Luanda - The minister for the Environment, Ana Paula de Carvalho, on Thursday in Luanda informed that the Angolan government is working to align itself with the best international environmental practices.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the International Conference on Biodiversity and Conservation Areas (CIBAC), she said that the authorities are consolidating management practices and environmental conservation as pillars of sustainable development.
She emphasised that Angola is privileged for its biodiversity, the ecosystems that make up the territory are beautiful, vast and diverse, and that this wealth gave everyone a great responsibility.
The minister pointed to Angola as the country with the largest number of biomes in Africa, as well as the second largest number of eco-regions after South Africa, whose biodiversity is due to the combination of various factors such as the vast size of the territory, geographical position and variation in altitude.
According to her, the resulting climatic diversification, together with the equal geological variety of the soils, contributes to the formation of bioclimatic zones that range from dense tropical forests to the absence of vegetation in the desert.
Ana Paula de Carvalho explained that, in partnership with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), steps are being taken towards environmental conservation and sustainable development, with the creation of the first biosphere reserve in the Quiçama National Park.
She recalled the recent launch of the project named “The climate action suitcase and the trainers training”, which includes environmental education equipment for teachers, a tool for primary education to disseminate climate change issues in the subjects of Maths, Environmental Studies and Portuguese Language.
The government official also spoke of the successful conclusion this week of the training of inspectors for the Luando integral reserve, which aims to improve the protection of the Giant Sable Antelope, as well as validating the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.
To Ana Paula de Carvalho, the conference cannot just be a meeting, but a moment to inspire and continue together in the preservation and promotion of Angola, as well as ensuring that future generations inherit a country rich in biodiversity and opportunities.
The event, which runs until Friday under the slogan ‘Preserving today to guarantee the balance of life tomorrow’, with pertinent questions about the conservation of biodiversity, is part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of national independence.
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