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FRONT PAGECivil Society Consortium Raises Concern on Safety of Citizens on Road                                         ...
20/12/2024

FRONT PAGE
Civil Society Consortium Raises Concern on Safety of Citizens on Road

The Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change Monitors and Acclaims Mahera Community People for Plastic Wastes C...
20/12/2024

The Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change Monitors and Acclaims Mahera Community People for Plastic Wastes Collection
MoECC/Comm Unit Following the launch of the Mahera beach plastic free campaign by the Deputy Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Mimi Sobba-Stephens, the Mahera community people, heeded to the clarion called by the Deputy Minister to clean up the Mahera beach from plastic pollution. According to the Hon. Sobba-Stephens “the cleaning exercise is aligned with the Ministry’s core mandates to preserve the environment”. She said Sierra Leone is rebranding its tourism sector, and preserving the environment is crucial to enhance value on our natural assets, which would, among others, boom the tourism sector and enhance economic growth. The Deputy Minister acknowledged the role of the private sector to make sure that plastics are being eliminated from our environment. She noted that the Ministry would continue to work with all relevant sectors, including local communities, to have a free plastic environment. One of the Mahera community people, Madam Mabinty Kamara, went to the Sea Coach site at the Mahera to collect plastic wastes as part of her fulfilment to have a Mahera free plastic beach. She said plastic should not be seen as a menace but should be considered as an economic potential to sustain community livelihoods. Madam Kamara thanked the Deputy Minister and Mr. Walid Bahsoon for providing them with trash bags for collecting the plastic waste, a weighing machine to weigh the bags full of plastics, pay the collectors, and a treading machine to tread the plastics, and bag them, ready for recycling. Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister continues to monitor the cleaning of the Mahera beach with great passion as she plans for the the country's capital city and its surrounding beaches, as the collection of plastic waste intensifies along the Mahera beach by the local stakeholders.

President Bio Appoints Komba Kamanda as New Chief Justice of Sierra LeoneJames Kamara-MannehPresident Julius Maada Bio h...
20/12/2024

President Bio Appoints Komba Kamanda as New Chief Justice of Sierra Leone
James Kamara-Manneh
President Julius Maada Bio has appointed Justice Komba Kamanda as the new Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, following the departure of his predecessor, Chief Justice Babatunde Edwards. The announcement, made today Monday, marks a significant change in the leadership of the country’s judiciary. Justice Kamanda, who has served as a senior legal luminary within Sierra Leone’s judiciary, is expected to bring his vast experience to the role, focusing on strengthening judicial independence and enhancing the rule of law. His appointment comes at a critical time when the judiciary is under scrutiny to deliver on its mandate of ensuring fairness and accountability.Meanwhile, former Chief Justice Babatunde Edwards has been appointed as Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Ireland, a diplomatic role highlighting the government’s trust in his service. Edwards served as Chief Justice from 2019 to 2023, during which he presided over several high-profile cases and reforms within the judiciary.

Civil Society Consortium Raises Concern on Safety of Citizens on Road One member of Civil Society Consortium Hawa Koroma...
20/12/2024

Civil Society Consortium Raises Concern on Safety of Citizens on Road

One member of Civil Society Consortium Hawa Koroma has recently raised concerns on the safety of citizens due to growing number of roads accident that have claimed the lives of our compatriots . She said they are drawing the attention of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority ( SLRSA) an institution responsible for road safety in Sierra Leone to critically examine the safety issue that requires immediate action. She mentioned during her travel across the country and throughout the Freetown municipality, they have observed a troubling and consistent problem which has to do with abandoned vehicles left on the streets of Freetown and highways for extended periods for several days and even weeks without any effort to address the situation. This according to her poses a significant risks to public safety, endangering the lives of citizens and other motorists who are equally using the roads as well. She furthered that in some cases, these abandoned vehicles have caused major accidents, leading to injuries and tragically the deaths of innocent drivers and other road users. She however, made several recommendations which the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority to take into consideration in tackling these problems facing us as a nation which are towing trucks should be made available and dispatched as needed to promptly remove abandoned vehicles from the streets and highways, the authority should also established a central location to house all towed vehicles, the owners of these abandoned vehicles should pay a fee to recover their vehicles, creating an additional source of revenue for SLRSA, unclaimed vehicles within 30days , the authority should conduct auction to sell them , government through the road safety authority should develop a website and a dedicated emergency phone number that citizens to report abandoned vehicles and a specialised unit within SLRSA to specifically manage issues related to abandoned vehicles in Sierra Leone. She was very optimistic that implementing these recommendations effectively will help to ameliorate the problems we are facing, urging the authority to take immediate action to address this pressing and protect the safety of the public.

