President Edgar Lungu says Climate Change can reverse developmental gains made by Zambia.
The Head of State said Zambia is deeply concerned that there is a growing risk of adverse climate change and catastrophic impact in the agriculture, water and sanitation, energy, infrastructure and health sectors.
Speaking during his address to the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Marrakech, Morocco, President Lungu said climate change has reduced productivity in the agriculture sector and brought challenges in the energy sector in Zambia.
“The recent unpredictable nature of the climate has undermined critical sectors of the economy such as agriculture resulting in reduced productivity and perennial food shortages, “said President Lungu.
“In the energy sector, the decreased rainfall experienced in the recent past has caused reduced water levels in our major water bodies. This has led to power deficit and subsequent power rationing as the country depends largely on hydropower,” he added.
President Lungu said this has resulted in loss of productivity in critical sectors of the economy such as mining, manufacturing and agriculture.
The President pointed out that government has put measures in place to address the adverse effects of climate change and cited the ratification of the Paris agreement.
“By signing the Paris Agreement on climate change, my country renewed its commitments and resolves to take action on the ground that can put it on a path to sustainable prosperity. To this effect, my government has ratified the agreement and will soon deposit the instruments of ratification to the United Nations,” he said.
The President further outlined steps taken by his government as it transitions to low carbon and climate resilient economy such as the formulation of a national policy on climate change, implementation of climate smart agriculture and development of nationally appropriate mitigation actions in the agriculture, energy, transport, waste management and forestry sectors.
He said other measures include scaling up use of renewable energy, sustainable management of forests and strengthening early warning systems.
President Lungu also called for the adoption of strategic decisions under the first meeting of parties to the Paris Agreement and appealed for financial support towards climate change related activities.
“Adoption of strategic decisions under the first meeting of parties to the Paris agreement would facilitate finalization of modalities, procedures and guidelines for effective implementation of the provisions of the Paris agreement and scale up provision of financial support to developing countries such as Zambia to implement their nationally determined contributions and other obligations under the convention and its Kyoto protocol and the Paris Agreement,” said the President.
And speaking earlier, United Nation secretary general Ban Ki Moon has called for the removal of subsides on fossil energy as a way of stimulating increased use of clean energy.
Mr Moon called for the development of science that will get the world out of the current adverse climate situation.
The UN Secretary General said in order to protect the future of the globe, there is need for science innovations that promote the attainment of global warning.
“Need to develop science that will help the world get out of the current situation by raising aspirations with the best available science. Get on a global emissions pathway that reduces warming temperatures well below 2 degrees celsius and as close down to 1.5 degrees,” he said.
Mr Moon advised political leaders to take up a leading role in getting everyone involved in the quest for a better world devoid of climate change challenges.
“Political and moral leadership is key in implementing the Paris agreement as the more the leaders understand climate change the more they act decisively on the matter. We need all people to be involved in climate change matters because they are indispensable in realizing its potential,” he said.
The UN Secretary General urged leaders to come up with policies in their respective countries that foster climate adaptation and resilience activities for national development adding that climate change is closely tied to all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
“We now have to translate this word (the Paris Agreement) into effective and concrete policies and actions. This is critical to securing the planet and protecting the vulnerable and drive shared prosperity, low emission development and climate resilience, will advance all the Sustainable Development Goals adopted in September last year.” he said.
Mr Moon said countries have supported the Paris Agreement because they realize that national interests are better achieved by pursuing the common good.
He further disclosed that the coming into force of the Paris Agreement on November 4 this year was years ahead of expectations and thanked UN member countries for their commitment to climate change matters that has seen 109 ratify the agreement representing 75 percent of all member states.
“I want to thank all heads of state and government for their commitment towards honouring the Paris agreement. The Paris Agreement entered into force on November 4, years ahead of expectations. The Paris Agreement is a complex ambitious and far reaching vision by the UN and international community. So far I09 countries have ratified representing 75 percent of all the countries,” he said.
Mr Moon said the UN will help countries implement the agreement because development will only come if countries act quickly on climate change.
He said when countries work together they achieve more than they can individually further stating that the UN is best forum to forge partnership to fight climate change.
Climate change has brought about strong partnerships between government, organisations and the private sector.
He strongly urged countries to increase their mitigations ambitions of their national climate plans by the year 2018.
Mr Moon said the private sector must also do more and called on elimination of fossil fuel energy subsides to accelerate the transition to more clean energy.
He also called on developed countries to honour their commitment to mobilise a climate finance of a 100 billion dollars by 2020 to help developing countries to mitigate and adapt to climate vulnerabilities.
Incompetence and thieving officials, not climate, is main reason Zambia doesn’t develop.
There is big difference between smuggling from FRA depots and climate change. Zambia has been recording bumper harvests, that’s what Lubinda used to yap.
Maybe if Lungu gave example that climate change in PF after Sata has affected Zambia’s development.
Looks like the man was drunk…
All is tick tock tick tock & no action.
Wind & solar energy can be utilized if visionless PF of Lungu was not corrupt with their incompetence full of policy inconsistencies. The economy is in dununa reverse on top of load shedding, now a 25kg bag of maize meal is over K107 countrywide.
