Zambia gets climate change grant

By BENNIE MUNDANDO
A grant of US$2,184,555 for the development of a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) for climate Resilience has been made to the Government by the the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The grant will enable the Government formulate a medium to long-term climate adaptation plan, which will strengthen systems for integrating climate change adaptation into development planning and budget processes, Ministry of Lands Permanent Secretary Ndashe Yumba said yesterday.
Mr. Yumba said the NAP will also facilitate the development of prioritised adaptation actions with financing strategies.
He said this will enable Zambia to systematically advance the implementation of priority adaptation actions contributing to the implementation of Zambia’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and the achievement of climate change goals under the 7th National Development Plan”.
Mr Yumba said gender will be an integral dimension in the NAP process, as guided by Zambia’s 2017 Climate Change Gender Action Plan (ccGaP).
He said the funding was great news for the country as it comes at a time when the country was experiencing unpreceded climate risks with droughts having recently devastated parts of the country, while more recently, floods destroyed roads, bridges and other public infrastructure in the midst of the unprecedented global Covid-19 crisis.
“The Project will be implemented through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, with Global Water Partnership (GWP) of South Africa as a Delivery Partner which will provide technical support to the Zambian Government.
“GWP was equally instrumental during the proposal stage and contributed immensely to ensuring that Zambia secures this support. The funding will assist Zambia to not only develop a national climate change adaptation plan, but also develop a comprehensive resource mobilisation, strategy for implementing,” Mr Yuma said.