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Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Jacob F. N. Mudenda is currently in Windhoek to attend a high-level panel Workshop on “Fostering Sustainable Futures: Integrating Climate Resilience in Southern Africa”.
Speaker Mudenda was received at the airport by Her Excellency, Mrs. Melody Chaurura, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Namibia.
The workshop will run from 9th to 11th July 2024 and brings together eminent Presiding Officers, Members and Officials from Parliaments in the region augmented by Climate action experts from around the globe. These include Hon. Prof. Peter Katjavivi, Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia, Hon. Lukas Muha, Chairperson of the National Council of Namibia, and Hon. Heather Sibungo, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT).
Also attending the Conference are climate action experts which include Anja Berreta, Head of Regional Programme Energy Security and Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa, (KAS), and Jane Olwoch, Executive Director of the Southern Africa Science Service Center for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL). Accordingly, in light of the debilitating climate change effects that have resulted in consistent drought patterns across the Southern Africa region, the region is being compelled to urgently map out climate-resilient pathways and holistic environmental conservation efforts across Southern Africa.
To that end, the workshop focuses on empowering Parliamentarians to champion initiatives that enhance climate resilience, protect environmental ecosystems, and drive sustainable green economic development in the region. The key objectives of the conference include strengthening existing Parliamentary Conservation Caucuses, fostering collaborations among stakeholders, exploring climate financing mechanisms, and raising awareness about the environmental impacts of extractive industries.
In that regard, it will be recalled that during a virtual discussion on “Fostering Sustainable Futures: Integrating Climate Resilience in Southern Africa“, Speaker Mudenda underscored the need for a proactive stance on climate change, noting that the Zimbabwe Government has developed the National Climate Policy and the Draft National Adaptation Plan.
This plan estimates a requirement of USD 10.3 billion to bridge the adaptation gap and mainstream climate change initiatives by 2030. Added to this the Hon. Speaker emphasized the imperative to pursue international climate finance to complement domestic resource mobilization efforts. Zimbabwe has successfully mobilized USD 50 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Adaptation Fund (AF) in support of the local resource mobilization efforts to combat climate change impacts. The SADC PF had previously focused on this urgent matter during its 54th Plenary Assembly in Mauritius, under the theme “Harnessing Legislative Support Towards Climate Resilience in the SADC Region.”
As Zimbabwe faces increasing vulnerability to climate change impacts, this workshop presents an invaluable opportunity to develop and implement effective climate adaptation strategies from the Southern Africa regional perspective. Speaker Mudenda’s participation underscores Zimbabwe’s commitment to addressing the climate change phenomenon through legislative action, promoting sustainable practices, and ensuring a resilient future for its citizens in the context of the Southern Africa’s environmental ecosystem praxis.