Bulawayo to Launch Sustainability Roadmap at High-Profile Climate Change and Carbon Markets Indaba

THE high profile multi-stakeholder climate change, carbon markets and sustainability indaba set for Bulawayo on 17 and 18 July will be an opportunity for the local authority to launch its sustainability roadmap towards the Net Zero Agenda and meeting below 1.5 degrees celcius.

Net Zero means cutting carbon emissions to small amounts that can be durably stored by nature and limit global temperatures to less than 1.5 degrees Celcius as called for in the Paris Agreement.

The world is 1.1 degrees warmer than it was a century ago hence the need for reduction of green house emissions and reach Net Zero by 2050.

This requires Governments and all sectors to strengthen their Nationally Determined Contributors.

The impact of climate change on poor communities is increasing thereby putting pressure on Governments especially in developing countries that have contributed less to depletion of Ozone layer.

With its various conservation programmes including waste management, sustainable irrigation and water harvesting, the city stands to be both a case study and to learn from the conference.

The conference will be held on Wednesday and Thursday under the theme: “Unpacking and Unlocking Zimbabwe’s Potential in the Climate Economy: Driving the Global Sustainability Agenda to build Climate Resilience.”

It is being organised by the African Voluntary Carbon Credit Market Forum and co-hosted in partnership with Bulawayo City Council and the Bulawayo Economic Development Agency, and Government through the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife.

In a statement, the city council said as the devastating and catastrophic effects of climate change are visibly taking toll on ommunities, there is 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.

Government is also pursuing through the Ministry of Environment, 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.

“We are convening a historic high profile multi-stakeholder Climate Change, Carbon Markets and Sustainability Indaba on the 17th and 18th of July 2024 at the Large City Hall in Bulawayo. This 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 and also addressed by other Cabinet Ministers.

“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 organizations, captains of industry and commerce will be in attendance.

“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 as sustainable organisation that champions the Net Zero Agenda towards carbon neutrality to keep ground temperature rise below 1.5 degrees celcius and open doors for green investment and sustainable development,” said the local authority.

Ministries of Energy and Power Development, Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion and Local Government and Public Works will attend.

The conference seeks to among other issues, raise awareness on climate finance, stimulate local level actions for tapping into the climate finance while shaping the policy discourse to enable the process of promulgation of the Climate Change Management Bill to be people centric, market responsible and progressive enough to stimulate win -win outcomes to trigger the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the realization of Zimbabwe Vision 2030.

Focus is primarily on Matabeleland region and the three Matabeleland provinces whose Ministers of State will attend.

Five Ministers are expected to speak at the event.

There will also be several key partners and stakeholders to present.

Event organisers said the conference is a response to the adverse impact of El Nino induced droughts ravaging communities which has seen Government declaring a state of disaster.

Zimbabwe stands out as a conservation leader, dedicating at least 25 percent of its landmass to forestry and biodiversity preservation.

This commitment aligns with Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, which allows Zimbabwe to tap into billions of dollars from its natural resources.

This then calls for urgent interventions for mitigation, adaptation and resilience in line with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, (UNFCCC), Conference of Parties (COP) negotiations, and the Paris Agreement that was signed in 2015.

Despite the opportunity presented by the Paris Agreement, most African countries, including Zimbabwe are yet to tap into Climate Finance under the Paris Agreement Framework.

Zimbabwe’s Climate Change Management Bill, with its nine principles, is a positive step, however, stakeholders must actively engage to bridge the information gap.

-@ncubeleon