Protect Miombo woodlands – Shifeta

Communities within the Miombo eco-region, which spans across parts of ten countries, including Namibia, may face disastrous consequences if deforestation and unsustainable use of forest resources are not brought under control.Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta said this at the &#039;Biodiversity Conservation as Key to Peace&#039; panel discussion in Washington, DC, where he delivered perspectives on the Miombo initiative in biodiversity conservation.The Miombo woodland is linked to the Zambezi River and its tributaries and provides crucial life support systems for over 65 million people.The woodlands are the most extensive tropical woodland and dry forest formation in Africa, covering 3.6 million square kilometres.Working together Shifeta explained that the Miombo Initiative has been endorsed by ten governments in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region to deliver three key objectives, namely to promote forest management for climate resilience and community development and to protect the Miombo forests as a carbon sink to ensure emission reductions for the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement.It also aims to conserve Miombo forests to save the Zambezi Basin.“The Namibian government is therefore pleased to be associated with this regional initiative and endorse the creation of a funding mechanism to accelerate public-private investments in the region," he said. “We are concerned with the high rate of deforestation and unsustainable use of forest resources in the Miombo eco-region, and if these are not brought under control, they have the potential to push us towards the tipping point in the ecological functioning of the region. If this tipping point is reached, our communities will face disastrous consequences.”Setting clear targets Shifeta emphasised the need for a plan with clear targets for the Miombo Initiative, focusing on areas under protection as well as sustainable economic activities such as value addition to timber and non-timber forest resources.“Targets for emission reduction, a target for the diversification of income sources from timber and non-timber forest products, a target for reducing illegal trade in flora and fauna products and a target for promoting programmes of education and knowledge sharing on forest management should be set.”

Protect Miombo woodlands – Shifeta

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

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Protect Miombo woodlands – Shifeta

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

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