However, in order to develop a sustainable world, human behaviour must change, and people must become more eco-conscious faster than the climate is changing, in order to positively change the dynamics of human-climate interactions in the world. It is in the news that City Link Ostend-Banjul has embarked on an ambitious project designed to plat close to 5000 coconut trees along Banjul coastline. The move is part of a broader European Union project project worth €3 million.
It is an indisputable fact that trees are nature’s own carbon removal engines. Investing or planting more trees could remove large amounts of carbon dioxide while creating hundreds of thousands of jobs for people.
In most developing countries The Gambia included, most cities suffered from numerous problems associated with the process of their urban management and development. These problems have a great influence on the environmental performance of those cities.
As rightly stated by EU ambassador, Attila Lajos, the coconut trees will be an engine for economic growth and contribute to food security within the city. We all know that coconut fruit juice is consumed by many as it medicinal benefits.
It also provides perfect decoration especially along the streets or even beaches. So long as destroying the environment continues to remain profitable, people that want to protect the environment will face a herculean task to make gainful moves and ensure that the benefits of maintaining natural resources to sustain planetary health.
Climate change is real and is seriously affecting development growth in the city of Banjul. Therefore, embracing sound climate policy that must include not only ambitious measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also concrete investments at local level is necessary.
We must always bear in mind that global warming is neither a scientific concept nor a future event that we can ignore. We must act now, and with urgency, to address it.
Therefore, let’s go green!
"The effects of climate change are real and must be acted on."
Joe Biden