Government has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders in implementing climate resilience programmes, in order to safeguard communities and support sustainable national development.
Speaking in Solwezi when he officiated at a Swedish supported stakeholders’ meeting on strengthening Zambia’s Mining Governance in the Nexus of Environment, Human Rights and Climate Change (ZAMNEX) programme, Northwestern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Luckson Mulumbi said climate resilience initiatives are key to building communities that can easily adapt to the changing environment.
The media reports that Mr Mulumbi thanked the Swedish government for its continued partnership with Zambia in various developmental sectors, noting that such cooperation has contributed significantly to national progress.
He said the province, which is now a major driver of the country’s economy due to expanding mining activities, has not been spared from the adverse effects of climate change.
“Development, anywhere in the world, has come at a cost to the environment, and climate change remains the major indicator of this cost.
Northwestern Province has not been spared from the effects of climate change. The extreme weather conditions have negatively impacted our communities in different ways, threatening their capacity to reap the benefits of the investments occurring in the province,” he said.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary added that the platform was important, as it brought together public institutions, mining companies and host communities to develop strong, reliable and accessible early warning systems.
“We are here to discuss how we can move from individual efforts to a powerful, unified collaboration to protect our communities, secure our mining sector, and build a sustainable future for North-Western and by extension, for Zambia,” he said.
And Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Senior Expert Michael Hansson said the four-year ZAMNEX programme aims to strengthen climate resilience in mining host communities like Solwezi district and improve the flow of weather and hydrological information.
Mr Hansson said the importance of developing impact based early warning systems cannot be over emphasised, saying it helps citizens and authorities to make well informed decisions.
Meanwhile, Provincial Meteorological Officer Jackson Nkomoki highlighted the need for modern equipment to enable real-time weather data collection and dissemination.
He said the department lacks digital platforms and automated weather stations necessary for efficient transmission of information from Districts to provincial and national centres.
The meeting brought together various stakeholders, including civil society organisations, the mining sector and education representatives, among others.
ZAMNEX is a four-year programme focusing on strengthening sustainable mining governance.
The programme is financed by Swedish International Development Aid (SIDA) and implemented by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
The programme’s component three is led by the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) and focuses on supporting the Zambian government in its efforts to address climate change effects in the mining sector.
Nice initiative and kudos to the Swedish government for this support towards climate change interventions