The construction of inclusive, green and free rural societies, aimed to provide a decent life, is a priority for the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), the representative of the secretary executive of the organisation, Manuel Lapão, has said.
The envoy of Zacarias da Costa, made the statement at the IX Meeting of Ministers of the Environment of the CPLP, held Friday in Lubango, southern Huila province, under the motto “Environmental Emergency in the Current Context of Multiple Crises”.
Seven, of the nine member countries, are attending the event, with the exception of Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea, which are participating by videoconference.
He said that in the light of this decision, it has been the purpose of the CPLP to continue debating the construction of more resilient cities in its Member States, through the identification of adequate, coherent public policies that allow adaptation, mitigation and respect.
He underlined that the Community is facing “very complex” challenges for the future of humanity and that compromise the full implementation of the 2020/2030 agenda for sustainable development, worsening the structural equalities that are known in the CPLP and in the world, putting more and more people at risk.
He pointed out climate change as a drama that affects, more visibly, the most vulnerable, among which are women, children, young people and the elderly, calling for joint effort with various partners, to strengthen the multiculturalism and international cooperation that promotes shared responsibilities.
He said that the Community has always faced challenges of civilization and development, such as poverty, inequalities and conflicts.
But climate change, loss of biodiversity and environmental degradation, are now drastically present in everyone’s lives, a problem of a global nature which, if not faced, will continue to condition, not only the current generation, “but totally” the generations to come.
However, he added, the Organisation, within the scope of the 26th Meeting of the CPLP Council of Ministers in the resolution on Climate Emergencies in Member States, held in 2021 in Angola, identified Climate Emergencies as a priority in its climate political agenda.
Started on Thursday with the meeting of experts, the event comes up with a proposal called “Climate Heritage of Humanity”, “Concert process for the eventual legal recognition by the UN of the “Stable Climate” as a global common good”.
The Portuguese Language Community comprises nine Member States which express different pluralities and which has continuously advance its agenda with the great challenges and global decisions.
The CPLP was established through the Constitutive Declaration of July 17, 1996, at the Conference of Heads of State and Government held in Lisbon, attended by Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Principe.
Years later, the East Timor joined the organisation in 2002 and Equatorial Guinea in 2016.
Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)