EPA-SL and MoECC Engage Stakeholders on Coastal and Marine RegulationsThe Environment Protection Agency of Sierra Leone ...
20/12/2024

EPA-SL and MoECC Engage Stakeholders on Coastal and Marine Regulations
The Environment Protection Agency of Sierra Leone (EPA-SL), in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC), convened stakeholders to discuss the development of Integrated Coastal and Marine Management Regulations. Paul Lamin, Director of Natural Resource Governance at EPA-SL, provided background on the initiative, highlighting the need for stakeholder input to enhance the proposed regulations. He emphasized that coastal and marine environmental issues cut across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), making it essential to involve all relevant sectors in the formulation of national regulations. Lamin noted that Sierra Leone's coastal and marine environments have suffered significant degradation due to human activities, underscoring the urgency of enacting protective measures to prevent further misuse of these vital resources. The proposed process involves a technical review meeting followed by nationwide consultations across all 16 administrative districts. These consultations aim to gather public input, after which the draft regulations will be submitted to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change for cabinet approval before being tabled in Parliament for enactment. Lamin also highlighted the critical roles of other key institutions, such as the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, Sierra Leone Ports Authority, Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, and the National Tourist Board. He noted the significant socio-economic contributions of these sectors, including employment of over 500,000 people in fisheries, and the challenges they face, such as sand mining and plastic pollution. Lamin stressed the need for an integrated approach to ensure that the regulations benefit all stakeholders and protect Sierra Leone's coastal and marine environments.

SIERRA LEONE TO ADOPT RESULTS BASED FINANCING MECHANISM FOR SOLAR MINIGRIDS WITH EUR 20M FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE EURO...
20/12/2024

