The Sunday News
Vincent Gono, Features Editor
THE Government is in the process of framing a climate change policy backed by science and research as it gears up it’s adaptation strategies aimed at building resilience in communities and at national level.
Officially opening the validation workshop of the downscaled climate scenarios report at a local hotel in Bulawayo, Thursday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Mr Munesu Munodawafa said adaptation was one of the key pillars of the National Development Strategy (2021-2025) that recognises the need for the country to collectively take climate action seriously in order to develop a low carbon trajectory whilst building resilience and climate proofing communities and other socio-economic sectors alike.
“The impact of climate change may not be overemphasized with aspects of extreme weather events such as flooding and droughts on the increase in recent years. Rainfall seasons are increasingly becoming uncertain threatening livelihoods and economic performance given the core relation between our GDP and rainfall calling for urgent action,” he said.
He however, hinted on the challenges encountered in addressing climate change issues saying there was limited understanding of climate change issues and how to integrate them in development planning frameworks in order to proactively plan for and anticipate recovery from climate shshock
Mr Munodawafa said in response to the challenges, the Government initiated the process of mainstreaming climate change in order to prepare the country against unprecedented climate vagaries and shocks.
“As part of the streamlining studies have been made towards having an enhanced understanding of projected future climate scenarios of the country. The studies point towards a drier and warmer future requiring a coherent and coordinated climate change response plan,” added the permanent secretary.
Climate change has seen the country having frequent drought spells and floods.
It has also led to a number of cities and towns going without water as dams have run dry while also impacting negatively on hydro energy production as well as the health sector.
