29 Nov 2020

Panellist during the screening of Sir David Attenborough documentary: A Life on our Planet, have advocated for the use of solar energy to safeguard the planet that has over years been affected by people’s daily activities.

During the discussion in Gaborone on November 26, one of the panellists from Kalahari Research and Conservation Dr Moses Selebatso called on government to use more of solar energy as it was safer. 

He highlighted that most countries were moving towards the use of solar energy to produce electricity.

He said the documentary encouraged Batswana to adopt lifestyles which would help to safeguard the planet and environment.

“Since people demand a lot from nature to feed their daily needs, people also need to change the way they eat and consume food from the environment,” Dr Selebatso said.

He, however, said Botswana was currently doing well in conservation issues more especially animals rooming in the northwest and Kasane part of Botswana.

For his part, head of environmental programme, United Nation Food and Agriculture Organisation, Dr Michael Flyman called on lawmakers to come up with policies that would govern the use of nature and planet for personal living.

 He said it was the time that the use of solar energy was discussed at high levels for purpose of implementation.

He said due to long summer seasons, Botswana could produce enough solar energy. 

For her part, senior programme officer - environment and climate change at SADC, Sibongile Mavimbela called on youth to become leaders in safeguarding the environment through public education.

She said practices such as illegal fishing, poaching and bush fires were the major cause of damage to the eco-system.

The screening of the documentary Sir David Attenborough: A Life on our Planet was co-hosted by the British High Commission Gaborone and United Nations in Botswana.

Sir Attenborough is an award-winning broadcaster, writer and naturalist, who travelled around the world, defining moments of his life as a naturalist.

The documentary highlights the challenges the world faced now and how they would worsen in the absence of action. 

It shows how the planet’s wildlife has plummeted by 60 per cent.

Sir Attenborough emphasises the need to embrace clean energy by making renewable energy the only source of power. Ends