Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu launches Clean Green Zimbabwe Initiative at COP28 Dubai

ZIMBABWE, in partnership with Unicef, has launched the Clean Green Zimbabwe Initiative, a concept that seeks to mainstream the role and protection of young people in times of climate change induced disasters.

Environment, Climate and Wildlife Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu launched the initiative at the Zimbabwe pavilion at the ongoing 28th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) at the Dubai Expo City in Dubai, UAE.

Climate change and environmental shocks are undermining the complete spectrum of children’s rights from access to clean air, food and safe water, to education, housing, freedom from exploitation and even their right to survive yet none of the young people, just like is the case with developing countries, are responsible for rising global temperatures.

Zimbabwe has an estimated 6,6 million children below 18 years of age according to the 2022 national census, and all are exposed to at least one environmental hazard and are at risk of climate change impacts such as flooding, drought, heatwaves, cyclones, and air pollution.

This calls for urgent action and the Clean Green Initiative which seeks to green schools and communities is one such example to reduce the impacts of climate, energy and environmental crisis on children so that they realise their potential and fulfil their rights, as well as contribute to the national development agenda.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Ndlovu said the threat of climate change calls upon everyone to transform ways of doing business in the various sectors of the economy and other livelihood activities to ensure reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and prevent climate chocks.

“It is with great honour and immense pleasure that I stand before you all today, to officially launch the Clean Green Zimbabwe Initiative being fronted by UNICEF in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe. I am delighted to say, this launch at this 28th Conference of Parties (COP 28) is a great milestone.

We have a climate change problem, seasons have shifted, rainfall is no longer reliable, there is an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, we really need to plan from an informed perspective and act accordingly. What is worrying is that, young people including children are at risk of climate change impacts, threatening their health, education and protection, and exposing them to deadly climate-induced diseases,” said Minister Ndlovu.

He called for transformative action as disasters are expected to get worse due to rising global temperatures.

Clean Green Zimbabwe fulfils the country’s climate change vision of having a low-carbon and climate-resilient nation.

Minister Ndlovu said it is an opportunity the Ministry to lead the Government’s approach to ensuring Zimbabwe’s development contributes to the climate change agenda of reducing emissions and building resilience of communities.

“A clean and green Zimbabwe will ensure children realise their rights and are safe from climate-related extremes. As part of Zimbabwe’s efforts to meet the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) goals that aligns with the Paris Agreement commitments, the need to accelerate efforts in clean and green solutions becomes imperative.

“The initiative will harness the power of children and young people as environmental stewards and change agents in communities and schools, while providing climate resilient services to allow them to survive, develop and thrive in a safe and clean environment. Additionally, the Initiative will promote awareness raising targeting vulnerable populations, including children, providing monitoring for accountability and evidence generation.

“By bringing together Government ministries, departments and agencies including the entire citizenry, the Clean Green Zimbabwe follows a whole of Government and whole of society approach ensuring that no one is left behind.

Traditional leaders will also play a part.

The Minister said Government is committed to climate action hence prioritization of policies as Zimbabwe has committed to reduce per-capita emissions by 40 percent by the year 2030, and finalised the National Adaptation Plan that will ensure mainstreaming of climate change in development planning at all levels, national, sub-national and sectoral.

The Clean Green Zimbabwe initiative will assist in attaining the objectives of key climate policy and strategy documents.

Minister Ndlovu thanked Unicef for the collaboration and invited other partners to join the force and make sure they clean green schools, communities and urban areas for the benefit of the current and the future generations.

Unicef Zimbabwe deputy representative Ms Zeinab Adam said the initiative is key to protect the rights of children and their communities to clean air, nutritious food, secure water, and a safe environment.

She said the whole concept will harness the power of children and young people as environmental stewards and change agents in communities and schools while providing climate resilient services to allow them to survive, develop and thrive in a safe and clean environment.

Clean Green Zimbabwe is premised on three pillars of smart schools that provide hygienic environment and equipping learners with skills and knowledge to be able to address climate change, smart communities with healthy forests, wetlands and watersheds and smart agriculture, as well as smart urban spaces sustained for connecting people to a healthy environment.

“CGZ enables the coordinated delivery of climate resilient services to enable Zimbabwe’s children to grow up healthy and prepared for a changing world while raising awareness of climate impacts, especially on children and providing monitoring for accountability. At community level traditional leaders play a key role especially in indigenous knowledge on climate action and environmental management,” she said.

A youth, Tashinga Chikomba who is programmes officer for African Youth Initiative on Climate Change Zimbabwe made a passionate call for Government and development partners to come up with measures that address challenges faced by youth.

He said climate change is real as young people are impacted upon hence the importance of launch if the Clean Green initiative.

Tashinga said the initiative speaks to safeguarding rights of young people whose expectations are to be involved in all programmes so they empower their peers in the spirit of ‘nothing for us without us.”-chronicles