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Africa Moyo-Deputy News Editor

Zimbabwe is now moving into the phase of implementing its nationally determined contributions (NDC) to reduce net emissions of greenhouse gases and so mitigate climate change, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said on Monday.

Speaking in Glasgow, Scotland, during a side event on Zimbabwe’s low carbon and green growth development strategies under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. 

Minister Ndlovu said Zimbabwe submitted its low emissions development strategy and the revised nationally determined contribution to UNFCCC last month. Zimbabwe’s revised contributions present a conditional 40 percent economy-wide per capita emissions reduction target by 2030. “This revised NDC target represents a 7 percent upward revision from the first generation NDC and includes an adaptation component to address the high vulnerability of the country to climate change,” he said.

“The NDC target is conditional on the means of implementation in the form of finance, technical development and technology transfer under the framework of the Convention and the Paris Agreement. 

“Our climate goals are consistent with the National Development Strategy 1 (2021-2025) which has mainstreamed climate change across all its thematic areas. In this regard, Zimbabwe will pursue a holistic and balanced development trajectory, which seeks to balance national development and fulfilment of our international obligations on emissions reduction as guided by the low emissions development strategy, the revised NDCs and the National Adaptation Plan.”

Minister Ndlovu said Zimbabwe has made strides to mainstream climate change in development planning and budgeting processes through the on-going adoption plan. 

Work has progressed on the formulation of the plan, which is expected to be finalised early in next year, and already, some of the key adaptation actions have been included in the revised NDC.

Starting this year, ministries and State institutions will mainstream climate change in their budgets. 

Minister Ndlovu said a number of policy and regulatory initiatives are being implemented such as the adoption of the wetlands management policy and guidelines, carbon tax levying on all petrol and diesel purchases, afforestation, and fiscal incentives in support of renewable energy investments, among other programmes towards climate change mitigation. 

“The attainment of Zimbabwe’s green growth trajectory is conditional on the provision of means of implementation, both financial and technical support from the developed countries to developing countries like ourselves under the Framework Convention on Climate Change. 

“Following the devastating Cyclone Idai, the Government has spent in excess of 15 percent of the nation’s GDP and more continues to be spent to accelerate adaptation and resilient building programmes. For a developing country, with an added risk of sanctions, this is simply unsustainable,” said Minister Ndlovu. 

He called upon developed country partners to fulfil their climate finance pledges to assist climate action in developing countries. 

Further, he invited development partners, bilateral donors, development financiers and civil society, among others, to come on board and work with the Government towards delivering its climate commitment through financing and implementing the identified actions towards a low carbon and climate resilient Zimbabwe.

Minister Ndlovu said he was confident that Zimbabwe’s 40 percent emissions reduction target in its NDCs reflects the seriousness within which it wants to contribute in the fight against climate change. 

He thanked the NDC Partnership’s Climate Action Enhancement Package (CAEP), with technical support from the World Bank, COMESA, FAO, ICLEI Africa, IRENA, UNDP, ILO, UNEP, Stockholm Environment Institute and the World Bank for availing the financial support towards the revision of Zimbabwe’s NDC. 

Gratitude was also extended to the Russian government for providing financial resources towards the development of the low emissions strategy and the Green Climate Fund for providing resources towards the development of the national action plan.

The event was attended by NDC Partnership global director Mr Parblo Vieira, COP26 Regional Ambassador for Africa and Middle East Ms Janet Rogan, ILO, Green Jobs Programme’s Marek Harsdorff, UNDP Zimbabwe Resident Representative Ms Madelena Monoja, World Bank Advisor in the SCCDR Division Mr Stephen Hammer, Director, Climate Change Management Department Mr Washington Zhakata and ZESA Holdings group chairperson Dr Sydney Gata.