Malawi commit to fight climate change
Malawi’s Environment and Climate Change Management Minister Halima Daudi has pledged government’s commitment to the fight against climate change saying there are several steps undertaken in the management at policy and local level.
Daudi made the commitment at Southern Voices on Climate Change, East and Southern Africa Regional workshop being held at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi on Tuesday.
The workshop has drawn participants from Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia. The workshop is held under the theme of “Linking local experiences with policy processes in climate change”.
Daudi said Malawi has developed the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) whose implementation is underway adding that Malawi has also formed the National Technical Committee on Climate Change which provides technical oversight to the implementation of national programmes and initiatives.
“Currently the Government of Malawi is developing a National Climate Change Policy and a National Climate Change Investment Plan to guide effectiveness to climate change in Malawi. Plans are also underway to develop a National Adaptation Plan as a framework for addressing medium to long term adaptation needs of our country,” said Daudi.
Secretary General of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (Pacja) Mithika Mwenda said Africa is confronted by climate change which is threatening livelihoods of many people.
“Millions are suffering in silence. Wells are drying up. About 250 million Africans will be exposed to water stress by 2020. Agricultural production will shrink by 50 percent,” said Mwenda.
Chairperson of the civil society network on climate change in Malawi Melton Luhanga the workshop is aimed at bridging the gap between local experiences and policy.
“This is the reason we have brought climate change and environmental practitioners from nine countries of East and Southern Africa to share knowledge, experiences and ideas.
Climate change focal person and Dan Church Aid representative Agnes Nyirenda said since the failure of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Unfccc) climate change talks to reach an ambitious global climate agreement at COP15 in Copenhagen, in Denmark southern civil society organisations and networks have continued to mobilise and increase their efforts to generate greater stronger attention and influence climate negotiations and policies at the internal level and increasingly also at national level.
She said a consortium of five Danish and tow international non-governmental organisations established after the COP15 are supporting the Southern Voices on Climate Change Programme, coordinated by CARE Denmark.
Nyirenda expressed optimism that the regional workshop will be a success and will contribute to the agenda of southern voices which is promoting environmental integrity and sustainable development that benefits poor and vulnerable people.
“We believe that in working together in solidarity there is power and we can positively change the world and our communities,” said Nyirenda.