SIERRA LEONE TO ADOPT RESULTS BASED FINANCING MECHANISM FOR SOLAR MINIGRIDS WITH EUR 20M FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
Freetown, SIERRA LEONE – 13 December 2024: The Government of Sierra Leone has prioritized energy development in key national strategies to meet the growing demand for electricity and to address the need for new generation capacity. To meet the growing demand for electricity in rural communities, the Government is adopting a cost-effective solution that maximizes their renewable energy resources. With EUR 20 million support from the European Union (EU), the Government is launching a Results Based Financing (RBF) mechanism for the rollout of the next wave of solar minigrids expected to electrify 35,000 households. “The EU funding will support rural development by powering productive use of energy in communities currently lacking access to electricity. This will positively impact the livelihoods of communities. It also reinforces President Bio’s ambition to pursue both bulk power and decentralized renewable energy solutions to power Sierra Leone’s economic development,” said Hon. Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Energy Sector Lead and Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF). The RBF model provides financial incentives (grants) to private mini-grid developers/operators based on the number of connections they set up. Under this multi-partner scheme, the United Nations Office for Project Services, (UNOPS) and Sustainable Energy for ALL (SEforALL) are implementing partners while the initiative will be funded by the EU under the EUR 50 million Transformational Energy Access for Sierra Leone financing agreement with the Government of Sierra Leone. “UNOPS is committed to the collaborative effort required to provide access to sustainable energy for all. In Sierra Leone, we are proud of our record of offering practical solutions to the government in their drive for clean energy access, by helping set-up solar mini-grids across the country. We look forward to bringing our operational capacities to further support this work, to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure communities can thrive,” emphasized Jorge Moreira da Silva, UNOPS Executive Director and Under-Secretary General. “This partnership demonstrates the power of collaboration, clear leadership from Sierra Leone’s government and innovation to scale clean energy solutions for underserved communities and, importantly, this incentive structure drives economic development by boosting the viability of local companies and the sector, ensuring everyone benefits from electrification,” said Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All. The decisive move to an RBF approach for rural electrification, is the result of previous successful implementation in three locations (Borup, Kalangba and Kasirie), where Power Leone set up mini-grids with a total number of 500 connections using grant funds from the Universal Energy Facility (UEF), a multi-donor facility designed to scale up and speed up energy access across Africa. Power Leone continues to supply modern energy reliably in all three locations. “The use of Results Based Financing for the roll-out of solar mini-grids is an important step for Sierra Leone. As the RBF mechanism is scalable, it has the potential to lead to a palpable acceleration in rural electrification. We would be very happy to see other donor partners of Sierra Leone join the European Union in supporting the Government’s initiative,” said Jacek Jankowski, EU Ambassador to Sierra Leone. As identified through the Ministry of Energy’s National Online Database for Electrification, (NODE), there are 703 sites with mini-grid potential in the country in addition to the 104 mini-grids already under operation. These additional mini-grids will serve approximately 180,000 households. The envisaged EU RBF grant amount will therefore provide incentives for 20% of the projected additional customer connections. Policy & Regulatory Improvements to Attract Private Sector Participation The Government of Sierra Leone has taken a strategic approach to developing energy solutions by establishing effective policies and regulations that enable private sector participation. Under the Sierra Leone Renewable Energy Policy, adopted in 2016, the Government envisioned a clear role for mini-grids in expanding access to rural populations and began taking steps to facilitate their expansion. In 2016 and 2017, the government implemented duty waivers and Value Added Tax (VAT) exemptions on imported quality certified (IEC-compliant) solar products. Although these were suspended in 2022, they will be revived in 2025. In 2019, the Government adopted the Mini-Grid Regulation, which spell out license issuing, costreflective tariff setting, service quality etc. for the provision of electricity through the construction and operation of mini-grids by the private sector. Updates and improvements of the Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission, (SLEWRC) Act and the Mini-Grid Regulation are under way. There are over 100 solar mini-grids in operation in Sierra Leone under Private sector portfolios. Based on experience and with support from SEforALL, SLWERC has developed an improved Multi Year Tariff Order, (MYTO2), which provides further improved transparency, clarity and equity.“Sierra Leone is advancing its energy future through innovative partnerships and sustainable solutions. With the Results-Based Financing mechanism, we are not just powering homes but empowering communities and driving economic growth,” noted Dr. Eldred Tunde Taylor, Deputy Minister of Energy 1. RBF Requirements and Process – A call for developers and development partners The Government of Sierra Leone and the European Union are developing the requirements to access the RBF grant funds in partnership. Several other Development Partners have expressed interest in providing grant support to the GoSL’s RBF initiative for solar mini-grids. Procedures for the selection of developers/operators for the provision of the required licenses and the grant awards are under preparation. Successful developers will finance, build, own and operate the mini-grids. RBF grants will be disbursed upon verification of the achievement of pre-agreed milestones. -ENDS – About the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF) The Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security plays a critical role in guiding and coordinating efforts to address impacts of climate change, catalyse universal access to sustainable and affordable energy, and improving food and nutrition security in the country. About The European Union Delegation to Sierra Leone The European Union and its Member States are committed to supporting Sierra Leone’s transition to a sustainable energy future. Through the Development Partnership and the Multiannual Indicative Programme for 2021-2027, the EU focuses on providing access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services. This initiative aims to drive inclusive economic growth, create decent jobs, and promote the adoption of sustainable energy sources, fostering a green economy across Sierra Leone. About Sustainable Energy for All Sustainable Energy for All is an independent organization, hosted by UNOPS, with a global mandate to accelerate progress on the energy transition in emerging and developing countries. We work at the intersection of energy, climate, and development. We collaborate with governments and partners worldwide to end energy poverty, accelerate the deployment of renewable energy solutions, and combat climate change. Learn more about our work at www.SEforALL.org About United Nations Office for Project Services UNOPS's mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. We help the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, and deliver sustainable infrastructure and procurement in an efficient way. Media Contacts: The Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF): Anthony Kamara, Director of Partnerships, Communications and Outreach [email protected] | +232.78.107.303 The European Union: N’fa Alie Koroma, Political Press & Information Officer N'[email protected] | +232 88136002 Sustainable Energy for All: Sherry Kennedy, Director of Communications: [email protected] / [email protected] | +43 676 486 2425 United Nations Office for Project Services: Peter Brown, Communications Manager | [email protected] | +4523662552

CONGRATULATIONS MAJOR GENERAL AI BANGURA ON YOUR APPOINTMENT AS THE CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA ARM...
20/12/2024

