Sudan Government and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in cooperation launched the first-ever State of the Environment and Outlook Report for the Republic of Sudan under Environment for Peace and Sustainable Development.

The report’s launch comes as Sudan attempts to improve its political and economic frameworks and economic and social advancement following the nation’s historical revolution and signing of a peace agreement on 3 October 2020. Sudan’s endeavours to reconstruct and present a new opportunity would ensure that environmental concerns would contribute to the nation’s progression to freedom, justice, peace, and development.
Abdalla Hamdok, Prime Minister of Sudan, speaking about the report, stated that “Sudan aspires to utilize its rich natural resources for the welfare of its current and future generations.”

The theme of this report’ Environment for Peace and Sustainable Development’ is appropriately chosen not just on the grounds that it features the complex idea of the nexus between environment, peace, and sustainable development, but also because it comes when the new Sudan pursues tranquil rebuilding of the country, the establishment of an effervescent economy, and a politically steady future under the emblem of the December 2019 Revolution: Freedom, Peace, and Justice.

The State of the Environment and Outlook Report includes ten inclusive sections with statistical data and figures on the state and pattern of Sudan’s environment from 2011 to 2020. The report likewise contains a viewpoint segment that gives an environmental vision to which the nation can yearn, according to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The report features the accompanying needs: Shifting attention towards rural development and investment instead of urban-oriented development would reduce rural-urban migration; Harmonizing land guidelines and laws and incorporating customary rights into statutory law as per the best worldwide experience and practices; Expediting and escalating environmental change adaptation and pliability measures and endorsing proven technologies and improved agricultural expansion service and; Establishing an authoritarian framework for the mining to persuade the prudent utilization of the nation’s mineral assets and, at the same time, promote environmentally friendly mining technologies.

It also highlights Sudan’s explicit environmental difficulties, including many issues such as deforestation, land degradation, waste management, and food security, etc. It further provides detailed facts and figures collected from an expansive range of organizations, authorities, specialists, and partners.

For example, the report cautions that almost 30% populace increment by 2030 will prompt a generous rise in the number of individuals migrating from rural zones to urban areas looking for food, water, housing, and different services. This could pressurize Sudan’s natural resources, causing major environmental impacts.

The report additionally explores policy options for a viable and peaceful future for Sudan. Two potential future situations portrayed in the report: “Business as Usual and Bending the Curve,” exhibit the contrasts between a future following the nation’s present development path without mediation and the other following more sustainable environmental preservation better natural resource management.

A portion of the report’s strategy options include:

 Air Pollution: Sudan, in terms of climate change and air pollution, should take necessary steps by adopting sound approaches, explicitly in the area of renewable energy.

 Land: Sudan ought to balance the nation’s land tenure system and accomplish its pledge to set up land commissions at government and state levels.

 Water: Sudan should implement integrated water resource administration and improve sustainable water-harvesting methods.
 Biodiversity: Sudan should prioritize the protection of biodiversity in development plans and align with the current National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.

 Persistent Issues: Sudan should recalibrate its current approaches to effectively address major continual environmental issues such as desertification, pesticides, and waste.

State of the Environment and Outlook created under the UK-AID/UNEP Adapt for Environment and Climate Resilience in Sudan (ADAPT) initiative, aims to encourage evidence-based approach and decision-making and escalate fruitful environmental natural practices and philanthropic programming.

UNEP’s Executive Director, Inger Andersen, said that “Sudan is in the midst of a very significant political transition to a more inclusive and peaceful future. In addition, like countries around the world, Sudan is struggling to recover in the face of the economic crisis and the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Environmental sustainability, coupled with inclusion, lies at the heart of the country’s efforts to grow economically because natural resources are the foundation of its agriculture-dominated economy.” He further added that “We hope this report will contribute to sound, environmentally sustainable growth and to Sudan’s overall transition.”

Photo Credit : https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/Sudan_village.jpg/640px-Sudan_village.jpg