Zimbabwe budgeted $3.7 billion local currency (about US$25 million) into climate mitigation raising questions on whether this will be enough to cater for the country’s transition to renewable energy from fossil fuels as agreed at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-26) in Glasgow this year.
Competing with the transition to renewable energy on the same budget are also other focus areas including disaster risk reduction, environmental impact assessment, and deforestation.
The African country has to start prioritizing renewable resources since parties at the Glasgow conference unanimously agreed to stop investments in new coal-fired power stations but, failure to access funding has dragged down the country’s move into clean energy.
Funding challenges are likely to persist since the country failed to get support for action against climate change during the COP-26 unlike its neighbors South Africa and Zambia.
But, Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) Programmes Officer Dr. Byron Zamasiya believes that Zimbabwe can move forward by allowing the budget to translate into climate action.
The Natural Resources Economist recommends the government put in place clear and funded guidelines for the just transition from fossil to renewable energy.
“It is not about how much budget has been set aside for this, it is about how the allocation will tangibly and significantly contribute to climate action,” he said.
Zamasiya said the government should expedite the climate change law-making process and put in place mechanisms for disaster risk reduction.
Zimbabwe that still gets over 40% of electricity from fossil fuels is already planning to extend the Hwange thermal power station which uses coal, questioning its readiness to implement what was agreed in Glasgow.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa however assured delegates at COP-26 that the African country is implementing comprehensive strategies towards mainstream climate change adaptation and resilience across all sectors of the economy.
“I am pleased to highlight that Zimbabwe has revised its national determined contributions and committed a conditional 40% per capita greenhouse gas emission reduction target by 2030,” he said.
“The removal of the illegal sanctions imposed on my country will undoubtedly enhance the timely achievement of our commitments.”
President Emmerson Mnangagwa had also called for investment into sustainable development during COP-26.
But, it was highly unlikely for the country to get funding in Glasgow after having made climate change a secondary issue, and yet trended a video of the country’s suspected staff going around with trolleys full of beers and wines in the background of the conference.
Climate change was also a secondary issue for Zimbabweans who focused on whether President Emmerson Mnangagwa managed to meet and discuss with other world leaders in a re-engagement effort.
Traditionally, activists during COP summities raise banners that advocate world leaders do more on climate change, but Zimbabwean banners were more focused on anti-sanctions campaigns far from the climate change messages.
Zimbabwe, a country that relies on rain-fed agriculture is susceptible to climate change-induced droughts, cyclones, and floods.
The country has in the past lost thousands of people due to cyclone Idai and suffered heavy losses in agriculture, schools, and infrastructure.
