The Zambian government said on Monday that it was in the process of formulating a national climate change adaptation plan aimed at building resilience against the negative effects of climate change.
Collins Nzovu, the Minister of Green Economy and Environment, said the plan will identify the country's medium and long-term climate risks and vulnerabilities and mainstream them into the national development planning and budgeting processes.
"Additionally, the national adaptation plan will set out priority adaptation actions thereby directing investments into the building of the resilience of our people and the economy to the adverse impacts of climate change," he said in remarks delivered the launch of a strategic plan for the Zambian Parliamentary Caucus on the Environment and Climate Change.
The government, he said, has also commenced the preparation of a green growth strategy which will contain concrete actions whose implementation will contribute to transforming Zambia into a green economy.
The green growth strategy will also provide an avenue for catalyzing government's quest to attain sustainable development aspirations, he added.
According to him, Zambia faces many environmental challenges that were derailing progress towards the attainment of the country's aspirations of becoming a prosperous middle income nation by 2030.
Nachilala Nkombo, Country Director of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), said the climate change crisis was not only a current concern but also for the future and requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders.
She said the negative effects of climate change was evident in communities resulting in increased levels of poverty.
According to her, a green and inclusive recovery was necessary to address the climate crisis, adding that there was a greater need for commitment towards the climate change fight.
Editor: Leon
