Zim bolsters climate change fight

Africa Moyo in SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt

Zimbabwe yesterday boosted its fight against climate change through the launch of its adaptation communication, to cope with the adverse effects of climate change, on the margins of COP 27.

Launched by Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu at the Zimbabwe Pavilion at the ongoing COP27 in Egypt, the adaptation communication is expected to bolster the country’s mobilisation of funding from international climate finance facilities.

The process towards development of the adaptation communication started in 2019.

The adaptation communication is an important part of the architecture for achieving the mitigation and adaptation goals of the Paris Agreement, and mobilising sufficient finance flows for climate resilient development for countries.

It is estimated that the global funding gap is US$1 034 861 763 a year.

The adaptation plan forms part of Zimbabwe’s contribution to the global stocktake on issues relating to climate change vulnerability and adaption issues. Among other issues, the adaptation communication was developed to share key messages on adaptation in Zimbabwe, with the international community, profile the country’s need for climate finance for adaptation, and support the need for climate change adaptation action in Zimbabwe.

The adaptation communication, whose process was initiated in 2019, is voluntary, flexible and country driven, and therefore should not place a burden on Zimbabwe.

It draws mainly from the National Climate Policy of 2017, Zimbabwe’s Global Climate Finance Country Programme for 2020-2024, and the National Development Strategy 1 for 2021-2025.

The adaptation communication contributes to Zimbabwe’s vision of developing on a low carbon and resilient trajectory.

In his address, Minister Ndlovu said since Zimbabwe was party to the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement, developed its initial adaptation communication as part of the transparency framework.

Over the past few years, rainfall has become increasingly uncertain in Zimbabwe, with increased mid-season dry spells, which threaten rain-fed agriculture systems.

Similarly, droughts and floods have increased in terms of frequency and intensity resulting in disastrous impacts.

“Climate change has become a threat to our economy, affecting every sector thus threatening to derail developmental gains made over decades,” said Minister Ndlovu.

“As a country we are, therefore, faced with the task of enhancing preparedness and ensuring that our socio-economic sectors are climate-proofed in order to withstand and cope with the impacts of climate change.

“In response to this global menace, while advancing the national climate change agenda, the Government of Zimbabwe developed its Adcom (adaptation communication) critical building blocks for communicating Zimbabwe’s vulnerability with a view to mobilise resources from the international climate finance facilities.”

As part of keeping the momentum, said Minister Ndlovu, Zimbabwe’s climate risk and vulnerability, ongoing adaptation interventions, existing gaps, support needs and support received, need to be communicated to the COP through mechanisms such as the adaptation communication.

He thanked the National Adaptation Planning global network for the technical and financial support rendered through the International Institute for Environment and Development.

Ms Edith Tibahwa, the programme manager for climate change mitigation and adaptation in Comesa-EAC-SADC Region, congratulated Zimbabwe for the launch of the adaptation communication.

“As Comesa we are very happy and pleased to work with all Comesa member State and Zimbabwe in particular, especially into the revision of its nationally determined contributions,” she said.

“We hope you will be able to use this in various ways to mobilise funds for the mitigation and adaptation activities. We recently concluded our resilience framework, of which Zimbabwe was part of, and that was fully validated.

“We hope this plan is going to help you in the implementation and we are ready to support where we can and you can always reach out to us and other partners.”

A senior associate with the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Ms Deborah Murphy, congratulated Zimbabwe on its launch of the adaptation communication.

She said she had read the document and reviewed it and found it to be “extremely impressive”.

Head of the adaptation and resilience team at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Mr Peter Bentley, said: “It is a fantastic step to bring out your adaptation communication plan.”

He added that the plan should be a “huge benefit to Zimbabwe”.

The launch was attended by senior Government officials, development partners, some legislators, researchers, the academia and civil society members.