Ethiopia Steps Up Global Climate Efforts With Innovative Solutions
ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia is playing a significant role in global climate change mitigation by implementing and expanding both nature- and technology-based solutions, Officials said.
The country is hosting Climate Week 2-2025 (CW2) in the presence of global and continental leaders to advance Africa’s climate agenda.
During the opening event, Planning and Development Minister Fitsum Assefa (PhD) said that Ethiopia is undertaking climate actions guided by its 10-year development plan and the homegrown economic reform agenda. “We have aligned our national policies with the nationally determined contributions and long-term low emission strategy.”
The visions and ambitions are being translated into climate actions through transformative initiatives such as the Green Legacy Initiative (GLI), the expansion of clean energy projects, the transition of cities and communities toward sustainable, inclusive development, and the food system transformation journey, she said.
According to President Taye Atske- Selassie, though the challenge of climate change is global in scale, the solutions can find their most profound meaning when rooted in each country’s national action commitments.
In this regard, governments are taking bold measures to confront climate change in their respective countries, he said, while mentioning Ethiopia’s nature- and technology-based climate solutions.
In 2019, Ethiopia launched the Green Legacy Initiative, a vital national program addressing deforestation, land degradation, and food security. “This year alone, we planted 7.5 billion seedlings, bringing our cumulative total to 47.5 billion trees, where we are also aspiring to reach 54 billion trees by next year,” Taye said, adding, “This grassroots-based movement is restoring landscapes, improving water cycles, boosting food security, and creating jobs.”
“We are also transforming our food system with our climate-smart green initiative.” The program has transformed Ethiopia from a net wheat importer to wheat self-sufficiency. “With adequate support, Ethiopia’s model can be replicated across our continent and beyond,” he suggested.
Furthermore, Ethiopia is preparing to inaugurate its mega dam by heavily investing domestic resources, despite all challenges, in hydroelectric power, Taye noted. “We are demonstrating our commitment to clean energy as part of our national determined contributions,” he said.
According to him, the dam will generate over 5,000 MW of renewable electricity, enough to power homes, schools, and industries. This brings us closer to addressing energy poverty in Ethiopia, across East Africa, and beyond.
However, reducing the impact of climate change and building climate resilience requires a concerted effort. Therefore, Taye stated that stakeholders must play their due role through the nationally determined contributions and climate financing.
According to Fitsum, CW2 is a bold, practical, and impactful platform to bridge the gap between negotiation and implementation. It will strengthen collective resolve for the shared journey toward upcoming climate events such as the second Africa Climate Summit (ACS 2) and COP 30. It is an inclusive platform for governments, civil society, the private sector, academia, and local communities. In close coordination with ACS 2, it offers a unique opportunity to design, scale, and accelerate climate solutions.
By Ethiopian Herald.
