Niël Terblanché
On the sidelines of COP29, the Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, urged global leaders to intensify their efforts towards addressing climate change, highlighting the disproportionate impact on vulnerable countries like Namibia.
Speaking at the High-Level Ministerial Roundtable on pre-2030 Ambition, Shifeta outlined Namibia’s climate challenges, commitments, and the critical need for international collaboration to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.
He said Namibia is a nation highly dependent on natural resources.
“The country faces significant vulnerabilities due to variable climatic patterns. The impacts of climate change, including severe droughts and floods, have left the country struggling with economic and social challenges,” he said.
Shifeta stressed that these realities stress the urgency of implementing the nation’s updated climate actions, as outlined in its second Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), while actively transitioning towards NDC 3.0.
He expressed appreciation for the global progress made under the Paris Agreement, particularly the first global stocktake of collective efforts that were concluded at COP28.
While pointing out the need for ambitious pre-2030 actions, Shifeta called for the integration of a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance to ensure a sustainable, inclusive, and balanced global approach to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
“Without adequate mitigation actions, we will require significantly more adaptation efforts to counter the catastrophic impacts of unbridled temperature increases,” he warned.
He reiterated Namibia’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions through ambitious deadlines and a programmatic approach that aligns with national policies and strategies.
While stressing the importance of inclusivity, he called for the adoption of a “whole of society” principle to enhance climate ambition and action.
Shifeta repeated his concern about the lack of urgency regarding climate finance.
“Meaningful climate action is unattainable without adequate financial resources, as enshrined in international agreements, including Article 4 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement,” he said.
Shifeta commended developed nations that have honoured their financial commitments but called for increased support and urged others to fulfil their responsibilities promptly.
He also advocated for the principle of “polluter pays,” insisting that those nations responsible for environmental damage are responsible for adequate compensation for their actions.
The minister also stressed the necessity of private sector investments in climate initiatives, provided they do not compromise accountability or shift responsibility from major polluters.
“Technology transfer, capacity building, and access to climate financial resources are essential enablers for developing countries to cope with and adapt to climate change,” he said.
Shifeta called on developed nations to scale up support and ensure equitable access to resources for vulnerable nations like Namibia.
He also reaffirmed Namibia’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and its ambition to balance mitigation and adaptation efforts and called on global stakeholders to intensify collaboration and implement actionable strategies to prevent catastrophic climate impacts.