment and Lands, Stanislas Kamanzi, has called upon experts in the region to endeavour putting in place strategies aimed at fighting climate change. Kamanzi made the call in Kigali yesterday while officially opening a two-day workshop on Rwanda Science-Policy Dialogue on Climate Change. The seminar with a theme; “Integrating climate change, mitigation and adaptation in development planning,” was organized by Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) in partnership with the University of Dar es Salaam and other stakeholders on climate change. “I advise you as experts in your respective capacities, to lay down serious strategies meant to support initiatives geared towards addressing climate change challenges in Africa,” Kamanzi said. He added that any considerable changes in climate patterns are bound to generate undesirable impacts on the welfare of the African people. The minister revealed that in the case of Rwanda, impacts of climate change have been clearly evident in ecosystems such as Lake Cyohoha in Bugesera District and Rugezi wetland where a combination of environmental degradation and climate change led to a decline in water levels for lakes Burera and Ruhondo. He said that as a result, there was a decline in hydroelectricity power generation from the lakes. He however noted that government has since developed a number of policies that promote environmental management approaches that address climate change. The Rector of KIST, Otta Ogwu, encouraged participants to always monitor global issues concerning climate change, as a way of keeping abreast with the patterns. In an interview, the Rector said that the workshop is the first of its kind in Rwanda and second in Africa, the first one having taken place in Tanzania. Ends

National

Scientists urged to lay strategies for climate change