Category: Environment

Residents living near the river passing through BRALIRWA to their residential area will be relocated following the negative effect that the river is causing among residents.

Its said the river overflows and demolishing houses and other property of residents.

In a meeting held to discuss the issue, the Western Province and BRALIRWA agreed to relocate affected families while looking for long lasting solution.

Relocated families will receive iron sheets and plots of land where they will establish new houses.

The move comes after the 28th September’ visit of Prime Minister Dr. Pierre Damien Habumuremyi who urged local authorities to deal with status of the river for solutions.

BRALIRWA estimated budget of Frw250 Million for the whole activity.

DRCongo wildlife authorities have rescued two baby gorillas from traffickers.

The rescued gorillas are being protected by the Dian Fossey Fund awaiting transfer to the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education (GRACE) centre in the DRC’s North Kivu.

Clare Richardson president and CEO of Fossey Fund noted, “We are committed to saving gorillas in Congo in every way, primarily by supporting law enforcement in combating poaching and monitoring of gorillas the way we have done for 45 years with mountain gorillas in Rwanda.”

“We have been caring for confiscated gorillas in temporary facilities since 2003, and the continuing problem of gorilla trafficking in this region requires us to focus both on prevention and on making plans for their future,” Richardson added.

Kitabi College of Conservation and Environomental Management (KCCEM) encourages girls to enrol for conservation studies adding that the courses are suitable for girls who want to contribute to National development.

Umugwaneza Denyse is the only female who learns at Kitabi College.

Currently, the college has 15 students from different regional countries.

The college provides tourism courses, conservation of Environment and many other courses.

College Authorities have said last year 20 people graduated in tourism and Biodiversity conservations.

The Prime Minister Dr. Pierre Damien Habumuremyi participated in a communal work (umuganda) at Nyundo sector in Rubavu district where he joined residents in planting trees at the banks of Sebeya River.

Sebeya river is known to overflow and flood into neighbouring gardens destroying crops and valuable property.

The Prime Minister urged residents to plant more trees to deal with soil erosion and conserve the environment.

Dr.Habumuremyi also launched the planting season which saw a large participation from residents.

Environmentalists and Natural resources sector working groups have questioned the concept of ” sustainable development” and environment protection in general.

This was during the meeting September 26, at Lemigo Hotel.

The debate ensued during the session of the back word-looking Joint Sector Review for the Environment and natural resources sector which encompasses the Environment, Lands, Water Resources Management, Forestry and mines sub-sectors.

Dr. Emmanuel Nkurunziza of Rwanda Natural Resources Authority has urged participants to count on support and partnerships ensuring that the environment provides its due contribution towards sustainable national development.

However,Dr. Rose Mukankomeje of Rwanda Environment Management Authority has said until now the concept of sustainability of development is not clearly understood.

“….when we are talking about sustainable mining for example, we think in increasing productivity,….however, we are undermining land, agriculture sector,…. so the point is how we understand sustainability and how we implement sustainable development for future generations” Explains Mukankomeje.

She noted,“Natural resources are part of Environment. Guidelines have been developed but between developing and implementing there is another step. the challenge is mostly behaviour change”

“It is simple, we have degraded Gishwati and then we are putting money in rehabilitating it.”

Dr. Nkurunziza of RNRA, the concept of sustainable development is not the only challenge in this sector, but also there are other challenges including inadequate monitoring and evaluation of sector priorities and programs undermining financing of the sector and overall effectiveness of the sector to influence sustainable performance of productive and social sectors.

It is expected that the meeting will come up with solutions to issues affecting the sector’s progress.

Joachim Molander, Head of development cooperation in embassy of Sweden commended the progress in Land reform and and how Rwanda’s environment is managed though the country is mostly populated.

Rwanda Minister of Natural resources, Stanislas Kamanzi has said that developed countries should put more commitment in dealing with impacts of global warming though arrangements under Kyoto protocol are soon expiring.

