"The appeal I make is that the populations become aware of the need to take concrete actions to protect the environment. The world has already talked a lot about the need to protect the environment, but we have reached a moment when it is no longer enough to talk, no longer it is enough to be aware of, it is necessary that concrete actions be taken, small or large", said João Lourenço, in statements to journalists.
According to the Angolan statesman, who planted mangroves on Saturday in the coastal area of Luanda, as part of the species' reforestation campaign to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, the action he witnessed if "multiplied by a thousand will have an impact on defense of the environment".
The world "has come to this conclusion that it was necessary to protect the environment, it has come to the conclusion that we are responsible for the damage that has been caused to the environment, it is man, the action of man that led to the current situation", he stressed.
João Lourenço pointed out the drought, floods, typhoons, hurricanes, tsunamis and fires around the world, considering "these misfortunes, which the world has witnessed in the last 10 years", are consequences of the "irresponsibility" of man.
"It doesn't matter where you are. This is a global problem and it is necessary that everyone where they are contribute so that we can change the current state of affairs, otherwise we will lose our common home, the planet," he noted.
The President, flanked by his wife, Ana Dias Lourenço, participated on Saturday in the mangrove reforestation campaign, in the Tapu community, urban district of Ramiros, south coast of Luanda.
After putting on rubber boots, João Lourenço, Ana Dias Lourenço, environmental activists and other members of their delegation went to the wetland of that locality and proceeded on the perimeter, in almost half an hour, to plant mangroves, introducing the seeds into the ground.
At least 300,000 mangrove trees are expected to be planted in Luanda, as part of an agreement signed on Saturday at the site between the state oil company Sonangol and the environmental association Otchiva, which works to plant and conserve the mangroves.
Asked by journalists about the conflicts between man and the environment, especially in the occupation of spaces for construction in protected areas, João Lourenço said that "there are no reasons for conflicts" because "there is no lack of land in Angola".
"What is not lacking in Angola is land, there is a lot of area to build, it is a matter of the competent authorities instructing investors where to build, not just resorts such as housing and other infrastructure, so there is no reason for there to be conflicts," he noted.
Regarding the agreement signed between Sonangol and Otchiva, which aims to implement the "Blue Carbon" project, an initiative by the oil company in partnership with the association, João Lourenço said that it is part of his Government's policy for protecting the planet.
Sonangol "is a public company, represents the interests of the State, is providing resources, no matter if they are voluminous or not, but they are public resources for the protection of the climate, the protection of the environment, so this specific project already fits in this policy of investing money to protect our planet", he stressed.
The agreement between Sonangol and Otchiva, which aims to reforest the mangroves on the coast of Angola, especially in the provinces of Luanda, Bengo and Namibe, will last for five renewable years.
Sebastião Gaspar Martins, president of the oil company's board of directors, and Fernanda René, president of the Otchiva association, were the signatories of this agreement, which has already defined "priority actions".
The identification of fauna and flora species for the construction of a regional database, the awareness and promotion of environmental education, the carrying out of reforestation campaigns and cleaning campaigns in the mangrove areas are some of the "priority actions", such as said, at the time, the director of Safety, Health and Quality at Sonangol, Luís Fernandes.
Fernanda René praised the presence of João Lourenço in this action, spoke of the importance of protecting and restoring mangroves for the ecosystem, urging everyone to "reconcile with Mother Nature".
She also defended, in her intervention, the approval of legislation in the country on the conservation of mangroves.
