Forestry Minister On the Significance Of Climate Change

Hon Jatto Sillah, the Minister of Forestry and Environment has said that climate change is one of the most significant and complex challenges facing humanity.

Hon. Minister made these remarks while giving keynote address at a forum on the role of media in combating climate change. O rganised by the Young Journalist Association of the Gambia, the session was held on Tuesday 10th November 2009, at Baobab Hotel in Kerr Sering.

According to the Minister, The Gambia is vulnerable to climate change and as a result the coastal zones are likely to be most affected due to the rise in sea level, variation in precipitation rates etc. He further added that building the capacity of young practising journalists would add value in the way they report climate change issues.

Noting that from development perspective, climate change constitutes the ultimate threat to human development, including poverty reduction, which may slow the hard-won progress made by countries like The Gambia on the MDGs and PRSP.

For his part, Mr. Assan Sallah, YJAG's President stated that climate change is a global menace, which is posing threats to many lives around the globe.

He further noted that climate change is a global problem affecting all humanity, thus illustrating that the world has now became one entity.

According to Mr. Sallah, many scientists and environment artists, global climate change driven by Green House Gases is a major threat to the ecological balance of the planet.

Scientific observations of the state of the planet have demonstrated that humanity's collective activities are contributing to significant changes in the earth?s atmosphere, including risking levels of carbondioxide and other Green House Gases that trap heat.

Mr. Sallah further stated that the effects of global change are predicted to affect every region of the planet in the decades and some signs of which are already evident.

For his part, Mr. Abba A.S. Gibba of the Point Newspaper urged the Young Journalist Association of the Gambia (YJAG) to be united.

According to Mr. Gibba, unity forms the bedrock of any meaningful development, adding that the Young Journalist Association of the (YJAG) has a very important role to play.

Other speakers included Mr. Malick Faye, the Managing Director of the Daily Observer, Mrs Amie Bojang Sissoho (YJAG) Board Chairperson.