This op-ed, a short excerpt of which appears below, was written by HE Hailemariam Desalegn, and featured on the Daily Maverick, a South African daily online newspaper.
There is a myth that political leaders must weigh up the importance of protecting our planet against the immediate short-term needs of our citizens. We must expel this idea that these two are mutually exclusive. We now know it is not only possible to achieve the short-term needs of a country’s citizens without sacrificing long-term environmental protection measures, but in fact by tackling the environmental challenges facing us we can also increase living standards both now and in the future.
Since stepping down as Prime Minster of Ethiopia in February this year, I have had time to reflect upon my spell in office and consider the future of my country without the daily pressures of being in power.
During this period of reflection, I have focused my attention on critical issues, including Ethiopia’s role in protecting our planet. There is a myth that political leaders must weigh up the importance of protecting our planet against the immediate short-term needs of our citizens. We must expel this idea that these two are mutually exclusive. Indeed, we now know it is not only possible to achieve the short-term needs of a country’s citizens without sacrificing long-term environmental protection measures, but in fact by tackling the environmental challenges facing us we can also increase living standards both now and in the future.