Environmental fund celebrates completion of strategic plan at national conference
A large audience gathered on Tuesday at the Mercure Hotel to participate in the stakeholder conference of the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia under the banner, “Improving Climate Financing Scale Through Strategic Collaboration.”
The conference was an all-encompassing event showcasing the fund’s activities for stakeholders, beneficiaries and partners, from 2018 to 2022 which is the term of the strategic plan that has just been completed.
“Stakeholder engagement in climate finance is crucial for fostering cooperation, achieving meaningful impact, and accelerating progress to a more sustainable and climate-resilient future. By involving stakeholders, climate finance strategies can be fine-tuned and better aligned with local needs and priorities,” the fund stated.
The overall goal is to achieve more targeted and impactful investments, as funded projects are designed with a deep understanding of the specific challenges and opportunities faced by communities.
The conference also centred around the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 17 which defines the scope of the preceding 16 goals. SDG 17 recognizes the need for collaborative and multi-stakeholder partnerships at the global, regional, and national levels to mobilize resources, share knowledge and implement sustainable solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
Stakeholder involvement is further seen by the fund as a key element to foster transparency, accountability and collaboration between different sectors and actors. It also encourages the exchange of ideas, expertise, and resources. “By working together with a wide range of stakeholders, we can create more robust, equitable, and effective climate finance strategies that address the urgent challenges of climate change,” the fund said.
Keynote speaker, the Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, Hon Iipumbu Shiimi, said “I would therefore like to recognize the exceptional efforts of the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia in addressing the looming challenges of drought and climate change. The initiatives taken have been nothing short of inspiring, and I am deeply humbled to witness the numerous initiatives. By investing in climate-smart agricultural practices, water conservation measures, and innovative technologies, our farmers will not only increase their productivity but also reduce their vulnerability to climate-related risks.”
Conference presentations looked at Partnership and Opportunities in Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and Sustainable Development in line with Namibia Determined Contributions (NDC). Several of the presentations highlighted the importance of public private partnerships, and the enormous opportunities for investing in green technologies.
Also under the spotlight was the global climate finance architecture including the role of international climate funds, multilateral development banks, and bilateral funding mechanisms.
The conference brought together over 250 participants from local institutions joined by international stakeholders who followed the procedings in a virtual broadcast.
That same evening the Fund held a grant handover ceremony where an amount of more than N$88 million was disbursed to 34 community projects in rural areas where conditions are generally harsh or deteriorating as a result of climate change.
The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Hon Pohamba Shifeta said “I applaud the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia under the capable leadership of Mr Benedict Libanda and the entire team. In the same vein, I would like to extend my gratitude to the Board of Directors who made sure that good governance principles were maintained throughout the selection of grantee recipients.”
Since its inception in 2001, the Environmental Investment Fund has mobilised more than N$3 billion for community projects and environmental protection.
