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Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri

Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe requires at least $55 billion to invest in renewable energy mitigation actions for it to achieve a target of 33 percent reduction in energy-related emissions per capita by 2030, Environment, Water and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said.

She said another $35 billion would be needed by 2030 to adequately adapt to climate change impacts.

Addressing a press conference to present the country’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change yesterday, Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri said financing would be mobilised in part locally and complemented by affordable international financial support, investment, technology and capacity development.

INDCs are climate change mitigation actions, strategies or policies that result in reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and consequently a slow down of global warming. “The various funding, technology and capacity mechanisms related to the convention, such as the Green Climate Fund, Climate Technology Centre and Network, Adaptation Fund, Global Environment Facility and continued investment by developmental partners in the national climate change discourse will be critical.

“In presenting its INDC, Zimbabwe seeks to contribute to an ambitious global goal of limiting temperature rise to below 1,5 degrees Celsius. The global climate target is to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system so as to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change,” she said.

The INDCs for Zimbabwe, she added, were for the energy and agriculture sectors. The energy sector has been selected as it contributes the largest amount of greenhouse gases in the country.

She said the country had a conducive environment for renewable energy development which had seen an increase in mini-hydro power generation projects on rivers and dams.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri said the scope of INDCs looks at expanding and promoting the use of renewable, cleaner energy technologies and enhancing energy efficiency.

“The agriculture sector has been incorporated in the INDC as climate change presents high vulnerability to food and nutrition and nutrition security in Zimbabwe’s agro-based economy,” she said.

“The type of contribution that the Zimbabwe Government is presenting relates to emissions of greenhouse gases in line with the country’s development pathway. The proposed renewable energy mitigation actions will result in a significant reduction in the greenhouse gases,” she said.