Botswana Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.

This Botswana Intended Nationally Determined Contributions(INDC) is a multi-sectoral policy document at national level. It was developed in accordance with relevant decisions of the Conference of the Parties to the the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The country intends to achieve an overall emissions reduction of 15% by 2030, taking 2010 as the base year. This emissions reduction target was estimated based on baseline GHGs inventory for the three GHGs being CO2, CH4 and N2O. Sectors covered are energy, waste, and agriculture.
The emissions reduction target will be realised from the energy sources. The country will also continuously implement mitigation measures for the livestock sector to reduce CH4 emissions mainly from enteric fermentation though these initiatives are not estimated in the 15%. To achieve the emissions reduction target, Botswana is developing a Climate Change Policy and Institutional Framework which will be supported by a Strategy and Action Plan to operationalize the Policy, and the key issues for the future activities to be conducted on are also identified in this INDC: Identification of sources of funding for implementation of the mitigation measures; Share of government and international contribution to support the mitigation measures; An assessment of the impacts to the national economic growth for allocating national resources to mitigation measures; Development of conducive legal framework to support 15% emission reductions. As semi-arid country Botswana is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and places high priority on adaptation to reducing vulnerability. According to the Document, Botswana is developing a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and Action Plan which will highlight all the priority areas including Climate Smart Agriculture, which include techniques such as low to zero tillage, multi-cropping to increase mulching which reduce evapotranspiration and soil erosion. Botswana’s adaptation priorities in agriculture include: Improve genetic characteristics of the livestock breed such as Musi breed; Improve livestock diet through supplementary feeding; A switch to crops with the following traits: 1) Drought resistant, 2) Tolerant to high temperatures, 3)Short maturity.