ECSU towards the Sustenance of the Environment at Campus and Country Level
Policies need lean on researches. Setting an environment forum and developing it into a community practice (COP), ECSU could serve a fountain of inputs for policy makers on environment issues as well.
These remarks were made at a multi-stakeholder panel discussion held on 23 MAY 2012 at the renaissance hall of ECSU's main campus under the theme 'Environment Forum Prospects and Challenges in Ethiopia.' The panel had brought together students, staff members of ECSU and representatives of NGOs working on environment issues. The guest speakers president of Lem Ethiopia Dr.Costentinos Berehe and founder and long time director of Forum for Environment Ato Nigussu Aklilu had shared to participants views and instances drawn from practical experiences.
The panel organized with the initiation of the Institute of Urban Development Studies, was aimed at launching a campus level Environment Forum. In the sustenance of the environment the forum is believed to help ECSU turn into a demonstration sight to its students drawn from a broad spectrum of areas and different administrative ladders of the civil service.
According to the director of the Institute of Urban Development Studies Ato Kebede Bishaw, absorbing practical knowledge with theoretical facts students are expected to serve instruments in replicating acquired skills when dispersed back to their respective regional states.
Presenting a paper entitled 'Environmental Issues In Ethiopia' Dr Costentinos enumerated the absence of a clearly defined policy, lack of a strong and stable institution responsible for the forestry sector, lack of attention on the part of the previous governments to the seriousness of the problem and lack of a participatory approach in the implementation of social forestry programs as the stumbling blocks hindering the forestry sector in particular and the live natural resources in particular.
He also mentioned difficulty to grasp the issue of environment, the absence of goodwill, corruption and population outburst as the additional drawbacks in the sector.
He said except the attempt made by the Oromia Regional State to draft a rural land use plan for investment purpose, unlike neighboring countries like Kenya, a mineral and forest mapping is unavailable in Ethiopia. He further said unless these drawbacks are averted the country will be hard put to positively impact the development and conservation of its natural resources.
Making environmental issues that prove difficult to comprehend in keeping with the majority, allowing autonomy for forest management, giving incentives in the promotion of private forest development, working on the management aspect of environment protection, working in collaboration with CSOs as well as checking population explosion were recommended by Dr. Costentinos as antidotes to the challenges. He also capitalized the need to conduct tree planting and social matters in a synergic way.
For policy inputs it sure is good land and forest tenure are discussed and debated on, he suggested. It is indeed gratifying to know Ethiopia is a spokesperson of Africa on Environmental issues; he made a word of optimism.
Answering the question that who will be held responsible when forests incur destruction by a community NO One! he said. Pertaining to the CSO 30/70 law he noted it is not tight on Environmental issues.
Ato Nigussu, who presented a paper on 'Environmental Issues in Ethiopia', emphasized the importance of discussion forums in influencing each other and rectifying the flaws of institutions expected to be responsible and accountable in the management of the environment. Gone are days to underplay environmental topics, he said.
Explaining about resources affected by 'The Tragedy of the Commons' he said when pastures and forests are owned by the community those that run after personal gains get advantage over the rest and as such when crisis surface it is the ethical ones that taste the bitterness of the crisis to the full. Communities must share the benefit and the crisis equally, he noted.
He further noted if the aforementioned glitches are rectified, communities could play a better role in conserving and developing the environment.
After lauding Ethiopian farmers, who learning from past mistakes that are covering the mountains with green mantles, he said, the Climate Resilient Green Economy policy Ethiopia set to achieve by 2025 opens a vista of opportunities to the country to curb the environmental challenge.
He went on to say if Ethiopia couldn't learn from the good examples of others, it could seize the opportunity of learning from its mistakes to chart out its action plan. Mentioning challenges besetting the country pertaining to the environment, he pointed out laxity in translating commitments into actions and not giving room for environmental debates as the prominent ones. He also reflected his stance that it would be better if the CSOs 30/70 law is somewhat relaxed when it comes to NGOs working on environmental issues, a sensitive agenda at the country and global level.
Responding to questions, he noted, though environmental issues are being incorporated in the curriculum of different universities, climate change seems to beg attention. Although communal beliefs and institutions are good in properly governing resources, related with population outburst the communal code of practice could be violated by some community members as witnessed in the south western corner of the country, he expressed apprehension.
ECSU'S Environment and Climate Change Management head Ato Bisrat Kifle on his part said the university has incorporated environmental issues into its activities to the extent of managing its day to day carbon footprint and promoting biodiversity. Towards this end he further noted ECSU purposefully works to offset its carbon release by planting trees that serve as carbon sinks. The university wants to promote environmental issues at a campus level and outside, he said.
According to Ato Bisrat ECSU'S postgraduate students conduct studies on how to reuse or recycle dry wastes piled ay its garbage yards. He noted the university, setting a base line data for electric and water usage, has begun controlling water leakage and the wastage of electric power.
Of their volition ECSU's staff members have filled out membership forms, he further noted.
The guest of honor president of ECSU, Dr.Haile Michale Aberra at the opening and the closing of the panel pointed out that it is through developing indigenous practices such as self help associations (IDIRS) and community based conservation work on environment, knowledge could grow.
He also said as the cardinal aim of the government is ensuring development NGOs need throw their full weight behind this agenda and added CSOs law should be viewed in light of this fact.
He also reminded participants land is owned by the government in favor of the majority (poor farmers).
He noted there is a call for mobilizing the public, scaling up and replicating gained achievements in Tigray, Amhara and South Regional States regarding terrace and conservation works. It is a source of optimism these activities are rippling across the country, he further pointed out.
He concluded working in unison with parties that have commonalities of objectives is good. Earlier opening the discussion forum he had said my humble position of environment has been growing gradually. "What is that that is not environment? It is politics as countries, political parties and the governments are involved." He had also recorded appreciation to the guest speakers who showed willingness to come to ECSUS to share their wealth of experience on environment issues.
He noted ECSU has launched a program in Environment Management and Climate Change. He mentioned the program doesn't only take traditional components but also general factors.
Tena kebena environmental music band comprising teenagers and children that use shovels as guitars and plant watering pails as saxophones had made the occasion lively presenting melodies that celebrate mother earth.
It was learnt that COPs refers to the process of social learning that occurs when people who have a common interest in some subject or problem collaborate over an extended period to share ideas, find solutions and build innovations. Communities of practice have become associated with knowledge management as people have began to see them as ways of developing social capital, nurturing new knowledge, stimulating innovation, or sharing existing tacit knowledge with an organization. It is now an accepted part of Organizational Development (OD).