Zim calls for more climate financing

Remember Deketeke

Herald Correspondent

Zimbabwe is calling for more climate financing to support the mitigation and investment required in reducing and adapting to climate change, Environment, Climate and Wildlife acting Permanent Secretary Mr Washington Zhakata said yesterday.

Speaking at the preparatory technical meeting ahead of the 29th Conference of Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climatic Change (UNFCCC), Mr Zhakata said as a developing country that is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, Zimbabwe is calling for more resources and technology to be availed to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

While Zimbabwe is joining the rest of the world in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, Mr Zhakata said the country is well aware of the impacts of global actions such as phasing out coal fired power stations on the economy.

“The country calls for well-thought out plans and strategies that take into consideration our levels of economic development, the need to reduce energy poverty and time for communities and economic systems to adjust,” he said.

Issues to be addressed at COP29 must align with the country’s vision and policies, said Mr Zhakata. “Our views and perspectives should be guided by our national development aspirations as envisioned in Vision 2030 and articulated in the National Development Strategy (NDS1),” he said.

“Emissions reductions should go alongside economic development, green industrialisation, infrastructure enhancement, climate smart agriculture and efforts towards poverty reduction.”

Climate change scientist in the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Mr Tirivanhu Muhwati, said stakeholders must create home-grown solutions to deal with climate change.

“Africans must start to create home-grown solutions to their existing problems and stop depending on countries from the Global North,” he said.

“As America is promising to move away from the forum and Paris Agreement, it is time that stakeholders must come together and create funds that will enable countries in the Global South to reduce global warming.”

COP29 is expected to discuss outcomes from COP28, with special focus on climate financing, carbon markets, loss and damage, adaptation, agriculture and food security, energy transition and mitigation.

The conference aims to increase political will in the implementation of the Paris Agreement of 2016.