Introduction

Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing global development challenges of the 21st century, with impacts that transcend national boundaries. Its impacts are no longer a distant future threat but present realities disproportionately affecting vulnerable regions. Zambia, a nation with an agricultural economy, exemplifies this challenge, grappling with recurrent droughts and shifting weather patterns that threaten its socio-economic development. The recent drought, declared a national disaster, underscores the country’s acute vulnerability to climate change and highlights the critical need for robust and well-executed policy interventions. This week’s Monday Opinion examines the interplay between Zambia’s climate crisis, exemplified by the recent drought, and the country’s policy response as outlined in the 8th National Development Plan.

A country’s development aspirations are reflected in its medium and long-term plans. Currently, Zambia’s development trajectory is being steered by the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) 2022-2026. Since its independence in 1964, Zambia has oscillated between centralised and liberalised economic planning, with national development plans serving as the guiding frameworks for socio-economic progress. Within this complex history, Zambia has steadily inscribed environmentally friendly policies into its plans. However, the 8th National Development Plan (8NDP) serves as a critical framework for Zambia’s response to climate change in that, for the first time in Zambia’s planning history, environmental sustainability is presented as a stand-alone Strategic Development Area (SDA). This shift is commendable as it demonstrates the government’s recognition that sustainable development is inextricably linked to the climate crisis. The plan aligns Zambia’s commitments with the Paris Agreement, recognises climate change as a cross-cutting issue and emphasises the need for a coordinated response across various sectors.

However, recognising climate change as a policy priority is just the beginning. The 8NDP’s success will depend on the extent to which Zambia can translate policy into action. The environmental sustainability pillar, which incorporates climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, is vital in this direction. Nevertheless, the real test lies in implementing these strategies, which has historically been challenging for Zambia and many other developing nations.

The Environmental Sustainability Pillar: Progress and Shortcomings

The 8NDP aims to achieve two critical development outcomes under the environmental sustainability pillar: enhanced climate change mitigation and adaptation and the sustainable management of natural resources. These goals align with Zambia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and address local and global environmental challenges.
However, three years into the implementation of the 8NDP, progress has been mixed. In 2022, only 55% of the environmental targets were met; in 2023, this dropped to 39%. Despite setbacks, there have been notable achievements, such as improved access to humanitarian relief and enhanced hazard detection systems for environmental threats like armyworm infestations, floods, and dry spells. One of the most promising developments has been the launch of the National Green Growth Strategy (GGS) 2024-2030, which is designed to guide Zambia toward a low-carbon, resource-efficient, and resilient future.

While these accomplishments are significant, the slow pace of implementation underscores more profound structural challenges. Despite ambitious targets, the 8NDP is hampered by a lack of financial resources and institutional capacity—problems that are endemic in Zambia’s policy environment.

Financing Environmental Sustainability: A Persistent Challenge

The gap between policy aspirations and their actualisation in Zambia can largely be traced to inadequate financing. The environmental sustainability pillar has consistently received the least funding among the four pillars of the 8NDP. In 2022, it was allocated a mere 0.4% of the national implementation budget, rising slightly to 3% in 2023 before dropping to 0.8% in 2024. This chronic underfunding is at odds with Zambia’s increasing exposure to climate-induced disasters, as illustrated by the recent drought.

The financial disparities become even more apparent when contrasted with the costs of responding to climate-related disasters. Following the 2024 drought declaration, the government announced that K23.5 billion was urgently needed for immediate humanitarian relief. This is equivalent to 13.2% of the national budget and sixteen times what was allocated for environmental sustainability. This stark imbalance highlights the disconnect between long-term climate resilience planning and short-term disaster response.

Moreover, Zambia’s heavy reliance on external funding to address environmental sustainability exacerbates this issue. While external resources are essential, over-dependence on them creates vulnerabilities, especially when global funding priorities shift. For Zambia to successfully mitigate and adapt to climate change, it must increase domestic resource mobilisation for climate action. The current drought should serve as a wake-up call, signalling the need to prioritize climate adaptation and mitigation in national budget allocations.

In next week’s opinion, we shall focus on the institutional dimensions that have affected the implementation of programmes under the environmental sustainability strategic development area and suggest measures that could help translate policy into practice.

About the Author

Dr. Matildah Kaliba is a Research Associate at CTPD, Lecturer, and Researcher at the University of Zambia, Department of Development Studies, with a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Zambia and a Master of Philosophy in Development Studies specializing in Geography from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.