Minister Hele Pierre defended the draft budget of his ministry before the Finance and Budget Committee on November 26, 2015.

The ravaging effects of climate change are a cause for concern in the Ministry of the Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development. With a draft budget that stands at FCFA 7.5 billion for 2016, Environment Minister, Hele Pierre, told the Finance and Budget Committee of the National Assembly on November 26, 2015 that one of the priority activities will be to promote the resilience, mitigation and adaptation measures to the harmful effects of climate change.

If the year 2015 saw the development of documents on best agrosylvopastoral practices and training modules on ecosystem prevention, the ministry will move a step forward in 2016 to develop adaptation projects to be submitted to the Green Climate Fund. However, Cameroon’s commitment to the COP21 objective of reducing by 32 per cent its greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 will entirely depend on financial support from the international community.

Hele Pierre explained that the ministry will pursue its activities in other areas such as fighting desertification, especially through the Green Sahel operation which will be extended to the North Region. Ongoing development work on the Benoue Water Catchment area will be pursued, likewise activities to conserve mangrove ecosystems in Douala and Edea. Emphasis will also be maintained on reinforcing the repression and seizure of non standard plastic packaging.

Under the 2016 draft budget, planned operating expenditure stands at FCFA 3,081,000,000, while investment expenses have been budgeted at FCFA 4,432,000,000.