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Sifelani Tsiko
Agric, Environment & Innovations Editor
Zimbabwe recently hosted the 9th edition of the Africa Green Waste and Energy Expo and Conference under the theme: “A Zero Carbon, Climate Resilient Future — Setting The Stage for Transformation.” This high profile event which was organised by the Zimbabwe Sunshine Group, non-profit making environmental organisation attracted participants from Africa and beyond. In this report, Sifelani Tsiko (ST), Agric, Environment & Innovations Editor speaks to Claris Mandoreba (CM), Zimbabwe Sunshine Group head of programmes to share some insights about the just-ended conference.
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ST: What was the main purpose of the Africa Green Waste and Energy Expo and Conference?
CM: This conference sought to address several issues. It sought to build partnerships that define a clear roadmap and make recommendations to governments through regional organs for inclusivity in transitioning from a brown to a green and climate-neutral economy.
The major focus was on citizen science, that is, home-grown solutions discovered deliberately by research or accidentally by necessity and community survival solutions. Through this, delegates sought to share experiences and find common strategies to address problems they face. Through this conference, participants also aimed to develop a community of excellence implementing, monitoring and evaluation strategy on greening issues.
In addition, delegates aimed to build partnerships that defined a clear roadmap and make recommendations to governments through regional organs for inclusivity in transitioning from a brown to a green and climate-neutral economy. We also wanted to raise awareness on the Nationally Determined Contributions and Low Emission Development Strategies within the industry and industry associations.
Participants also wanted to secure a buy-in from sectors into the climate change agenda to achieve climate neutrality as well as come up with an inclusive African technical support committee that looks at shifting focus onto creating a framework for green jobs, national communication tools for green economies and social inclusivity. In addition to the above, the event aimed to create an excellent opportunity for networking and establish a sustainable network of partner and stakeholder organizations.
ST: How many delegates and participants did the conference manage to attract despite the Covid-19 restrictions which are still in place?
CM: The virtual conference managed to attract about 87 delegates on each day of the expo, which was an over-subscription based on the pegged expected number of 50 participants a day, taking into cognisance the Covid-19 pandemic-induced gathering restrictions. The virtual participants went over 40 as some of the 22 countries had more than one participant.
Other delegates had no representation on the speaker’s list, but were still tuned in to the zoom meetings and Facebook live broadcasts. Apart from international delegates, local participants who could not be on the ground were tuned in and participating greatly during the discussions.
ST: What was the response like to the virtual sessions streaming across the continent and other parts of the globe?
CM: Most participants had invited colleagues to join on different social media platforms therefore the following was quite sizeable since there was not much time given to promoting the event online.
ST: The forum is also seen as a springboard to present cutting-edge climate innovations from large corporations, start-ups, cities, and other stakeholders. At this year’s edition what are some of the few innovations that were quite striking for you and other participants?
CM: Nigeria’s “Youths for apiculture initiative,” brought very commendable ideas in apiculture and was in fact awarded for being the best non–profit making organisation at the event. Other participants from the Kingdom of Eswatini were recognised for their activities in promoting green tourism and managing to establish concrete links between tourism and the green economy as we work towards coming down to zero emissions in every industry in Zimbabwe and Africa.
Back home, Zimbabwe also produced young and gifted entrepreneurs who have tackled waste management to another level. They are now producing market goods of different uses from waste. Kenneth, a young man, aged 20 years, has sold over 2 000 ornaments to tourists and international clients, from waste material.
ST: This year’s conference also sought to share and discuss zero-carbon and circular economy solutions for a sustainable and climate-resilient future. What are some of the challenges your members continue to face in their everyday work?
