Chronicle Editor
Mkhululi Ncube, Chronicle Reporter
URBAN local authorities have been urged to incorporate climate change mitigation programmes in their plans to minimise the negative impact of climate change.
Officially opening a three-day climate change mitigation and adaption workshop in Bulawayo this week, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said urban local authorities should adapt to the changing climate in order to minimise the associated negative impact.
“Urban local authorities are therefore expected to adapt to the changing climate to minimise the associated negative impact.
“The first step towards this is by mainstreaming climate issues into our development planning, budgeting and activity implementation.
“Mainstreaming climate change will require additional resources today but will result in savings in the medium to long term,” said Minister Ndlovu in a speech read on his behalf by his permanent secretary Mr Munesu Munodawafa.
The climate change workshop was focusing on waste management, ozone layer depleting substances and mainstreaming climate change into urban planning.
Last week President Mnangagwa announced during the Virtual Climate Ambition Summit held to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement that the country has set a target for the economy to go green by 2030.
Minister Ndlovu said local authorities contribute a lot to global warming and are impacted heavily by climate change.
“The councils are big emitters of greenhouse gases as a result of their waste management practices and therefore contribute a lot to global warming. What is sad is that the same urban areas are seriously impacted by climate change.
“Droughts have led to water shortages and intense rains have led to flooding and destruction of infrastructure.
“Furthermore, the agricultural droughts have become increasing recurrent and induce rural to urban migration thereby burdening urban councils in terms of service provision,” said Minister Ndlovu
He said said there was therefoe a need to rethink urban planning if the country is to fulfil sustainable development goal number 11 which focuses on sustainable towns and cities.
He said Zimbabwe is in the process of fine tuning its report to the United Nations Framework and Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
“The engagement we are having today will touch upon Zimbabwe’s national commitment to address climate change nationally and in line with the global discourse.
“As a member of the family of nations, Zimbabwe is required to compile and timely report to the UNFCCC quality information on its greenhouse gas emissions in a report referred to as the National Communication, in line with the provisions of the Climate Change Convention,” he said
Cde Ndlovu said the Government is expected to compile a national greenhouse gas inventory regularly.
“Zimbabwe is in the process of preparing its Fourth National Communication and the first Biennial Update Report.
“The Biennial Report will be submitted before the end of this year and the fourth National Communication in mid-2021.
“The information and data required from the local authorities is vital for compilation of the National Communication and the Biennial Update reports in order to meet the requirements of the Enhanced Transparency Framework under the Paris Agreement of Climate Change,” he said.
Minister Ndlovu said the reports form the basis for the verification of emission reduction obligations of the country under the Paris Agreement.
Zimbabwe committed to reduce its emissions by 33 percent per capita by the year 2030 in the energy sector through the National Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Information compiled and submitted should therefore show the world the extent to which the country is living up to its commitment. — @themkhust
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