President Edgar Lungu has called on nations to consider re-calibrating their relationship with nature by rebuilding a more environmentally responsible world in the wake of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
President Lungu has said as the world population was approaching 10 billion, nations and their leaders should be able to better understand the web of life in which citizens lived and their relationship with nature.
Addressing the 75th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 75) during the Summit on Biodiversity Leadership Dialogue, President Lungu told world leaders that the Covid-19 pandemic had acutely undermined economic activities across the globe, particularly the tourism and conservation sectors.
The Head of State delivered his address to the General Assembly through a pre-recorded statement on addressing biodiversity loss and mainstreaming biodiversity for sustainable development.
The theme of the Summit on Biodiversity is; “Urgent Action on Biodiversity for Sustainable Development.”
He informed world leaders that the Covid-19 had completely altered human movement and activities hence the need for nations to address zoonotic disease that are emerging as a result of human activities.
President Lungu stated that Zambia’s abundant biodiversity in flora and fauna such as forestry fisheries, wildlife and aquatic biodiversity, which form the country’s socio-economic basis had been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has endangered wildlife species such as Rhinos that require constant protection and management. In many National Parks, Rangers prevent the decimation of wildlife by poachers and also implement other wildlife protection regulations. With COVID-19 cutbacks, the endangered animals might be at increased risk,” President Lungu said.
He cautioned that other consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic included the increased illegal logging, pollution of the ecosystems, and the subsequent closure of ecotourism sites.
President Lungu said Zambia’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of 2015 had estimated that the country had over 12,500 different species in flora and fauna but that this critical biodiversity was facing a growing threat of loss because of human-induced activities.
“In order to address this serious threat to biodiversity, my government has enacted policy and legislative frameworks to promote biodiversity conservation. Our national Vision 2030 and the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) have integrated environmental issues. We place emphasis on sectors such as agriculture, forestry, wildlife, and wetlands,” President Lungu said.
The Head of State said Zambia had taken practical measures such as the promotion of Climate-Smart Agriculture, the annual National Tree Planting Programme, and the wildlife re-stocking in the effort of addressing biodiversity loss.
He reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to prioritizing sustainable management and conservation of the country’s biodiversity. He said Zambia fully supported efforts on the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity, which is contributing to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
He was lucky it was a virtual pre-recorded statement, otherwise had he physically been he would have been addressing an empty arena like what happened with the General Assembly appearance where there were less than 10 people who pitcheds up to listen to Zambia’s alcoholic fool!
Shameless …….
Lies without realising who he is lying to…..
The mukula chief thief talking about biodiversity and conservation
Lusaka times you are slacking. This occurred days ago. Meanwhile look at the tonga diasporans above. They hate ECL with a passion because he is not from their region. These f00ls have gone to the western world and yet are less civilised than the most uneducated people in our country. This is clear evidence that going to diaspora doesn’t cure f00lishness
F00lishness is an incurable disease, but anyway ubuteko need to do something pa malasha. It is disaster not to have trees in the country especially our country.
Trees are down. The problem is Malasha, timber for illegal export na nkuni and in gwembe for building tuma houses. If only we can diversify to solar power and make building standards that incoperate solar power. Our universities surely can invest in solar panel research and production. Lets not wait for the west to bring down the cost of solar panels. They do not have incentives to produce solar panels. They don’t have much sun
Trees are down. The problem is Malasha, timber for illegal export na nkuni and in gwembe for building tuma houses. If only we can diversify to solar power and make building standards that incorporate solar power. Our universities surely can invest in solar panel research and production. Lets not wait for the west to bring down the cost of solar panels. They do not have incentives to produce solar panels. They don’t have much sun
Can we get some real news; like when are Tourist Visa’s going to be issued to tourists coming to Zambia. When is the new terminal airport going to open?
Useless dull piece of sh1t
Biodiversity, lyashi lya malasha pa Zambia, the speech should have pointed out what is being done to stop charcoal burning. We are in serious trouble.
But here is a solution; subsidise gas bottles, reduce cost of gas cooking, tell all villagers to plant trees bikako effort to these issues.
The same Mukula thieves who wanted to mine in Lower Zambezi. Protect the environment in your land, not in meetings.
Busy selling all the mukula timber , busy degazzetting forest 27 for personal use, busy selling all the wildlife to his friend Findlay and then he talks about biodiversity and protection of flora and fauna. Sometimes the speechwriter should also think before writing such. You make the president into a comedian.
Who wrote the speech for you? Being politically correct for election/financial reasons.