by Wallace Mawire
Zimbabwe is in the process of formulating a comprehensive national climate change response strategy to help guide government on how to deal with climate change issues, according to Ms Florence Nhekairo, Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Management.
According to Nhekairo, the initiative is being carried out in an effort to ensure coordination and effectiveness in programmes aimed at addressing climate change.
It is being spearheaded under the Zimbabwe government’s Climate Change office in the Ministry of Environment.
It is understood that the strategy will help the government to determine whether there is need for a policy or another legal framework on climate change as well as provide a framework for a comprehensive and strategic approach on aspects of adaptation, mitigation, technology, financing as well as public education and awareness.
“With support from UNDP, the ministry of Environment has contracted the Institute of Environmental Studies (IES) at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) to spearhead formulation of the climate change strategy,” Ms Nhekairo said.
The Institute of Environmental Studies has already presented a draft proposal for the national climate response strategy formulation to the National Task Team on climate change.
It is understood that the IES has been using the issues paper incorporating stakeholders inputs and literature reviews to develop a zero draft of the national response strategy on climate change for Zimbabwe.