By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE –
VICE President, Inonge Wina says Government has formulated a national policy on climate change which provides political direction for mainstreaming climate change and demonstrates Government’s commitment to addressing the scourge.
Ms Wina said that it is hoped that the implementation of the policy would further improve local community livelihood and reduce poverty levels especially for rural communities.
She said this would help transform the country into a prosperous and climate resilient economy by 2030 in line with the country’s vision.
Ms Wina was speaking yesterday when she officially opened the first national stakeholders’ consultative workshop on climate change under the green climate fund.
She said this would be enhancing the rural people’s adaptive capacity to the adverse impacts of climate change.
She told delegates at the consultative workshop that the issue of climate change was no longer a debate among scientists, politicians, academia, the clergy but that it was real because of the adverse effects being witnessed almost everywhere.
Ms Wina has since called for the increased financing and a well coordinated collaborative effort from all stakeholders if positive results from various interventions were to be achieved.
“I would like to assure you that the Zambian Government takes climate change as a priority given its cross cutting nature, “ Ms Wina said.
Ms Wina said it was for this reason that Government formulated a well –coordinated response to climate change in order to facilitate a well coordinated response to climate change issues and address the problem of fragmented approach to actions on climate change.
She further said that the policy provided for appropriate mechanism for implementation of projects and resource mobilisation in a manner that allowed for division of labour whilst guaranteeing harmonisation between the various players.
Ms Wina said addressing the scourge would be achieved through implementation of robust adaptation and mitigation measures needed to minimise risks associated with climate change.
Zambia has continued to experience a number of climate change related hazards including drought, dry spells, extreme temperature, seasonal and flash floods.
Some of these especially drought and floods have increased negatively on food and water security, energy and livelihood of communities.
Ms Wina said there was need for serious interventions in order to ensure that the world worked together for the good of the nations and deliver to all people what they expected from their policy makers.