President Levy Mwanawasa says government is alive of the adverse impact of climate change and has hence developed strategies that will ensure that the country overcomes its vulnerability to environmental changes are put in place.
President Mwanawasa said government would not spare any effort aimed at ensuring that issues climate change are effectively addressed for the benefit of the country.
Dr. Mwanawasa disclosed government has already developed a National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA) that needs to be implemented without delay.
He said Zambia would build on the initiatives of the commonwealth and other international organizations such as United Nations, to ensure that the country responds to the challenges of climate change in an effective manner.
The president was speaking during his national address on the commemoration of the Commonwealth Day which falls today, being cerebrated under the theme ‘Environment our Future’.
He said the commonwealth in choosing this day has recognized that environmental problems in particular climate change is one of the most important global challenges facing the world.
Dr. Mwanawasa said climate change would have catastrophic consequences on not only the future generation but also the present.
“ These negative impacts entail the increase in frequency and intensity pf extreme weather events such as droughts and floods , which inevitably has a negative effect on the well being of the commonwealth peoples and their prospects for development and attainment of the MDGs,” he added.
Dr. Mwanawasa pointed out that this year, many countries in Southern Africa including Zambia have been devastated by floods and droughts respectively.
Zambia he said has suffered the consequences of the floods which include destruction of crops and infrastructure such as roads, bridges and buildings.
He has since commended the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) for the work it was doing in respond to the effects on floods on humanity.
“ I wish to acknowledge the tremendous support that this unit had received from all well wishers , especially the private sector and international community,’ he added.
Mere rhetoric dr. chuchu, we haven’t see or heard how you are address this in your national budget. Stop wasting national time by reading Jelita and Mulenga stories to serious minds.
Mere rhetoric dr. chuchu, we haven’t see or heard how you have address this in your national budget. You are not going to address climate change without committing an funds. Stop wasting national time by reading Jelita and Mulenga stories to serious minds.
Mere rhetoric dr. chuchu, we haven’t see or heard how you have address this in your national budget. You are not going to address climate change without committing any funds. Stop wasting national time by reading Jelita and Mulenga stories to serious minds.
I wonder if the corrupt Zambian government will adopt EU values of increasing taxes to reduce climate change. I must be the dumbest fella on this planet but exactly does increasing tariffs stop the polar caps from melting ? And Zambia is not that industrialised and we haven’t contributed much CO2 like the west. If you ask me this is just an undercover ploy to stop African development in the guise of saving the environmen. This topic should even rank as important when people are starving and have no medicines.
1-3 Do not committ the unpardonable sin by blespheming the lords name.
I am not sure the contents of the NAPA. In my view NAPA should address all aspects of environmental concerns including and mere scratching on the surface. NAPA should for instance be seen to be addressing management aspects of biological resources, ecosystems, water resources as well as waste. In the arena of construction, be it roads or buildings, attention should be paid to making these structures all weather.
#4
They tried to use the same gimmick to stop China and India from developing.
LPM – Stop verbal diarrhea. What we need are concrete steps of what to do and not to do. The following are critical:
1. Charcoal burning – must stop. This requires you LPM to change yor current archaic energy policy. Place Zambians first in elctric energy so that the majority can now use the safe and tried electricity for their daily needs. The shortage of electricity is something that the GRZ can deal with in no time. Get CEC and the mining companies pay their real rates to ZESCO so that ZESCO is not a burden on us Zambians.
2. Get Town and Country Planning ste up and functioning- This is a key sector that will enhance energy usage and distribution – (see 3) below.
3. Get INDENI stop burning off LPG at the refinary and instead have them store it and bottled for sale to house holds at lower than charcoal prices. With Country and Town Planning designing residential areas with proper streets, it is possible to set in place gas pipelines to homes.
4. Design of houses to be modified to ensure security for Gas Cylinders from theft.
5. Ensure that settlements do not take place in wetlands, and wetlands protection must be in place.
LPM, you have no brains of your own. This is why you always refer to entities external to Zambia and yet you are supposed to know what is best for Zambia. Shame! You are not fit to be president.
ba Dr Levy naimwe, stop tryin to act sharp! #4 & #7, excellent points! These bazungu r very crafty, during their industrial revolutions, they neva spoke about carbon emissions, but now that China & India r becoming industrial giants, they’re talking carbon footprint, bullshit! Americans to this day r the largest single emitter of CO2 (fuel guzzling cars n all) yet they haven’t ratified the kyoto protocol! Manje Levy wants to b jumping up n down like a little fat circus monkey? Cmon ChuChu, our carbon foortprint is tiny compared to these muzungu conmen, pls focus your feeble self on more pressing needs affecting Zambians (ZESCO, Indeni, educational & health infrastructure, roads, HIV etc)
Why waste time and energy on things you do not understand Levy? For us to even begin to have a trickle of effect on climate change..we need to have industries that produce gases that are contributing to climate change..Last I checked, the closest we came to that was Nitrogen chemicals, which is barely operational. So news flash Levy, develop your industries first, then you can join this argument.. I know you feel left out, but please understand that you are still on the kids table and have not yet made it to the Grown folks table..
Gents understand the topic first. Zambia is alo affected by climate change, thuo we hardly contribute to it.
What PLM is saying is that we should be ready for the negative impacts of climate change. Like for example improve the drainage systems to lessen the effects of floods and improve food reserves. He is not saying follow the koyoto protocal.
I know we are poor, but some fees such as vasas are OK but quiet low for chaps from the West. It takes us a fortune to raise visa money to go to the west. Why don’t we charge reciprocal amount in US dollar to different govts as they charge us! But to fellow poverty striken africans we charge less or notheing at all! Coming to other fees such as Airport fees, Carbon tax, and even VAT for visitors is not fair. It is our duty to fix Airport and not visitors. It is our duty to pay tax towards services not visitors, these fees are an embarassment, lets get civilized!
#12
Levy can simply say we are going to improve the draiange in out towns without going on abut a issue he understands very little about. Truth is everytime it rains Lusaka is a mess, even before the climate change topic came to the fore. I think we have more pressing issues to address than trying to look intelligent by tackling a subject we have no imput on as a country
# 14 Logic,
The effects of climate change are very important to the economic stability of zambia. Even if we have next to zero contribution, its effects on industrialised countries will affect us as we live in a global economy. Like now becuse of pollution and rising oil prices, most maize and soya produced in the USA is going to ethanol production. With wheat farmers switching to ethnol producing crops, the prices of maize, wheat and many derivetives from these crops that we dont produce in zambia rising. So it would be nice to look into the effects and prepare our selves in anyway possible.
Even though LPM (I didnt know he has added Dr to his various acronyms. Away for too long I guess) was just giving a speech, we as Zambians need to be weary of the negative effects of pollution. China and the U.S are the largest polluters but we are also feeling the effects, i.e, floods and droughts. We can do our bit by investing some money in bio-fuels, solar energy and harvesting some of that rain water for drinking and irrigation farming. We can plant more trees and invest in recycling facilities. By the way, what happened to KCM for pollutng the Kafue River in 2006??? We can start by charging our large polluters.
Levy is too dull to make any meaningful change for Zambians. Sad that his incompetence has resulted in mass plunder of our economy. His ignorance in science makes his easy game for thugs and thieves via global warming mumble jumble.