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Herald Correspondent
Zimbabwe is finalising the development of the National Adaptation Plan to address loss and damage associated with the unavoidable adverse effects of climate change, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister, Mangaliso Ndlovu, said yesterday.
The plan requires substantial amounts of money in the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are driven by blended domestic and international finance.
In speech read in his behalf by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Raphael Faranisi, during a post-COP 27 national stakeholder workshop in Harare yesterday, Minister Ndlovu said he was glad to note that much progress was made at COP 27 in advancing the work of the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage, associated with the impacts of climate change.
Minister Ndlovu said for the first time, there was agreement to establish a financing mechanism to address loss and damage associated with the unavoidable adverse effects of climate change.
“The agreement on a loss and damage finance mechanism is a milestone achievement for developing countries,” he said.
“The modalities, procedures and of course, the guidelines for operationalisation of this initiative, will be negotiated in 2023.
“I assure you that the 2023 negotiations in May/June and subsequently COP 28 will be very difficult, considering the resistance by the developed countries to establish this mechanism.”
Minister Ndlovu said apart from the loss and damage issue, Zimbabwe was finalising the development of the National Adaptation Plan, which requires substantial amounts of money, whilst at the same time, implementation of the NDCs would be driven by both domestic and international finance.
NDCs bring about the need to scrutinise the global goal on adaptation as well as the new collective quantified goal on climate finance.
Yesterday’s workshop was important as it discussed matters related to agriculture, research and systematic observation, gender and climate change, mitigation, and market mechanisms.
Participants also reflected on Zimbabwe’s expectations going into the 2023 negotiations, building on the COP 27 outcomes and decisions.
Minister Ndlovu said with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) guiding Zimbabwe on the need to integrate climate change into development planning at the national level, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has called upon all ministries, departments and agencies to integrate climate change into their budgeting processes.
He also called for the need to understand and domesticate outcomes of COP 27, adding that Government was ready to work with civil society organisations, international agencies, youths, the private sector and community level organisations, to address the climate change challenges.
“This is the only way in which we can strengthen the country’s resilience to climate change,” he said.
The workshop attracted NGOs, youths, parastatals, United Nations organisations and other development partners, among others.
Online Reporter