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World Environment Day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the Stockholm Conference on Human Environment with growing concerns in environmental issues.
The celebrations were commemorated at Busi Shopping Centre in Chinotimba Township in the resort town on Friday last week.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Victoria Falls municipality, deputy director of Housing and Community Services, Mr Lot Mumpande, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Management, Francis Nhema urged stakeholders to change their attitude towards environment issues in order to promote the green economy.
“Ladies and gentleman the green economy is that one that produces low green house gas emissions, uses resources more efficiently, continue to generate growth, income and jobs and observes social equity and inclusiveness. It is one that results in improved human well-being while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities,” he said.
This year’s commemorations were held under the theme: “Greening the Economy — Does it include you”.
Minister Nhema said the theme brings out the fact that everyone plays an important role to the success of a green economy and invites everyone to evaluate whether the steps being taken by the government, private sector, civil society and community “includes you”.
He added that the green economy initiative had come to the country against a background of the global trend of high levels of industrialisation which increase emission of green house gases.
“The green economy touches almost every aspect of our lives and concerns our development. For example, it is about sustainable energy, green polices, sustainable agriculture, forestry, industry, energy efficiently, greed building, sustainable tourism, sustainable transport, waste management to the conservation of the environment,” he said.
Minister Nhema said it was important to note that Zimbabwe and Zambia made a commitment by signing an agreement to reaffirm their commitment to the conservation of the environment in May this year.
In his remarks, the Zambian acting director of Environmental Management Agency, Mr Joseph Sakala, said both countries should uphold the importance of sustainable development in the endeavour to grow economies while preserving biodiversity.
He said the green economy was a major ingredient of sustainable development.
“Therefore, even as we channel our energies to improving growth in income and employment which, are essentially driven by public and private investments, as we do this lets reduce carbon emissions and pollution, enhance energy and resource efficient and prevent the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services,” he said.
Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) head of public relations and corporate communications Mr Sugar Chagonda said the green economy was vital even for the tourism sector.
He said as ZTA was also marketing Zimbabwe as a green economy, there was a need to protect the environment.
“The environment issues are current and therefore the need for a consented effort by everybody to be involved in conserving the environment,” he said.
Online Reporter