However, the Minister said that new arrangements under negotiations also point to that commitment.

Kamanzi added that developed Nations have to abide by their obligations to cut their emissions as defined for all annex 1 under the Kyoto Protocol.

Asked about the contribution of Rwanda to curb global warming impacts, Kamanzi said “this is based on government choice to embrace a low carbon development pathway.”

Earlier this week during the 14th ordinary session of the African Environment Ministerial Conference (AMCEN) Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete has challenged African environment ministers to put industrial nations to task for their slow action to reverse degradation of the global environment and the rising global warming.

Kikwete remarked that these are countries with the necessary financial resources, technology and skills to undertake the task but lack the political will.

Kikwete said that the people in Africa suffer the most though they contribute the least to global warming, adding that the effects and problems of increased global warming were no longer hypothetical but real in many parts of Africa.

Turning to African countries, the president said the blame should not be solely directed to developed nations.

“We too have to put in place environment friendly policies and take action to rehabilitate the areas we have destroyed,” he noted.

Meanwhile, representatives of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) assured the ministers of their institutional support to further the agenda of sustainable development.

AfDB representative Anthony Nyong said the Bank commended the flagship programmes for sustainable development which the conference agreed, adding that it would release a total of US$ 6.4 billion to support investments in energy, water and transport projects between 2011 and 2015.

Over 100 homes have been destroyed by heavy storm in Rusizi district Bugarama sector leaving affected families homeless and in need of urgent help.

The incident happened Tuesday when rain with heavy wind destroyed over a hundred homes and causing severe destruction to crops and other valuable property of residents.

Gatera Egide the Bugarama sector leader has requested neighbours to shelter the affected persons in his sector until some help is delivered.

The worst affected zones in Bugarama sector include Pera, nyange and ryankana.

The sector leadership in collaboration with the security forces helped in quickly assessing the damage and calling for urgent help to affected residents.

The Minister for Natural resources, Stanislas Kamanzi has said that current status of Rwanda forest cover now stands at about 23% of national surface.

Minister Kamanzi told IGIHE in an interview that through national afforestation and reforestation programs, Rwanda has committed to a systematic forest landscape restoration initiative which aims at increasing forest cover and protection of natural resources in general.

He added afforestation and agro-forestry programs are planned in each District to achieve the National target of having 30% of national territory covered by forests.

Though good progresses in terms of reforestation were made, there remains room for improvement in some Districts.

“We have been noting cases where forests are mismanaged and even illegally harvested. Districts Districts Task Forces should contribute to have that put to an end” Kamanzi said.

One of the ways to address this issue was the establishment of afforestation task forces in level of each district led by the vice Mayors in charge of economic affairs and this occurred starting last year for the season 2011-2012.

After establishment of those task forces, the rate of tree survival after planting has gone much higher than before.

Sea level rise due to climate change could submerge Gambian capital city Banjul, the country’s minister for works Francis Leity Mboge has warned.

The minister was addressing a UNDP workshop held in Banjul on enhancing adaptive capacities and defences of coastal settlements.

Gambia is one of Africa’s most vulnerable countries to climate change.

“Gambia’s climate change vulnerability is likely to increase. Droughts, floods and storms are likely to increase in frequency and intensity.

In coastal areas, sea level rise and rising sea temperatures will lead to saltwater intrusion, floods and coastal erosion,’’ the minister said.

The minister said a one-meter sea level rise might wipe out Gambia’s human settlements, 60 per cent of mangrove forest cover, 33 per cent swampy areas and 20 per cent of rice fields.

According to him, unfavourable climatic conditions will lead to a decrease in rice production impeding the county’s objective of producing 70,000 metric tonnes of rice annually.

He added that climate change presents a serious threat to the country’s economic life-line such as tourism and fishing.

“Studies both in Gambia and abroad show that climate change will have significant consequences on coastal regions, especially low-lying coasts with their mangrove ecosystems,” said Izumi Morota-Alakija, a UNDP representative.