Blindfolded PF bandits of Lungu, where is the K5 Saudi Arabian oil? Blindly signing agreements without understanding their repercussions. What % in reduction of greenhouse emissions is the visionless PF agreeing to this effect the Paris Agreement? Zero!
Zambia has 4 seasons, no excuses PF.
The Skeleton Key
~206~
Nature runs its course. You can’t control it wit labels.
Imagine Angolans and Congolese flocking to Zambia to harvest caterpillars whilst we are watching and drinking and we are the first to cry fowl when mealie meal prices soar!
My view is this, I have said it before and i will say it again, Its not HH who will bring down PF, But the same PF thugs who helped put EL on top will be the same thugs who will bring him down, Watch this space, Those who raise by the sword will fall by the same, If i where HH/UPND i will just get my bowl of pop corns and watch as the story unfolds, Mind you many will even die along the way looking at how violent PF thugs can be.
In the meantime the middle east is developing at breakneck speed, climate change notwithstanding!
Zambia, we will always have lame excuses for not doing the proverbial “needful.”
Rhetoric after rhetoric. What measures can we show we implementing when charcoal burning is at peak due to load sheding and high cost of electricity. Please ECL don’t waste tax payers money by attending such meetings that dont bring any meaningful development to the country . You say we have put up measures then again you say we need money to implement the measures. Wasting our money chakolwa iwe. Did UN pay for this trip also. Bapompwe
Prophetic words Mr President.
It shows what an insightful leader you are.
I’m sure Zambians are proud, honoured and delighted to have such a learned leader.
I wish I can pay a visit to my favourite African country.
spare us with all that boot licking please;
Pretty sure you don’t mean it! It is sarcasm!
LT why dont you publish my comment?
Climate Change is a myth. Fact
It is not a myth but it is not an excuse.
The impact of climate change on Zambian economy is almost zero. The major reason is incompetency and love of corruption by most of our leaders and most workers in government. From international airports and all point of entries into Zambia, one can smell and see corruption. In government service offices you smell corruption and you see poor and working class being treated different from the rich or from the leaders. Zambia has a lot of waters both on surface and underground. Excuses that Zambia is not doing well because of climate change is unacceptable. We can not blame Kariba Dam for low water when it is overloaded by more than 700MW. The original designed capacity for Kariba Dam for both Zambia and Zimbabwe is 1350MW. The current installed capacity is over 1800MW. We have few farms,…
Lungu is clueless on what he is yapping about. Please tell us the practical measures that Zambia is taking to address the climate change effects. For instance, Zambia is one of the countries with the highest rate of deforestation in the world ranking, sitting in the top 14 countries. What measures is the government taking to arrest this. Tell us the country’s intended ambitious for adaption and mitigation of climate change. How much is the country committed to invest in the implementation of the programs if any, before you ask for funding from the international community, who are willing to play their part.
If this is coming from a head of state, I have lost all hope in seeing practical measures happening in addressing the affects of climate change in our country. Unfortunately,…
Was kann man schon erwarten??????????
Does the chap even knows what he was yaping about. Not long ago your corrupt minister Lubinda told has that we had bumper harvest which your sons and corrupt ministers exported and now you lieing that climate change has affected our agric sector. In which way
What development is this inept man talking about? Lack of vision and stealing is what is hampering development.
What development is this inept man talking about? Lack of vision and stealing is what is hampering development. What climate change?
Lazy Lungu do not lie..the only climate change prevailing in Zambia is gross incompetence, corruption, lack of proper planning by your govt.
Oh God help us. what an excuse for failure, climate change!
It is global
Sometimes I wonder if UPND cadres (and their leaders) think about the impact of their comments and statements on their chances at the next ballot in 2021. Take it from me you donkeys, voters are far from being impressed. At this rate you are assured that your performance in 2021 will be a disaster. But we dont deny you massive votes in southern province, i.e. if UPND will still be in existence or there will be another start up party for southern province.
terrible; your comment is real cadre stuff, the topic here is climate change not upnd; taulala pali party iyi; add meaningful comments for a change please;
@ kubweka
What else do you expect from ignorant and uneducated brainwashed donkey descendant? Without UPND, HH and GBM, what else this 1mbeciles know about the World we live in?
The PF theives don’t know that Malasha production is up 300 % due to load shedding. They don’t know this means more trees being cut.
They were too busy looting the eruobonds to put in place a GRZ lead drive to domestic solar energy.
Now he goes to waffle about climate change yet the causes and solutions are under his nose.
Kayina kamabala. The poor are getting poorer.
And the increased Carbon Tax charged to motorists entering Zambia, where is this money used in the GRZ as revenue? Most nations do not use this tax because they are not convinced that Global Warming is due to Carbon emissions. We should invest this money into energy efficient technologies instead of using it to buy Whisky for ECL!
I never realized before that institutionalized corruption and deception, nepotism, lack of accountability, absolute disregard for the rule of law and suspension of fundamental rights and freedoms are integral part of “Climate Change”!!!
when you are told wat to say and you have no idea wat it means…Shame.you a fload
fraud*