By GIDEON NYENDWA
GOVERNMENT says Zambia is likely to undergo serious economic transformation and industrialisation that has potential to exert pressure on its environment in the in the next few decades.
The government is therefore calling on institutions mandated to ensure there is environmental sustainability and pollution control delivered on their mandate.
Minister of Green Economy and Environment, Collins Nzovu said the targets the UPND government has set for economic development especially the goal to increase production of Copper to three million tonnes per annum in the next decade has potential to put pressure on the environment and institutions charged with the responsibility to protect the environment.
Mr Nzovu said this when he signed performance contracts between the ministry and the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) Board.
Mr Nzovu said the contract that was signed was intended to aid ZEMA in attaining the onerous and noble task set out in section 9 of the environmental management act no. 12 of 2011, which was to ensure the sustainable management of natural resources and protection of the environment as well as the prevention and control of pollution.
And ZEMA Board Chairperson professor Lovejoy Malambo pledged to work according to the wishes of the government and to the mandate of the institution.
Prof Malambo said ZEMA was in line with the mandate from the government.
