Chronicle Editor
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
ALL is set for the Climate Change, Carbon Markets and Sustainability Indaba being hosted by the Bulawayo City Council in collaboration with the African Voluntary Carbon Credits Market Forum (AVCCMF) and other partners.
The Indaba is scheduled to take place between Wednesday and Thursday in the city.
It is being organised and co-hosted in partnership with the Bulawayo Economic Development Agency, the Government through the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Office of the President and Cabinet as well as Offices of the Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution- Bulawayo Metropolitan, Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North provinces.
The second edition of the Indaba comes after the inaugural event was successfully hosted in Victoria Falls last year.
It is expected to contribute significantly to policy development that will strategically position Bulawayo as a green city.
This year’s conference aims to enhance awareness of Climate Change and Climate Finance and to encourage local actions to access Climate Finance.
It will run under the theme: “Unpacking and Unlocking Zimbabwe’s Potential in the Climate Economy: Driving the Global Sustainability Agenda to build Climate Resilience.”
In a statement on Friday, Bulawayo City Council (BCC) said it will use the event to launch its Sustainability Roadmap.
“The City of Bulawayo will use this event to launch its Sustainability Roadmap, a practicable, people-centric climate action initiative that seeks to position the City of Bulawayo as sustainable and champions the net zero agenda towards carbon neutrality to keep ground temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius and open doors for green investment and sustainable development,” said the council.
According to the Paris Agreement, net zero means cutting carbon emissions to a small amount of residual emissions that can be absorbed and durably stored by nature and other carbon dioxide removal measures, leaving zero in the atmosphere.
To keep global warming to no more than 1,5°C, as called for in the Paris Agreement, emissions need to be reduced by 45 percent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.
The BCC said as the ugly, devastating and catastrophic effects of climate change are visibly taking a toll on communities, there was an urgent need for stakeholders to converge, explore options and possible solutions to ameliorate these effects, build coping, resilience and adaptation capacities and reduce vulnerability and risk.
“While the El Nino-induced drought is affecting communities, the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife has announced a national drive for aligning to the Paris Agreement which in turn will unlock climate finance into the country to finance the coping, resilience, mitigation and adaptation systems for Zimbabwe,” it said.
It said the historic high-profile multi-stakeholder event will be headlined by an address by the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni who is expected to unpack the National Strategy for aligning with the Paris Agreement.
It will also be addressed by other Government Cabinet Ministers that include the Minister of Energy and Power Development, Edgar Moyo, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka, representatives of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
International and local climate change, carbon markets and sustainability experts, climate finance experts and project developers will participate alongside heads of local authorities, civic society organisations, captains of industry and commerce will be in attendance.
The event will also impact the national discourse on the Climate Change Management Bill.
The concept of the climate economy is gaining global acceptance, focusing on the belief that economic growth and environmental sustainability can mutually support each other.
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