Cape Verdean environmental associations have expressed to Lusa the urgent need to prioritise water collection in the country’s new climate fund, which is about to be established by the government.

According to Januário Nascimento, president of the Association for the Defence of the Environment and Development (ADAD), the fund should be directed towards mobilising water and protecting the environment and biodiversity, recognising the country’s aridity.

Nemias Gonçalves, director of Quercus Cabo Verde, emphasised the importance of treating plastic to avoid coastal and marine pollution, highlighting the need for a transition to renewable energies.

Both associations emphasised the importance of awareness campaigns to preserve beaches, control natural resources and build in suitable locations, in order to reduce the country’s vulnerability to extreme weather events.

The Cape Verdean government plans to establish the new climate fund soon, with initial funding of 12 million euros from a debt cancellation from Portugal. Environmentalist associations are eagerly awaiting the approval of the fund and hope that it will be widely publicised throughout civil society.

Source: Jornal Expresso das Ilhas/Lusa