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Innocent Ruwende and Timo Shihepo
Russia has availed $1 million to Zimbabwe to assist the country implement its Low Emission Development Strategy in line with international gas emission standards.
The funding will also be used to facilitate partnerships with investors and companies, including Russian business actors and academic institutions, in order to foster collaboration and technological exchange for low emission development.
The three-year project will be implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in partnership with the Ministry of Environment Water and Climate.
In a speech read on her behalf by Climate Change Management Department director Mr Washington Zhakata at a post Conference of Parties (23rd Edition) stakeholder meeting in Harare on Tuesday, Environment, Water and Climate permanent secretary Ambassador Grace Mutandirwo said the new project was aimed at supporting Zimbabwe in implementing its Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
“The project aims to fulfil part of Zimbabwe’s obligations under the Paris Agreement by developing the country’s Low Emission Development Strategy document based on future scenario greenhouse gas modelling, stakeholder consultations and policy analysis,” said Ambassador Mutandirwo.
“Decision one of the Conference of Parties (21st Edition) invited all parties to communicate mid-century long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat by 2020.”
Ambassador Mutandirwo said the discussions were taking place on the backdrop of developed nations not fulfilling their pre-2020 financial and mitigation commitments as well as the United States initiating its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
“These actions will no doubt have serious implications on climate change adaptation efforts in developing countries as the financial mechanisms of the UNFCCC such as the Global Environment Facility and the Green Climate Fund are receiving far less than the projected $100 per annum pledged at the Cancun COP,” she said.
Permanent secretary in the Office of President and Cabinet Ambassador Godfrey Chidyausiku said Zimbabwe was open for investment and called on industry to prepare to implement the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions.
“All the ministries and other departments are calling for investment. I would like to call upon industry and commerce to start preparing to the implementation of our Nationally Determined Contributions,” he said.
“All stakeholders are called on to contribute to the country’s law of climate change, which will be coordinated by the Legal Services Department of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate. We need an enabling environment for the implementation of the NDC’s.”
Business Council for Sustainable Development-Zimbabwe representative Mr Tendayi Marowa said there was need to create an enabling investment framework that supports low emission.
“We must accelerate the diffusion of existing technologies by removing barriers and introducing required policy and financial instruments,” he said.
Online Reporter