CONGRATULATIONS MAJOR GENERAL AI BANGURA ON YOUR APPOINTMENT AS THE CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA ARMED FORCES.
On behalf of Management and Staff of Shout Climate Change Africa (SCCA) I extend my warmest congratulations to you on your well-deserved appointment as the Chief of Defence Staff of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF). This milestone reflects your exceptional dedication, unyielding commitment, and remarkable service to the nation. It is a testament to your outstanding leadership, strategic acumen, and steadfast integrity that have earned you the trust and confidence of both your peers and the nation. As you step into this esteemed role, we are confident that you will bring transformative leadership, further strengthen the discipline and professionalism of the Armed Forces, and continue to uphold the core values that safeguard the peace and security of Sierra Leone. Your deep understanding of the challenges facing our Armed Forces and your unwavering resolve to address them will undoubtedly inspire your team and foster an environment of unity, resilience, and excellence. We believe your tenure will leave an indelible mark not only on the RSLAF but also on Sierra Leone’s journey toward progress and stability. May your tenure be filled with success, innovation, and impactful decisions that will benefit both the Armed Forces and the nation at large. Once again, congratulations, and may you continue to serve with courage, wisdom, and distinction.

FRONT PAGEFire Disaster Destroys Goods Worth Millions of Leone
18/12/2024

FRONT PAGE

Fire Disaster Destroys Goods Worth Millions of Leone

Chinese scientists rush to climate-proof potatoesPotatoes are crucial to global food security but vulnerable to climate ...
18/12/2024

Chinese scientists rush to climate-proof potatoes
Potatoes are crucial to global food security but vulnerable to climate change, which threatens temperatures encouraging disease and blight. A worker wearing a protective suit harvests potato tubers at a greenhouse where seed potatoes are farmed through the aeroponics method, in Yakeshi, Inner Mongolia, China. In a research facility in the northwest of Beijing, molecular biologist Li Jieping and his team harvest a cluster of seven unusually small potatoes, one as tiny as a quail’s egg, from a potted plant. Grown under conditions that simulate predictions of higher temperatures at the end of the century, the potatoes provide an ominous sign of future food security. At just 136gm (4.8 oz), the tubers weigh less than half that of a typical potato in China, where the most popular varieties are often twice the size of a baseball. China is the world’s biggest producer of potatoes, which are crucial to global food security because of their high yield relative to other staple crops. But they are particularly vulnerable to heat, and climate change is pushing temperatures to dangerous new heights while also worsening drought and flooding. With an urgent need to protect food supplies, Li, a researcher at the International Potato Center (CIP) in Beijing, is leading a three-year study into the effects of higher temperatures on the vegetable. His team is focusing on China’s two most common varieties. Their research, published in the journal Climate Smart Agriculture this month, found the higher temperatures accelerated tuber growth by 10 days but cut potato yields by more than half. Under current climate policies, the world is facing as much as 3.1C (5.6F) of warming above pre-industrial levels by 2100, according to a United Nations report released in October. Farmers in China say they are already feeling the effects of extreme weather events and are increasingly demanding potato varieties that are higher yielding and less susceptible to disease, particularly late blight, which caused the Irish Potato Famine of the mid-19th century and thrives in warm and humid conditions. The research by CIP, with its headquarters in Lima, Peru, is part of a collaborative effort with the Chinese government to help farmers adapt to the warmer, wetter conditions. In the greenhouse outside Li’s lab, workers swab pollen on white potato flowers to develop heat-tolerant varieties. Li says Chinese farmers will need to make changes within the next decade, planting during spring instead of the start of summer, or moving to even higher altitudes to escape the heat.Labels marking potato variety Zhongshu 5 next to a container of potato tubers as researchers gather data for an experiment where potatoes are grown in a heat chamber to study the impacts of increased temperatures, at a research facility under the International Potato Center in Yanqing, Beijing. China is the world's biggest producer of potatoes, which are crucial to global food security because of their high yield relative to other staple crops. Researcher Li Yafei rinses a potato plant grown inside a heat chamber to study the effect of increased temperatures before separating the tubers and weighing them Li measures the photosynthesis rate of the potato plant Workers pack potato plants into containers to transplant them to the field, in a greenhouse at a farm under Yakeshi Senfeng Potato Industry Company, in Yakeshi, Inner Mongolia Potato plantlets propagated in a laboratory lie on the potting mix at a research facility under the International Potato Center.

