The government has reiterated the need for concerted efforts in combating the negative effects of climate change. Minister of Green Economy and Environment, Collins Nzovu, says there is need for all stakeholders to play an active role in ensuring that there is intensified mitigation and adoption efforts in addressing climate change.
Mr Nzovu was speaking in Lusaka today when he unveiled the first electric vehicle sponsored by Zanaco Bank for its ‘Save and Win’ competition.
He explained that government has prioritised the promotion of the green economy agenda as a sustainable way of harnessing the shift to renewable energy source in all sectors.
“As we have heard from the Zanaco, it is now time for us to make concerted efforts at protecting, preserving and rehabilitating our country’s environment so as to systemically mitigate the effects of the climate change, in line with the new dawn administration’s objective of making green growth as a major driving engine for sustainable development,” he said.
Mr Nzovu further noted that the initiative by Zanaco will greatly support the energy transition that government has embarked upon especially that Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have signed an agreement to manufacture electric car batteries.
The minister has since encouraged stakeholders to also embrace value addition on the local raw materials in order for the country to leverage on the abundant natural resources.
Mr Nzovu added that doing so will help reduce the increasing threats of climate change on habitat and environment.
And Zanaco Bank Chief Risk Credit Officer, Kalengo Simukoko, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supplement government’s effort in addressing the negative effects of climate change on the country’s social and economic sectors.
Mr Simukoko explained that to this effect, Zanaco has devised plans to drive a sustainable agenda of reducing carbon emissions on the environment by introducing electric vehicles.
“As a bank, we want to be socially inclusive, environmentally accountable and well governed with statistics that indicate that typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per year,” he stated.
The winner of the electric vehicle will be drawn from eligible customers who would have maintained the required minimum bank balances from 15th August 2022 to 31st July 2023.
When you increase electricity then people turn to charcoal and firewood which causes pollution so government is actually not helping to combat climate change.
Tell Garry Nkombo and his councils to up their game. Gabbage management is the biggest challenge to environmental challenges in Zambia. Sewage management in critical. At the moment we are drinking our own feaces. Our bores are contaminated and deseases in prevalent. Focus your energies on promoting a clean environment NOW. Our carbon emissions are insignifcant.
Human kind will never get the better of climate change
billions of years of change and now we suddenly think we can control it ?
Just enforce the laws your government has passed to mitigate climate change. Don’t appeal to the sense of reason of ordinary people. The state was created to use force where people cannot be relied on to behave appropriately.