Online Reporter
Theseus Mauruki Shambare
CLIMATE change is no longer just an environmental concern but a governance, economic and development issue requiring coordinated national action across sectors, Government and development partners have said.
This emerged during the launch of the publication Pathways for Green Governance in Zimbabwe: Energy Transition, Climate Finance and Eco-Feminism held in Avondale, Harare, where stakeholders underscored the need to integrate climate response into economic planning, public finance systems and governance frameworks.
Speaking at the event, Secretary for Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Mr Simon Masanga, said climate change had evolved into a multidimensional challenge affecting national development priorities.
“Climate change is no longer merely an environmental concern; it is a development challenge, an economic challenge, a governance challenge and a social justice challenge,” he said.
Mr Masanga said Zimbabwe was already experiencing the effects of climate change through prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall patterns, cyclones and land degradation, which continue to affect agriculture, water resources, energy generation and infrastructure development.
He said these impacts demanded a shift in thinking from silo-based environmental responses to integrated governance systems that link climate action with economic planning and social development.
“Green governance is not simply about environmental protection. It is about ensuring that economic growth, social development and environmental sustainability reinforce one another,” he said.
The publication, produced by environmental and governance stakeholders, brings together policy analysis on energy transition, climate finance and ecofeminism, framing climate change as a structural issue requiring coordinated institutional responses.
A key message from the Government side was that Zimbabwe’s climate response is anchored in existing national and international commitments, including the Paris Agreement.
Mr Masanga said Zimbabwe has committed, through its Third Generation Nationally Determined Contribution, to reduce per capita emissions by 40 percent by 2035 compared to business-as-usual projections, subject to international support.
He said the country has also developed policy frameworks including the National Climate Policy, the National Climate Change Response Strategy, the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan and the Low Emission Development Strategy, which guides the transition towards a climate-resilient economy by 2050.
“These frameworks are aligned with Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2, which recognise climate resilience, renewable energy development and green industrialisation as key pillars of transformation,” he said.
Development partners and civil society organisations said while policy frameworks are in place, implementation gaps remain a major challenge, particularly in ensuring that climate finance reaches vulnerable communities.
Country Director of ActionAid Zimbabwe, Dr Selina Pasirayi, said climate change must be understood as a governance issue that determines who benefits, who participates and who is accountable in climate decision-making processes.
“Governance is ultimately about power: who decides, who participates, who benefits, and who is held accountable when systems fail,” she said.
Dr Pasirayi said climate finance must move beyond international conferences and be translated into tangible community-level interventions that build resilience among vulnerable populations.
“Too often, climate finance discussions end in conference rooms while communities confronting droughts, floods and environmental degradation see little tangible benefit,” she said.
She called for transparent, accountable and locally responsive financing mechanisms that ensure resources reach districts and communities where resilience is built.
She also stressed that a just energy transition must place gender equality at its centre, warning that women and girls are disproportionately affected by energy poverty and climate shocks.
A similar sentiment was echoed in the publication, which highlights ecofeminism as a framework linking environmental sustainability with gender justice.
The Ministry said climate impacts in Zimbabwe are already being felt across multiple sectors, including agriculture, health, tourism and infrastructure, making it necessary to treat climate policy as economic policy.
Mr Masanga said Government is increasingly viewing climate change as a cross-cutting issue that requires interdisciplinary cooperation among ministries, the private sector, academia and civil society.
“The challenges we are faced with in today’s world are interconnected, and therefore our solutions must be interconnected as well,” he said.
He added that communities are already playing a key role in climate adaptation through climate-smart agriculture, ecosystem restoration and local innovation, but require stronger institutional support.
The publication also highlights the importance of unlocking Zimbabwe’s renewable energy potential, particularly in solar, hydropower, wind and biomass, as part of the country’s energy transition agenda.
Stakeholders said that while opportunities exist for green industrialisation and job creation, access to climate finance remains a major barrier to scaling up investments.
The launch brought together Government officials, civil society organisations, development partners, academia and youth representatives, signalling growing consensus that climate change must be addressed through coordinated governance, economic reform and inclusive development strategies.
As Zimbabwe continues to navigate increasing climate shocks, stakeholders agreed that the success of national climate action will depend not only on policy design but on implementation, accountability and sustained investment in resilient systems.
The publication is expected to contribute to ongoing policy debates and strengthen evidence-based approaches to climate governance in Zimbabwe.