It’s time to tax fossil fuels and shipped goods to fund climate resilienceBY Avinash PersaudA man digs out a stranded bo...
18/12/2024

It’s time to tax fossil fuels and shipped goods to fund climate resilience
BY Avinash Persaud

A man digs out a stranded boat after Hurricane Beryl devastated the island of Petite Martinique, Grenada on July 2, 2024 [File: Reuters/Arthur Daniel] A few days after the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku concluded, I reflected on the consequences of Hurricane Beryl ripping through the Caribbean five months ago. In its wake, Grenada, which was left devastated, triggered a hurricane clause allowing it to pause debt servicing for a few years. This provided much-needed liquidity at a scale, pace and lower interest rates than any other instrument. These clauses are a necessary antidote to retreating insurers as hurricanes become more frequent and devastating due to climate change. Ultimately, the saved debt service will have to be paid back, not at emergency rates and at a later, better time, but it is not free. Developing countries particularly vulnerable to climate change, and which bear little responsibility for it, are paying more than $100bn in climate-related loss and damage per year and sinking under oceans of debt before the sea levels rise. But who else would pay? How could any international scheme to raise contributions from those more able to pay and responsible for climate change be enforced? Wouldn’t consumers or producers baulk at the cost, making it politically impossible? Electorates increasingly vote for politicians who want to erect walls against foreigners, not fund them. We have been led to believe that international levies to fund loss and damage are the pipe dreams of idealists. But this is an erroneous version of history. An exciting part of that history is when, on docking in Singapore in July 1967, the crew of oil tanker Lake Palourde let onboard Anthony O’Connor, a young lawyer from the firm of Drew & Napier, believing he was an Irish whiskey salesman. O’Connor then pinned a writ from the United Kingdom government to the mast seeking compensation for the damage caused when the Lake Palourde’s sister ship, the Torrey Canyon, ran aground on Pollard Rock near Land’s End, Cornwall in the UK, on March 18, 1967. The Torrey Canyon disaster is etched in the memories of those over 60. It was the first supertanker disaster. The spilling of more than 100 million litres (26.4 million gallons) of crude oil created an oil slick measuring 700 square km (270 square miles), contaminating 270km (170 miles) of coastland on both sides of the English Channel and killing tens of thousands of sea birds. The disaster was compounded by an almost comical effort by the UK air force to bomb the ship and clean up the spill using highly toxic detergents. But what will astound the cynics and those who waited 30 years after the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro for the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage is that the international community swung into action with alacrity when black tides washed up on the white beaches of Cornwall and Brittany. We had the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC) within two years, forming the framework for the International Maritime Organization’s Pollution Compensation Fund. Every purchaser of shipped oil has paid the Fund whenever a spill occurs, compensating victims of more than 150 spills since 1978. The United States Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund is even bigger. It raises nine cents on every barrel of oil produced in or imported into the US. The Fund now has $8bn. This 0.1 percent levy goes unnoticed by consumers and producers in the face of swings in the price for a barrel of oil more than 5 percent every month. Greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere are an equally dangerous form of pollution. Last year, at its annual general meeting, members of the International Maritime Organization committed themselves to the early decarbonisation of the sector. But that does not go far enough. The oil, gas and coal sectors are responsible for about half of current greenhouse gas emissions, and the high-emission products of agriculture, industrial, and manufacturing sectors contribute most of the rest. All are shipped. Almost 90 percent of the $25 trillion of goods transported yearly go by sea. Ministers will need to take the lead as the shipping industry is unlikely to levy its customers itself. Still, just a 0.2 percent levy on the value of fossil fuels and goods transported with penalties for under-recording and exemptions for goods produced with ultra-low emissions, could raise up to $50bn per year to finance the new Fund for responding to climate-related loss and damage in particularly vulnerable developing countries. The levy cannot fall heavily on developing countries that contributed so little to global warming. Long has the precedent been set that owners and importers are responsible for the environmental risks of what is being shipped. International mechanisms exist, and sizeable monies are raised daily – just not yet for climate-related loss and damage. Multilateral development banks should use their new lending headroom to lend more cheaply and longer term to help vulnerable countries build lasting resilience. However, if vulnerable countries are not to sink under oceans of debt, they also need new international levies to cover loss and damage. What are we waiting for? A category five hurricane in the English Channel?

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