Zambia mobilising resources and consensus to combat Climate Change, a modern-day challenge to development

By MacPherson Mukuka

Climate Change has continued to top the list of priorities among many Governments across the World.

This probably due to its adverse effects it is likely to pose on the development agendas of most Nations.

However,  most countries have intensified their programmes for climate change resilience.

Zambia is not an exception.

And Government says climate change is a developmental challenge and the country is taking all necessary actions to minimise further environmental degradations and ramifications on the economy and national development.

Ministry of National Development Planning Permanent Secretary (Development Planning and Administration) Mr. Chola Chabala was speaking when he officially opened the national consultative stakeholder meeting on setting up the National Climate Change Fund (NCCF) in Livingstone on Monday 18 June,  2018.

He emphasised the Government's commitment to mobilise resources to help combat Climate Change and its impact on the economy.

"Zambia has in the past experienced adverse impacts of climate change including climate variability, extreme weather events and other systematic climate changes over the last several decades," he said. "Droughts and floods have increased in frequency and intensity over the last two decades and this has adversely impacted on food and water security, energy availability and general livelihoods of our communities."

The Permanent Secretary said one of the key measures the Government has taken was the formulation of the National Policy on Climate Change of 2016, which provides a framework for coordination and implementation of climate change measures.

He called for consented efforts and innovation to mobilise sufficient resources for climate change mitigation and adaptation, in order to effectively implement programmes on climate change contained in the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP).

"In 2017, Government took the necessary step to establish a catalytic National Climate Change Fund (NCCF). The main objective of the NCCF is to  raise revenue from both public and domestic sources at national and international level to fund climate change programmes and projects," Mr. Chabala explained. "Amongst other objectives, the Fund is to enable Zambia: Tap into new and innovative sources of finance for mitigation and adaptation projects; build national capacity to utilize opportunities presented by international financial mechanisms; increase access to finance for green projects in the country; facilitate appropriate technology transfers into the country for accelerated economic growth and development while achieving a sustainable low carbon development path; accelerate energy access through sustainable renewable energy technologies and solutions; and generate employment opportunities created by implementation of new economic activities through green projects."

The Permanent Secretary called for consensus on the establishment of a national climate fund.

And Zambia National Designated Authority (NDA) for the Green Climate Fund National Co-ordinator Mr. Mainga Luwabelwa said Climate Change impact was multi-dimensional as it affects all sectors of national and human development.

Mr. Luwabelwa explained that the GCF funds projects that promote paradigm shift towards low emission and climate resilient development pathways.