By Tendai Guvamombe
Zimbabwe is working round the clock to implement the Low Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS) document which will certainly become an absolute guideline framework as its Nationally Determined Contributions in ratifying the Paris Agreement on Climate Change which compels member states to achieve a global target on low carbon emissions reduction.
Zimbabwe is in the process to complete its document on low carbon emissions and reduction which is expected to be a universal tool in leading various institutions on climate change resilience, adaptation and mitigation measures.
The consultancy bid to the draft was awarded to GFA, a German consultancy company with which the document went under stakeholder validation last Thursday at a workshop hosted by Climate Change Management Department in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Parliament of Zimbabwe Principal Director and Programmes Coordinator Nesbert Samu who was a facilitator to the validation workshop reiterated that the LEDS process went on smoothly with stakeholders having the opportunity to seek clarification and adding their own input in various areas of energy, agriculture, forestry among others.
“The LEDS process went very well, and the idea was essentially to validate the issues that are coming from energy , agriculture, industry and forestry. The good thing is that the participants raised pertinent questions, for example around energy on whether it’s the rights cost or we should invest. I know the result that we want but as soon we put our energy budget to the right levels everything else falls in place and we will be able to manage in terms of our emissions,” Samu said.
Dingane Sithole, the National Technical Expert for the LEDS Development with GFA, the official consultant company to the project, believes that the draft document is implementable given the fact that stakeholders validated it and going forward there will be the need of a participatory combined workforce in looking into the inclusion of other elements which include economic and climate change adaptation feasibility, social and political acceptance.
“Now that the stakeholders have validated the Low Emissions Strategy and from the onset the strategy should be very implementable and participatory. So it means what ever is in there in terms of feasibility in terms of climate change mitigation and the economic feasibility that was done, the other necessary elements that are there will come in. This also includes social acceptability, political correctness and even other climate change benefits which are called adaptation benefits. All these issues will come in in terms of implementation when we move along with stakeholders. In the outlook the steps that include finalising the document, completing the funding mechanisms as well as the Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) will fall in place concerning this milestone validation achievement. ”
UNDP Assistant Resident Representative and Head of Unit Poverty Reduction, Environment and Climate Change Annie M. Madzara hinted that the UNDP is will throw its weight behind the government through a green growth strategy which certainly requires lobbying for policy implementation strategies.
“UNDP is committed to supporting the Government through a green growth strategy and this LEDS strategy serves as the first giant step towards that Green growth transition. We are committed to support it through imbedded advisory services within government to see that process builds the capacity that is needed to implement it. We also support other partners to make sure that we have an enabling environment through policy reforms. We also should support Parliament to fully engage in the process to influence higher levels in the policy making to allow them to fully appreciate what the green growth strategy means to the country.”
According to Lawrence Mashungu from the Climate Change Management Department, the validation process is to be accompanied by the official launch of the final document at national level ahead of the UN Secretary-General Summit on Climate Change to be held in New York this coming September
“Given today’s process of LEDS validation by stakeholders, we should be able to see the consultant team going to complete the final document which is going to be the final document to be launched at the very highest level. This is the same document which the President shall use at the much awaited UN Secretary-General Climate Change Summit to held in New York this September.”