Various stakeholders drawn from the Ministry of Energy began a two-day forum to develop a National Appropriated Mitigation Actions (MAMA) for The Gambia.
The mitigation actions are voluntary country engagement proposals to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
They are a set of government prioritised actions aimed at reducing or limiting green house gas emissions.
The project is being funded by the Gambia Government and the African Development Bank (ADB).
According to the national consultant, Bubu Pateh Jallow, the concept of NAMA emerged during the preparation of the Bali action plan as part of the Bali Roadmap agreed upon at the United Nations climate change conference in
He added that the action plan recognised the need for developing countries to fully participate in efforts at achieving global emission reduction goals.
The NAMA therefore provided a vehicle to recognize the mitigation effort undertaken by developing countries and created platform to support these actions.
He added that the concept is still evolving, noting that NAMA could be implemented differently depending on the kind of support expected by developing countries.
Mr Jallow further asserted that the three kinds of NAMA that are currently being recognised include autonomous action by developing countries without outside support; action undertaken with support from developed countries, and parties and actions that could be partial or fully credited for sale in the global carbon market.
“Recognising the low submission of NAMA to the UNFCCC by the African countries, the AfDB prepared a proposal suggesting the way to support regional member countries in developing and implementing NAMAs.
He added that The Gambia was one of the regional member countries that are benefiting from grants to submit a proposal for NAMAs to the UNFCCC secretariat ahead of the 17th conference of the parties (COP 17
Jallow said the task is to identify proposed NAMAs for the Gambia through consultative and participatory manner on the basis of summary document, approve at the national level, which summaries the national policy for reducing greenhouse gas emission and highlighting mitigation potential in each sector.
He further thanked the participants for taking part in developing the national document and urged them to continue their commitment towards the national development.
For his part, the deputy permanent secretary for agriculture, Abdoulie Danso, who chaired the ceremony, thanked the national consultant, Bubu Pateh Jallow, for his effort in helping to develop the national develop document.
