Dakar, May 11 (APS) – The Swiss Klik Foundation, whose activities are centered around greenhouse gas reduction activities, started its activities in Senegal, with the official launch of its website, Wednesday, in Dakar .
Senegal and Switzerland further materialize, through this means, their commitment to implement Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on the climate, which aims to set up and oversee cooperation mechanisms between the various stakeholders in ecological transition, with the aim of facilitating the achievement of countries’ voluntary commitments, also called National Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Swiss additional investments in climate finance in Senegal should in this way contribute to sustainable development.
“For the implementation of the Paris Agreement, a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) should be adopted, which has been a long inclusive process, participatory of all sectors concerned by the adverse effects of climate change”, recalled the Secretary General of the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Amadou Lamine Guissé.
In this context, notes Mr. Guissé, access to the carbon market remains an important point, Senegal being “one of the countries that pollutes the least, but suffers the impacts of climatic effects, in particular floods, the advance of the sea, air pollution, among other” consequences.
Switzerland, as a partner of Senegal, has therefore decided to support private initiatives aimed at supporting countries that pollute the least but which develop mechanisms with structuring projects that have less impact on the environment.
From this point of view, says Amadou Lamine Guissé, the Head of State, Macky Sall, “has defined an irreversible policy of a low-carbon economy by developing projects such as the Ter (regional express train) having a positive impact on the environment”.
“We have an ongoing project, the BRT (fast buses on reserved lanes) and another project of the Waste Management Coordination Unit (UCG), because waste is an important source of energy”, notes Amadou Lamine Guisse.
Added to this is “the national biomass program”, Senegal’s ambition being to “renew the car fleet of + fast cars + for less pollution in the transport sector”.
“In industry too, mechanisms are being developed for a low-carbon sector”, and that is why, “by signing this protocol, Senegal has positioned itself as a receiving country and seller of these products. carbon, in connection with the Klik Foundation”, he said.
He nevertheless believes that “the exercise is complex. Thus, we need parameters that allow us to identify all promising and bankable projects”.
“To do this, we need national expertise. This should not be a matter for the administration but for all sectors involved in economic and social development, in order to instil in them sustainable development strategies in the planning , the realization and in the execution of their programs”, added Mr. Guissé.
In this perspective, the website launched “provides information on how to apply? What are the criteria that are requested? How to formulate a project? In fact, these projects must be approved, matured and accompanied by the Klik foundation”, indicates the SG of the ministry. of the Environment and Sustainable Development.
“In addition, he continued, the door is open to other project ideas to finally benefit from the maximum of credits which will be capitalized and which will only be beneficial for Senegal”.