The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE needs a paradigm shift in the way it approaches issues to do with the environment and its conservation.
This was said by the Minister for Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Cde Prisca Mupfumira during the fourth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya last week.
“There is no doubt that our world is facing a wide range of environmental challenges since the turn of the century. As Zimbabwe we recognise that these challenges require a paradigm shift in the way we do business. As we may be all aware, the world’s poor depend on natural resources for their livelihoods leading to over exploitation and hence unsustainable utilisation of the same,” she said.
Cde Mupfumira said there is a need for less exploitation of natural resources by intensifying agricultural productivity through the use of improved and appropriate technologies at every stage of the value chain.
“I therefore call upon development partners and other relevant stakeholders to partner Zimbabwe in enhancing sustainable agricultural productivity and food security in order to manage the delicate and complex poverty environment nexus,” she said.
The minister told the assembly that Zimbabwe has declared a one day per month clean-up programme to encourage all citizens to practice sustainable waste management and create a clean, safe and healthy environment as espoused in Section 73 of the Constitution.
She also said Zimbabwe prioritises wildlife, forest conservation and protection.
“We believe the sustainable management of these inseparable natural resources must benefit and improve the livelihoods of local communities. In this regard Zimbabwe has recently reviewed its national Forest Policy and the world renowned Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (Campfire) programme with the triple objective of increasing community participation, conservation of these resources and ultimately enhancing communities,” she said.
Cde Mupfumira said as a result of sound wildlife and forest management practices; Zimbabwe has enhanced its tourism attractiveness, leading to significant growth in tourist arrivals in the country in recent years.
Cde Mupfumira told the assembly that Zimbabwe was behind the generation and up-scaling of innovative solutions to environmental challenges.
The United Nations Environment Assembly is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment which addresses the critical environmental challenges facing the world today.
The Environment Assembly meets biennially to set priorities for global environmental policies and develop international environmental law.
Through its resolutions and calls to action, the Assembly provides leadership and catalyses inter-governmental action on the environment.
The Fourth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) was running under the theme “Innovative solutions for environmental challenges and sustainable consumption and production”.
