Central African country, Equatorial
Guinea has outlined new moves including forest conservation, hydroelectric
power, and ending the flaring of natural gas as key parts of a strategy to
mitigate the impact of climate change.
President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of
Equatorial Guinea told journalists that the new strategy involved a five-point
plan to conserve the natural environment and contribute to global efforts to
slow the rate of global warming. He said his government had oriented the
socioeconomic development policies toward sustainability.
“Equatorial Guinea is a developing
country that lives practically thanks to Mother Nature,” he said. “It does not
know the problems of environmental degradation and it aspires to the new
development technologies that guarantee the people’s well-being.”
Under the plan, the government of Equatorial
Guinea is producing electrical energy through a system of hydroelectric and
turbo gas generation, using the gas produced by the petroleum industry. It is
also ending the practice of flaring gas into the atmosphere and convert that
gas into butane, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other derivatives. President
Obiang said his government is negotiating with neighboring countries to absorb
the gas that they are currently flaring.
He said as part of the plan,
Equatorial Guinea is replacing thermal power plants that produce carbon dioxide
with hydroelectric plants based in river basins of the country. To conserve
ecosystems, Equatorial Guinea has created large natural reserves—Ureka on Bioko
Island and Monte Alén on the mainland, he said.
In light of the imminent danger that
the excessive use of timber could provoke further desertification, the
government has reduced the exploitation of its forest reserves by 25 percent
and requires value-added processing of wood.
“The forestry policy of the
government is aimed at protecting endangered species and conserving ecosystems
through legal norms that protect species that have been declared in danger of
extinction,” he said. The policies on forests and natural areas are in line
with the recommendations of the Central African Forest commission (COMIFAC).
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