Ethiopia Launches Green Legacy Initiative to Combat Climate Change: Minister of Water and Energy.

Addis Ababa: Minister of Water and Energy Habtamu Itefa announced that the Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) exemplifies Ethiopia's enduring commitment to addressing the impacts of climate change through multifaceted approaches. This statement was made during the launch of the Ethiopian Global Basic Observation Network-Systematic Observation Financing (ETH-GBON-SOFF) project.According to Ethiopian News Agency, the minister emphasized the importance of weather and climate prediction, along with early warning services, as crucial strategies for building resilience to climate change. "While anticipating and acting towards natural hazards through early warning systems, we also have to protect our environment against degradation," he stated. The GLI, initiated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2019, has seen significant success, with 40 billion seedlings planted since its inception.State Minister of Finance, Semereta Sewasew, highlighted the launch of the ambitious initiative aimed at enhancing Ethiopia's capacity t o collect, analyze, and utilize vital climate and weather data. She noted that the support from SOFF extends beyond strengthening national systems, enabling Ethiopia to contribute significantly to global climate change mitigation networks. She stressed that building a resilient system for weather and climate observation is essential, with the SOFF project playing a critical role in improving the country's climate data infrastructure.Samuel Doe, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Resident Representative, expressed UNDP's commitment as the implementing entity for the project, supporting Ethiopia's Meteorological Institute (EMI) in achieving its objectives and meeting global requirements. He stated that the project will facilitate the upgrade of existing weather stations in Ethiopia.Director General of EMI, Fetene Teshome, explained that the project's aim is to enhance Ethiopia's capacity to collect and transmit both surface and upper air weather data for global use. He underscored the non-debatab le role of climate services in minimizing risks and optimizing opportunities amid increasing climate variability. The Ethiopian Meteorology Institute is dedicated to providing climate information that leads to better-informed decisions, including weather and climate early warning and advisory services.The ETH-GBON-SOFF project is a three-year initiative with a budget of 9.9 million USD, marking a significant step in Ethiopia's climate change mitigation efforts.