THE world is facing a serious challenge of climate change, and it is high time that every individual and organisation takes responsibility on how to conserve the environment.
You and I must have seen warmer temperatures over time changing weather patterns and disrupting the usual balance of nature. This poses many risks to human beings and all other forms of life on Earth.
Again, changes in temperature cause changes in rainfall. This results in more severe and frequent storms.
They cause flooding and landslides, destroying homes and communities, and costing billions of shillings to intervene. As the government is doing its part in addressing the climate change by particularly improving the energy availability to reduce deforestation, improving energy diversification and efficiency of her major energy consuming sectors, including, power generation, manufacturing, and transportation, it is good that stakeholders are chipping in with sound approaches.
For instance, Exim Bank Tanzania’s Go Green Initiative is taking a commendable step towards environmental conservation, contributing to fighting climate change.
Here, the bank recently launched its tree planting campaign aimed at planting 100,000 trees in various parts of the country- starting with Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions in the Go Green Initiative solely to support the government’s efforts towards promoting environmental behaviour change and conserving the environment. Pitching tents in the Northern zone regions, the initiative involved planting trees at prominent locations such as Mawenzi Hospital in Kilimanjaro region, Karatu District Hospital, and Arusha Girls School located in the city.
In addition to planting trees, the bank also donated waste bins to encourage proper wastes’ management practices in the regions.
This move was expected to have a significant impact on the reduction of littering and pollution in the area. Implementing the initiative on the ground, the bank’s Head of Human Resources, Mr. Fredrick Kanga, and Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Shani Kinswaga launched the campaign by physically participating in the tree-planting events in different locations in the regions.
Reached for a comment during an exclusive interview with ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam over the weekend, Mr Kinswaga said: “For instance, Northern zone regions are one of the areas that are currently facing severe effects of environmental behavior change caused by human activities, especially deforestation and the growth of the industrial sector. To intervene, the ‘Exim Go Green Initiative’ is an excellent example of how businesses can play an active role in environmental conservation.”
Basically, the challenge is as a result of an increase in human activities that lead to environmental damage. The situation is not impressive, the increase in temperature has been affecting the future of the country’s long-time proud heritage Mount Kilimanjaro.
Furthermore, the lack of sufficient rains resulting from the change in climate has also affected the production of crops and thus affects even the economy of the respective regions.
“It’s obvious that we as a financial institution are directly affected by the economic effects resulting from climate change. So as a responsible corporate citizen, Exim Bank saw that we have a role to fight and control the situation by planting trees and taking care of the environment in general,” he added.
Equally, Exim Bank has also been supporting similar initiatives in other regions, including the planting of over 20,000 trees in the City of Dodoma, in collaboration with various environmental stakeholders. The bank’s commitment to environmental conservation is further demonstrated through its preservation of gardens in prominent locations in Dar es Salaam.
The gardens are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also help reduce carbon emissions and contribute to the overall wellbeing of the community. Moreover, Exim Bank’s staff actively participates in cleaning beaches, such as Ocean Road Beach located in Dar es Salaam.
This hands-on approach to environmental conservation has a significant impact on the community’s perception of environmental issues and helps raise awareness about the importance of preserving the environment. Exim Bank’s commitment to the environment is highly commendable and sets an example for other businesses to follow.
Environmental conservation is a collective responsibility, and it is encouraging to see businesses like Exim Bank taking the initiative to make a positive impact on the environment. The bank’s efforts in promoting environmental conservation demonstrate its commitment to social responsibility and sustainable development.
As the country celebrates World Environment Day today, it is crucial to remember that every individual and organization has a role to play in conserving our planet. Exim Bank Tanzania’s Go Green Initiative is a step in the right direction toward building a cleaner and healthier future for generations to come.
