The Zimbabwe Cabinet has approved the principles to the Climate Change Management law which seeks to provide for the national response to the phenomenon, which has emerged as the greatest threat facing humanity.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said this during the weekly post cabinet media briefing.
He said Environment, Climate and Wildlife Minister Mangaliso Ndhlovu told Cabinet that the national climate change response will involve integrating climate change mitigation and adaptation actions in development planning and budgeting processes.
It will also provide for the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, facilitate low carbon development technologies and carbon trading.
Measures will also be put in place to reduce the use of ozone-depleting substances in the country while creating obligations for the public and private sector stakeholders to collect, archive and share activity data that is utilized in the compilation of national greenhouse gas inventories, climate risk and vulnerability impacts.
“The Bill will also provide for the establishment of the Designated National Authority (DNA) and the National Climate Fund to support the implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation actions provided for in the National Climate Policy,” said Dr Muswere.
“The Fund will be financed by a percentage of the proceeds from carbon credits trading, the fiscus, and multilateral climate finance mechanisms, such as the Green Climate Fund and the Adaptation Fund among others.”
Dr Muswere said the Bill seeks to align with Section 73 of the Constitution, which provides for environmental rights, emphasises the need to have the environment protected for present and future generations through legislative and other measures.
“Furthermore, the Bill seeks to integrate gender perspectives in climate change planning and policy formulation, including the different experiences of men and women into the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes,” he said.
“The Bill seeks to create legislation that enables Zimbabwe to effectively respond to the impacts of climate change, build climate resilience, promote low carbon development, establish a climate change fund and comply with international obligations on climate change management and ozone layer protection.”
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