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Zimbabwe: Be Proactive on Climate Change
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 Published by the government of Zimbabwe |
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The Herald (Harare)
EDITORIAL
11 April 2008
Posted to the web 11 April 2008
Harare
Climate research and analysis of past climatic conditions has shown that Africa is very vulnerable to just about any sort of climate change, the continent drying out if global temperatures drop or if they rise very much.
This vulnerability to climate change places a burden on the world's poorest continent that demands effective help and gives Africans the biggest possible incentive to have global treaties on greenhouse gas reductions and climate change management.
There is no doubt that climate change is one of the most critical global challenges of our time. The World Health Organisation saw it fit to announce on Wednesday that it is working on a global strategy and action plan to support member-states in developing their capacity for effective interventions to alleviate the impact of global climate change.
WHO regional director Dr Luis Sambo said during World Health Day commemorations in Harare whose theme was "Protecting health from climate change" that climate change is a serious issue which requires proactive action as it is a threat to public health especially to developing countries like Zimbabwe. That WHO will give priority to support countries to develop their capacities to assess and manage the adverse impact of climate change is a commendable move.
As global concerns over climate change increase, there has been some concern over Zimbabwe's response with some climate experts calling for a more pro-active stance on the issue. Although Zimbabwe, like some other developing countries, is viewed as a small player in terms of the factors influencing climate change, the country appears to be lagging behind in terms of co-ordinated approach involving all stakeholders. A department in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism is the focal point in terms of climate change issues, but its operations have been severely restricted due to budgetary constraints. Its major role is to improve the environment by reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Zimbabwe needs to come up with future projections in terms of climate change. Effects of climate change are already being felt in the region as evidenced by the frequent droughts and rising night time temperatures.
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It is unfortunate that many sectors are not ready for the challenges posed by climate change and were not taking the issue seriously. It's true that we are vulnerable to climate change. But as a country, let's take a proactive stance on climate change.
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