The world today commemorates ‘Earth Day’, a day that is set aside to create awareness about pollution while advocating for protection of the environment.
This year, the day is being celebrated under the theme, “Restore Our Earth” which is in line with this year’s thrust which is focused on natural processes and emerging green technologies that can restore the world’s ecosystems.
Earth Day commemorations this year mark 51 years of existence, a time when the world is at a critical point owing to the issue of reducing green house gas emissions that is taking centre stage.
Late last year, the Zimbabwean government through the Permanent Secretary in the Environment and Climate ministry, Mr Munesushe Munodawafa expressed its commitment towards playing a part in reducing green house gas emissions.
Mr Munodawafa was quoted saying that renewable energy and other smart technologies seem to be a sensible thing to turn to in achieving sustainable cut of emissions in the industrial sector.
To that effect, he said that government had embarked on an experts training from various key sectors which produce emissions as a way of preparing for a future which will be anchored on clean and smart energy.
“The industrial sector’s main contribution to green house gases is through energy consumption where industries that produce green house gases are energy production and manufacturing, including, but not limited to cement production, fertilizer production and processes in mining such as iron and steel manufacture and ferro-alloy production.
“In 2015, GHG emissions resulting from energy use in the manufacturing industries were estimated at 6% of the total GHG emissions and are expected to increase steadily between now and 2050 as Zimbabwe’s economy continues to grow,” he said.
An Environmental Advocate and Natural Resources Management expert, Ms Rumbidzai Noreen Matonga expressed satisfaction with the direction that Zimbabwe is taking in terms of environmental advocacy and management.
Speaking to EnviroZim earlier today, Ms Matonga said, “I love where we are going as a nation in terms of environmental advocacy and management, the First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa has shown greater understanding of environmental management and was also encouraging youths to be involved in environmental conservation. She even took time to talk about it with young adults.”
Ms Matonga added that once leadership has embraced the fact that environmental conservation and protection are important, it effectively means that as a nation we are winning the battle to restore our environment.
This, she said would ensure effective, decentralisation of information dissemination, natural resources management and governance.
“Earth Day is therefore very important and should be commemorated as it provides us with the opportunity to take stock of our achievements and failures .
“We also create new ideas on conserving our Earth because if we do not look after it sustainably then we will suffer the negative consequences,” Ms Matonga concluded.
