In last week’s Monday Opinion, we discussed Zambia’s challenges in addressing climate change through its Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP), which, for the first time, prioritises environmental sustainability as a standalone strategic development area. Despite this prioritisation, implementation has been uneven, with only a fraction of environmental targets met, primarily due to chronic underfunding and a heavy reliance on donors. The need for increased domestic resource mobilisation and a greater focus on climate resilience in budget allocations was emphasised. This week, we examine the structural challenges that impede progress towards the environmental sustainability goals of the 8NDP, with particular emphasis on the need for robust Climate Change legislation to address institutional challenges.
Zambia’s institutional architecture outlines ambitious development goals but suffers from significant weaknesses, such as poor coordination, underfunding, and the absence of a binding legal structure. These weaknesses undermine effective policy implementation, particularly in the area of climate change. The lack of a binding legal framework has resulted in fragmented efforts and inconsistent policy enforcement, making it difficult to translate national climate aspirations into tangible outcomes.
Currently, the development of climate change legislation is underway, which presents an opportunity for the country to address the implementation challenges that have plagued efforts around environmental sustainability. The absence of specific legislation is responsible for weak and inconsistent implementation of climate policies. Without a legal mandate that ties specific spending threshold to environmental sustainability activities, environmental sustainability remains vulnerable to low and irregular budgetary allocations and excessive reliance on external support. Moreover, dependence on external funding risks aligning Zambia’s climate agenda with external priorities rather than national interests. A climate change law could mitigate these risks by encouraging domestic resource mobilisation, ensuring the long-term sustainability of climate actions. For example, the proposed Climate Change Bill includes establishing a Climate Change Fund, which could be supported by domestic sources such as carbon taxes and penalties for environmental violations collected by local authorities.
Legislation could also resolve the coordination challenges currently plaguing Zambia’s governance structures. The cross-cutting nature of climate change necessitates a unified approach, yet the existing governance structure struggles to achieve this. Despite the Ministry of Green Economy’s mandate to coordinate climate efforts, climate-related actions intersect with multiple sectors—such as agriculture, health, energy, water, and land—leading to fragmented policy implementation. Although the 8NDP recognises climate change as a cross-cutting issue, institutional silos remain a significant barrier to practical implementation, as each ministry operates within its mandate, often outside the climate agenda. Competing interests among ministries further exacerbate reporting and implementation challenges. For instance, the 2023 Annual Progress Report (APR 2023) records a reduction in Greenhouse gas net emission levels (Gg CO2 eq.) from -9,508.5 (Gg CO2 eq.) to -12,251.5 (Gg CO2 eq.), meeting the target for the year. However, the report also notes a high rate of deforestation recorded at 172,966 ha/year, which exceeds the target of 150,000 ha/year. The reduction in emissions could be interpreted as a blanket reduction, which is not disaggregated by sector, further highlighting the coordination and reporting challenges. The climate change law could address these challenges through the proposed Climate Change and Green Economy Council if the Council comprises ministers from all line ministries, as they will be mandated to incorporate climate action into their agendas, thereby facilitating better coordination.
Furthermore, such legislation could mandate inclusive processes, ensuring that civil society, local communities, and the private sector are actively involved in climate action and decision-making. Without this legislative backing, these stakeholders are often coopted into processes to voice their concerns, with no guarantee of uptake by policy-implementing agencies. Legitimising collaboration between government, civil society, and the private sector is essential to ensuring that Zambia’s climate policies are not only well-conceived but also effectively implemented.
While the importance of a climate change law cannot be overstated, the timelines and specifics of the legislation’s finalisation remain unclear. The Ministry of Justice must prioritise this issue if Zambia is to meet its environmental sustainability objectives. The legislation exists only as a Bill that has been pending for some time, partly due to coordination challenges. The 2023 third quarter progress report identified harmonisation on carbon issues with other related legislation, such as the Forest Act, as a significant barrier, requiring coordination with other ministries, including the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
In conclusion, while the 8NDP is a significant step forward in Zambia’s efforts to address climate change, realising its environmental ambitions depends on resolving critical gaps. Enhancing institutional coordination, prioritising domestic resource mobilisation and enacting binding legislation will be critical if Zambia is to mitigate the threats brought about by climate change.
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 specialising in Geography from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
