The Global Human Development Report on the theme Fighting Climate Change: Human Solidarity in a Divided World, and the Youth Human Development Report 2006 was launched in the Gambia on the 25th March 2007 by Her Excellency, Ajaratou Dr. Isatou Njie Saidy, Vice President of the Republic of the Gambia at the Corinthia Atlantic Hotel, Banjul.

The Launch was done on the seaside where evidence of sea erosion and other natural phenomena are clearly manifested, and in order to present the audience with a picture of some of the impacts of climate change on the environment in reality. Climate change has imposed great challenges on humanity, which if left unresolved, would bring about unprecedented reversals in human development, of which the world’s poorest will bear the brunt.

Hon. Mass Axi Gai, Secretary of State for Youths and Sports delivered a statement focusing on Climate Change and Youths, stating that 4900 children die every year as a result of dirty drinking water and poor sanitation facilities, according to the UNDP2006/2007 Human Development Report.

Hon. Momodou Kotu Cham, Secretary of State for Forestry and the Environment said that we in the Gambia do not contribute to the build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The Gambia is actually a net remover of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere based on the management of our forest cover, and the 1993 Greenhouse Report clearly shows that the average Gambian absorbs about 44 tons of carbon dioxide every year from the atmosphere.

In his statement Mr. Vitalie Muntean, UNDP Resident Representative said: "Before 2005 it would not have been possible to hold such an event at this very location. For those of you who could remember, the Gambia’s coastline, including this very location was seriously eroded to the point of threatening the hotel and related structures.

However, the joint GOTG/AFDB beach nourishment project of 2003/2005 salvaged the situation by restoring much of the critically eroded coastal beaches. While it is possible to restore the impacts of climate change, the cost of restoration and mitigation far more outweighs the cost of prevention." Expounding on the contents of the report, Mr.

Muntean indicated that the 2007/2008 GHDR indentifies five tipping points, which could stall and then seriously reverse human development. These are:

• Agricultural Production and food Security,

• Water Stress and Water Insecurity,

• Rising Sea levels and exposure to climate disasters

• Securing health, especially for poor countries and

• Collapsing ecosystems.

In the Gambia he said , the adverse effects of climate change observed over the last three decades include coastal erosion, reduced but erratic and intensive nature of rainfall, resulting to run-off, and causing severe floods, drought, loss of biodiversity and decline in agricultural production in various parts of the country.

In her launch statement, the Vice President Ajaratou Dr. Isatou Njie Saidy mentioned that this year’s Global Human Development Report on Climate Change joins the Fourth Assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Stern Review to provide the most authoritative and important contributions to the debate on climate change.

According to her, the Report argues that the world is drifting towards a ‘tipping point’ that could lock the world’s poorest countries and their citizens in a downward spiral, leaving hundreds of millions facing malnutrition, water scarcity, ecological threats and loss of livelihoods.

Other speakers at the Launch included MS. Min-Whee Kang Resident Representative of UNICEF who dwelt on the impact of climate change on children and what UNICEF is doing to address the global challenge that affects everyone.

The launch ceremony was followed by series of presentations and a lively debate on climate change in the context of the Gambia, with adaptation and mitigation measures highlighted.

The Launch was attended by several Secretaries of State, other senior government officials, members of the diplomatic community, civil service organisations, media representatives, student and youth representatives, and colleagues from the UN System. Following the Launch, a series of sensitisation and advocacy activities is planned, designed to raise the profile of climate change issues in our development agenda.

These activities include competition among journalists, a symposium with the University of The Gambia, competition among school children and a panel discussion on TV and Radio on the topic Climate Change.

For more information please contact registry @undp.org

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