A GREEN ECONOMY IS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
Tue, 15 Aug 2017 07:35:54 +0000
By Buumba Chimbulu
A green economy can unlock the provision of critical life support services – clean air and water, and the resilient biodiversity needed to support food production and human health.
INNOVATION and creativity is what characterized the just ended 91st Agriculture and Commercial Show which attracted more than 800 exhibitors, both local and foreign who showcased numerous initiatives aimed at promoting a green economy.
A green economy is defined as that which aims at reducing environmental risks and ecological shortages, and that which aims for sustainable development without degrading the environment.
Green growth means fostering economic growth and development while ensuring that natural assets continue to provide the resources and environmental services on which people’s well-being depends on.
The show, held under the theme “Promoting a Green Economy” and ran from 2nd to 7th August provided an opportunity for exhibitors from different parts of Zambia and other countries to showcase their level of innovation and creativity.
It was impressive to see how exhibitors interpreted the Show’s theme as it reflected on what both local and international companies were working on to ensure they contribute to promoting a green economy in the country.
All economic sectors were represented at the Show and they all exhibited their innovative and creative ideas they were outing in place to ensure they supported a green economy.
These economic sectors, as well as companies displayed many initiatives aimed at promoting a green economy.
The banking sector for instance indicated that one of the ways it is promoting a green economy is through encouraging paperless transactions.
According to Bankers Association of Zambia (BAZ) public relations and administrative officer, Miriam Zimba, the industry is now discouraging depositing cheques which are more than K25, 000.
“For us, what promoting a green economy means is that there is less cheques in circulation which translates to going green as a sector, as you know recently the Item Limit on cheques was revised and this means cheques above K25, 000 can no longer be deposited over the counter,” she said.
Individual banks such as Standard Chartered Bank was one of the exhibitors at the show.
Stanchart’s head of corporate affairs, brand and marketing, Christine Matambo, said that it is conducting a tree planting initiative aimed at promoting a green economy in Zambia.
Ms. Matambo explained that the exercise is also aimed at tackling deforestation across Zambia.
“We have some targeted efforts to promote a green economy, from a banks perspective, we have a big planting agenda to tackle the issue of deforestation,
“So every year all staff is challenged to plant at least one tree to help restore our forests and tackle this environmental challenge and then internally, we do have few measures where we have embarked on some energy saving initiatives,” she said.
The Show also had exhibitors from the aviation industry which among other things, entertained the public with recent technologies happening in the sector.
Civil Aviation Authority director-general, Gabriel Lesa, explained that the authority is in the process of implementing a carbon emission national plan aimed at reducing the emission of carbon dioxide from the aviation industry.
According to Mr. Lesa, the carbon emission national plan, whose framework has already been done, will assist the industry in promoting a green economy.
Mr. Lesa said the implementation of the plan is as a result of being a member of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) which only has three African member states – Zambia, Togo and Burkina Faso.
“We are involving a lot of stakeholders such as the airlines, fullers and others to ensure that we take on green processes,
“This is aimed at reducing the emission of carbon dioxide from aviation. We are promoting a new generation of aircrafts and engines, the engines will bring about lower noise output. The new models mean they will be lighter, and this means it will be much more fuel efficient,” he said.
Green growth is not a replacement for sustainable development. Rather, it provides a practical and flexible approach for achieving concrete, measurable progress across its economic and environmental pillars, while taking full account of the social consequences of greening the growth dynamic of economies.
The focus of green growth strategies is ensuring that natural assets can deliver their full economic potential on a sustainable basis.
And in the energy sector, Muhanya Solar Company Limited said this year’s theme was in line with what the company has been doing by deploying renewable energy.
Muhanya business development officer, Stephen Chileshe said the company fully supported the on-going green agenda.
“Promoting a green economy is what we have been doing as a company, through the deployment of renewable energy, technologies that do not have any harm to the environment. For us it’s solar and wind,” he said.
These and many more exhibitors together with their innovations and creativity impressed Government officials who toured their stands to understand how they are contributing to the going green agenda.
For instance, Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Margaret Mwanakatwe, said she was impressed with the innovation and creativity shown by exhibitors as it was in line with Government’s agenda to promote industrialisation.
Ms. Mwanakatwe said there was synergy between Government’s desire to promote industrialisation and what exhibitors were doing.
“After having walked for two hours; I was encouraged to see how many of our exhibitors have interpreted this year’s theme. When I see innovations, I see people bringing about competitiveness in what they are doing and when we look at what is happening in the economy,” she said.
And Vice-President Inonge Wina, said the increased participation of both local and international exhibitors indicated the confidence they have in Zambia’s development agenda.
Ms. Wina however said there was still more to be done in promoting agriculture, commerce and the green revolution.
“This year, I have been told that the number of exhibitors has grown, this goes to show also that the local as well as international exhibitors have confidence in this country and they want to be part of the development agenda especially in the area of agricultural production, value addition and promoting the livestock and many aspects of the diversified sectors in agriculture,” she said.
It is worth noting that a green economy can contribute to fiscal consolidation by mobilising revenues through green taxes and the elimination of environmentally harmful subsidies.
These measures can also help to generate or free up resources for anti-poverty programmes in such areas as water supply and sanitation, or other pro-poor investments.
It can also reduce risks of negative shocks to growth due to resource bottlenecks, as well as damaging and potentially irreversible environmental impacts.
The creativity and innovation exhibited at the show is indeed a true reflection and assurance that Zambia is on the right tract in promoting a green economy.
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