Ministry of National Development Planning Permanent Secretary Chola Chabala says government is taking all necessary actions aimed at minimizing further environmental degradation and ramifications on the economy caused by climate change.

In a statement, Tuesday, Chabala stated that government was implementing all the necessary actions to mitigate the devastating effects of climatic change.

He emphasized government’s commitment to mobilize resources to help combat climate change and its impact on the economy.

“Climate change is a developmental challenge and the country is taking all necessary actions to minimize further environmental degradations and ramifications on the economy and national development. Zambia has in the past experienced adverse impacts of climate change including climate variability, extreme weather events and other systematic climate changes over the last several decades. Droughts and floods have increased in frequency and intensity over the last two decades and this has adversely impacted on food and water security, energy availability and general livelihoods of our communities,” Chabala stated in statement issued via Ministry public relations officer Chibaula Silwamba when he officially opened the national consultative stakeholder meeting on setting up the National Climate Change Fund (NCCF) in Livingstone, Monday.

“The Permanent Secretary said one of the key measures the government has taken was the formulation of the National Policy on Climate Change of 2016, which provides a framework for coordination and implementation of climate change measures. He called for concerted efforts and innovation to mobilize sufficient resources for climate change mitigation and adaptation in order to effectively implement programmes on climate change contained in the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP).”

Chabala also called for consensus on the establishment of a national climate fund and the Zambia National Designated Authority, institutions that were vital in addressing the impact of climatic changes.

“In 2017, government took the necessary step to establish a catalytic National Climate Change Fund (NCCF). The main objective of the NCCF is to raise revenue from both public and domestic sources at national and international level to fund climate change programmes and projects. Amongst other objectives, the Fund is to enable Zambia: tap into new and innovative sources of finance for mitigation and adaptation projects; build national capacity to utilize opportunities presented by international financial mechanisms; increase access to finance for green projects in the country; facilitate appropriate technology transfers into the country for accelerated economic growth and development while achieving a sustainable low carbon development path; accelerate energy access through sustainable renewable energy technologies and solutions; and generate employment opportunities created by implementation of new economic activities through green projects,” read the statement.

And Zambia National Designated Authority (NDA) for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) national co-ordinator, Mainga Luwabelwa, added that the impact of climate change was multi-dimensional as it affects all sectors of national and human development.

Luwabelwa explained that the GCF funds projects that promote paradigm shift towards low emission and climate-resilient development pathways, according to the statement.