Govt calls for sustainable use on natural resources

Government has urged Malawians to join in the global initiatives aimed at protecting life on earth through sustainable use of natural resources.

Secretary for environment and climate change management Yanira Mtupanyama has said this as the country is commemorating World Environmental day in Balaka district.

Mtupanyama said the theme of this year is seven billion dreams, one planet, consume with care but in Malawi the local theme is prevent manmade disasters, consume natural resources carefully.

She said “it encourages resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production in the context of the planet’s regeneration capacity.”

Mtupanyama said evidence is building that people are consuming more natural resources that what the planet can sustainably provide.

She added that by 2050 if current consumption and production patterns remain the same and with a rising population expected to reach 9.6 billion the globe will need three planets to sustain our ways of living and consumption which is naturally not possible.

The function has taken place in Balaka district due to its vulnerability to the floods and its richness in natural resources like forests and Shire River are heavily degrading because of unsustainable human practices.