Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09YAOUNDE582
2009-06-29 15:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Yaounde
Cable title:  

CAMEROON: Environmental Update

Tags:  EINV CM 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHYD #0582 1801550
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 291550Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0049
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS YAOUNDE 000582 

SIPDIS

Department for AF/C and OES
Department Pass USAID
USDOC for ITA - Burress

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON: Environmental Update

UNCLAS YAOUNDE 000582

SIPDIS

Department for AF/C and OES
Department Pass USAID
USDOC for ITA - Burress

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV CM
SUBJECT: CAMEROON: Environmental Update


1. SUMMARY (U): Embassy Yaounde has an active environmental
engagement, both within the Embassy community and around Cameroon.
This work has included workshops, tree plantings, and donations to
park rangers. End Summary

World Environmental Day
--------------


2. (U) In collaboration with USAID-funded Central African Regional
Program for the Environment (CARPE) and the Network for the
Environment and Sustainable Development in Africa (NESDA),post
hosted a World Environment Day workshop on June 4, 2009. Experts
from research institutions, government ministries and
non-governmental organization spoke on how climate change has
affected Cameroon. The event also featured a documentary on
Northern Cameroon's drought and desertification problems, produced
by the British High Commission. The Ambassador gave remarks which
received extensive media coverage.

A "Greener" Embassy
--------------


3. (U) Post's Facilities Maintenance (FM) section is working hard to
secure membership in the League of Green Embassies. Post has
sponsored a large tree planting project across Embassy grounds,
inviting the Minister of Forests and Fauna to help plant trees. FM
has set up beehives on embassy grounds in order to facilitate
cross-pollination for plants. Packing materials such as wooden
crates and boxes are reused as much as possible. The landscaping
contractor for post also recycles wood shavings and sawdust from the
carpentry shop into mulch. FM has received funding to utilize Solar
Power for heating of the Swimming Pool. The section has converted
from incandescent to all compact fluorescent lamps and received
buy-in from the RSO Shop to utilize more energy efficient
fluorescent light fixtures in the residential areas rather than
high-energy consuming light fixtures like Mercury Vapor or Quartz
Halogen.


4. U) Post's environmental working group has also implemented
several projects during the last year. The most recent was a "call
to action" email to embassy employees, asking them to "think green"
at work and home and providing tips. Employees were told how to
print using recycled paper and to recycle magazines.

USG funded projects
--------------


5. (U) Post is funding several environmentally-related projects at
the moment. The Ambassador's Self-Help Fund is funding a tree
planting project around Benoue National Park, which the Ambassador
inaugurated this week with a tree planting ceremony. Post is in the
process of finalizing a large-scale tree planting project around
Lake Chad in Northern Cameroon. As part of our Food for Progress
project, a local non-governmental organization in Northern Cameroon
is turning sawdust into briquettes that can be burned as cooking
fuel. This project will assist in reducing the number of trees cut
down in that region and also check desertification. The Defense
Attach office has used $400,000 to equip and train park rangers in
two major national parks with motorcycles and radios in order to
facilitate the fight against illegal logging and poaching.


6. (U) Peace Corps Cameroon is signing this week a Memorandum of
Understanding with the Ministry of Forests and Fauna, in order to
have volunteers working in ecotourism and other
environmentally-related projects. Peace Corps hopes to have a few
volunteers working in this area beginning this summer.

Comment
--------------

7. (U) Embassy Yaounde is trying to increasingly engage on
environmental issues, but is hindered by the lack of resources for
projects. Post's multiple agencies are cooperating on this issue,
as shown in this cable. The bulk of our work has been in rural
communities or within the Embassy community. Within additional
resources, post could make an even larger impact on this front.

GARVEY