Thu, 20 Apr 2017 11:17:42 +0000
By OSCAR MALIPENGA
ZAMBIA may need roughly round US$50 million every year to invest in climate change interventions, says minister of national development planning Lucky Mulusa.
Mr Mulusa said that government will through the National Designated Authority (NDA) establish a National Climate Change Fund (NCCF) which would leverage investment for the implementation of climate change programmes.
In a speech read for him by his permanent secretary Dr. Auxilia Ponga at the opening of a workshop on climate change and climate smart agriculture, said the authority had since prepared strategies and key steps to be undertaken.
He said the NCCF presented a good opportunity for catalyzing funds for adaptation and mitigation priorities projects in the medium to long term.
“Zambia welcomes and endorses the outcome and decisions adopted at the recent 22nd Conference of Parties on Climate Change in Marrakshi, Morocco.
“The affirmation of the availability of climate finance that can be accessed by least developed countries gives us hope and guarantees of the adaptation, mitigation, capacity building and other green projects,” he said
Mr Mulusa said the availability of climate change financing resources would be useful in translating the national adaptation and mitigation plans into concrete actions.
He said with Zambia signing of the Paris Agreement, and the renewed financing opportunities for climate change, institutional readiness to mobilize climate change finance for investment was key to the achievement of set objectives.
Dr. Ponga said climate change and its associated impacts was a fundamental threat to human development.
“Its adverse effects have serious implications on economic development, poverty reduction, and food security.