CM: In the waste sector, it is very difficult to make the link between sustainable waste management systems and climate change contributions. We applaud the government of Zimbabwe for recognising Zimbabwe Sunshine Group as one of the key contributors to Low Emission Development Strategy and recognising the role that organisations such as ours are playing to reduce emissions within the waste sector. This engagement and recognition at such a level has opened opportunities for us, but at lower levels of our work we still face challenges such as simple acceptance as a sustainable waste management solutions provider. Policies at local government level are failing to uplift our efforts as there are too many restrictions in terms of enforcement of by-laws regarding waste management. You would find companies very reluctant to take up new systems in managing their waste and a general unwillingness to start new systems as they consider it a low priority budget item.
ST: How can some of the challenges be addressed?
CM: At policy implementation level, alignment of these policies to local by-laws across the country could help to speed up the process of uptake of new waste management systems. Zimbabwe ratified the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and within this convention, waste management is listed as key to reducing global emissions.
Alignment of local policy and law with the NDCs under this framework will speed up the achievement of national targets in terms of emission reductions in the waste sector. Opening up the sector to private players and lessening industry entry barriers will also help to develop more regarding the waste management sector.
We still lack resources to grow our operations to full scale and replicate in all parts of the country. Young people are very dormant in this sector and the entrance of more vibrant youths could encourage more development in terms of outreach.
ST: The conference also ran parallel sessions on various topics that aimed to take a deeper look into the specific challenges and solutions from a sector focus perspective. In brief, what are the major takeaways from the parallel sessions?
CM: The International trade sector has been exporting valuable resources for recycling outside Zimbabwean borders. For us as a country, this expo has been an eye-opener to the government and stakeholders on the need to invest in value-addition infrastructure in order to utilise the same resources and benefit from them.
The set-offs created by doing so will ensure maximum beneficiation for the country whilst also providing a ready-market to sell the end-products. As a region, we face the same general problems and we will continue to do so until we realise that we do not have to keep reinventing the wheel every time a problem comes. There is simply need to research on solutions grown elsewhere in the region and continent and replicate these.
ST: Overall, what do you think was quite prominent about the 9th edition of the Africa Green Waste and Energy Expo and Conference? How would you describe this conference in terms of outcomes and achievements?
CM: The expo was probably the most successful ever. This year was different in that more people took an interest in the actual outcomes and resolutions so that they can start implementing the actions on the ground.
The conference also equipped participants with ideas to amplify their work and realise more impact and increase beneficiation cycles. The networking in this year’s expo was much more about quality than quantity as we sought to bring value to everyone.
ST: To what extent do you think the conference succeeded in addressing some of the issues as required under the Paris Climate Agreement which aims to reduce man-made greenhouse gas?
CM: The expo dialogue course was charted on four main components that Zimbabwe is currently working on as part of the NDC revision process [Energy, Industrial Processes and Product Use (IPPU), Agriculture, Forestry and other Land Use (AFOLU), Waste]. These sectors are key to achieving the targets that Zimbabwe has pledged to achieve by 2030, which is to reduce total emissions by 33 percent per capita. This process of NDCs review is under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement and as the government has declared intentions to increase its ambition under these frameworks, it is imperative that all people join hands to combat climate change by reducing emissions.
Action should be on-going at institutional level and at every other level. The same can and should be done elsewhere across the continent. There was a buy-in from other line ministries responsible for the other major sector under NDCs.
A prime example is the apparent link between the Foreign affairs and International trade ministry to in-depth issues to do with climate change.
ST: In the coming editions, what are your hopes for the Africa Green Waste and Energy Expo and Conference?
CM: In 2021, we will hold the landmark 10th Edition of the Africa Green Waste and Energy expo and conference.
This is a symbol of the perseverance of the youth who gave birth to this platform in 2012 with the hope of raising awareness on waste and energy issues in Harare.
For this event to have attracted participants from all over Africa, it’s a vindication of the nobility of the idea to transform Africa through such platforms where “brains and project brawn” converge to venture into uncharted waters, in a quest to develop the continent. In the coming years, the expo will remain for Africa, but with contributions and participation from all over the world, giving Africa the opportunity to learn and develop, but building on what has already been done in other parts of the world.
Online Reporter