Zambia is co-hosting the southern Africa sub-regional policy dialogue on air pollution with five cooperating partners against the backdrop of air quality in Africa rapidly deteriorating due to increased energy use, motorization, economic growth and urbanization.
The three-day event under the auspices of the Air Pollution Information Network-Africa, United Nations Environment Programme, Stockholm Environment Institute, Swedish International Development Agency and the United States Environment Protection Agency is a follow up to the third policy dialogue held in Kenya.
Ministry of Tourism Public Relations Officer Bwalya Nondo, in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today, said it was at this meeting that environment ministers recommended a sub-regional approach to addressing air pollution in Africa which would set specific targets and timeframes in areas of transport, industry, mining, waste management, open burning and in-door pollution.
Mr. Nondo noted that the Lusaka Dialogue is expected to culminate in the Lusaka Agreement focusing on a regional policy framework on air pollution to be endorsed by SADC Environment Ministers.
He said the agreement will among other issues, center on encouraging regional cooperation to address trans-boundary pollution issues with harmonization of legal frameworks for industrial regulation across SADC, including emission standards.
Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Kaingu will grace the Ministerial session on Friday at Mulungushi International Conference Centre.
The event is attended by 14 SADC Environment Ministers, the academia, civil society, scientists and other stakeholders.
Meanwhile, government has expressed concern on the increasing impact of Air pollution in the Southern African region.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, Eustern Mambwe says air pollution, which is mainly in the form of dust and gases, has been caused by industrial processing establishments and poor ventilated houses adding that this has posed great danger to human health, the environment and infrastructure.
Dr Mambwe said this in Lusaka today when he officiated at the Southern African Sub-regional policy dialogue meeting on Air pollution.
He noted that air pollution is a source of concern because it aggravates the living conditions of the people especially those that are already ill from chronic illnesses.
Dr Mambwe explained that issues of air pollution need to be addressed as an integral and important part of poverty reduction strategies.
He noted that the knowledge on sources and magnitude of pollution and its impacts at local and regional levels are critical for any mitigations and remedial measures.
” It is important to note that many of pollutants are greenhouse gases which indirectly affect climate change,” Dr Mambwe said.
Dr Mambwe said therefore that regional agreements on the reduction of air pollution can provide the needed policy interventions.
He noted that the meeting will review the status of air pollution and its impacts on health and the environment in the southern African countries and agree on concrete actions to address air pollution.
Dr Mambwe added that the dialogue meeting will come up with a policy framework which will be adopted by the ministers in charge of the environment in the region at the end of the meeting.
The meeting is attended by Permanent Secretaries in charge of environments in the region, directors of environmental protection agencies, donors and various stakeholders.
Ministers in charge of environmental matters in the southern region are also expected to arrive in the country tomorrow to convene at the same meeting.
The use of Fossil fuels, coal and wild (bush) fires are adding to the air pollution.
The other issue is the high number of second-hand-imported cars from Japan and Dubai, causing traffic pollution.
These issues need to be addressed during the conference
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I beleive that a major cause of air pollution in Zambia is because of the undeveloped technologies Zambia uses for its industrial empire. These old technologies(some dating back to a few years after Zambia gained its independence) are releasing alot of toxic gases into the atmosphere. Most of these technologies were donated to Zambia by nations like Great Britain or America after they had invented new machines. I beleive that the Zambian government should invest more money to ensure that the old machines be replaced by new machines that dont release toxic fumes. This point should be strongly adressed during the confrence.
nowadays there is too much pollution in the air. most of the pollution from the air comes from fossil fuels. maybe someday we would use less and less of fossil fuesl in favor of clean and renewable energy sources.
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