13:57
On
the occasion of the European Climate Diplomacy Week (12-18 September),
the Delegation of the European Union, the Embassy of France and the
Embassy of Germany hosted a public screening of the award-winning
documentary Demain/Today (leo), at the Goethe-Institut. The Minister of
State, Vice President’s Office, Union and Environment, Hon. January
Makamba, took part in the event together with the French Ambassador, H.E
Mrs Malika Berak, the German Chargé d’Affaires, Mr John Reyels and the
EU Chargé d’Affaires, Ms Luana Reale.
This
was the premiere in Africa of Demain/Tomorrow, by Cyril Dion and
Mélanie Laurent, winner of the César award of Best Documentary Film in
2016. This globetrotting documentary focuses on the people who are
promoting new initiatives and innovative approaches in areas such as
agriculture, energy, habitat, economy, education, democracy. A
high-level panel, including Hon. Minister Makamba, Tajiel Urioh, Climate
and Environmental Activist, Dennis Mwendwa, from the Oil, Natural Gas
and Environmental Alliance (ONGEA), and Dr. Adolphine Kateka from the
Centre for Climate Change, University of Dar es Salaam, discussed on
areas prompted by the French Head of Cooperation, Mr Phillip Boncour,
who moderated the discussions, and questions raised by the audience.
Hon.
Minister Makamba said in reference to climate diplomacy, “Climate
diplomacy has given us a once in a lifetime opportunity to save our
human family and its habitat. Here in Tanzania, most of our key growth
sectors are climatesensitive. The Tanzanian government is determined to
pursue its development path responsibly and sustainably”.
Ambassador
Berak in opening the event said: “Climate change is indeed an issue
facing all of us. But there are also solutions: simple, human scale
solutions, innovative industrial solutions, solutions to be invented by
cities and local governments, partnership and network solutions…“The
film you are going to see tonight for its Première on the African
continent is precisely about solutions and the people who implement them
all around the globe.. “Demain” is a positive movie, a movie which
demonstrates that joint efforts can open nearly every single door, a
movie which believes in human beings and their capacity to change the
trajectories put in place by other human beings time after time.”
On
his part Mr Reyels recalled that: “At the 21st Conference of the Parties
(COP21) in Paris the whole global community pledged to curb climate
change. Emerging and developing economies like Tanzania play a vital
part in pursuing this global transformation. Germany is partnering with
the government of Tanzania in the field of climate adaptation, e.g. to
access international climate financing from the Green Climate Fund.”
Ms
Reale, in her concluding remarks, stressed the importance of
international cooperation to fight climate change: “The European Union
has spearheaded global efforts and we are well on track to meet our
target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020. The Paris
Agreement is a global response to a global problem; as our panel has
clearly shown, we all have a role to play, be it small or large. All
actions count. Tonight we have heard from the Honorable Minister that
Tanzania is well on its way in preparing its ratification document of
the Paris Agreement.
The
EU and all its Member States are also working to join the Agreement. We
are proud, as members of the global community, to see that China and
the United States of America have joined on 3 September.”
