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The Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Honorable Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu. Ndlovu updated Cabinet on the 28th Conference of Parties which was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from 30th November to 12 December 2023.
Cabinet reports that the 28th Conference of Parties has become a vital global gathering annually to discuss, negotiate, take stock, and agree on actions towards addressing climate change. The COP28 agenda was shaped by the following matters for consideration: mitigation; adaptation; climate finance; means of implementation; response measures; adoption of the Global Stocktake report; transparency; and importantly; the governance of the protocols and their decision-making approaches and tools.
The nation is informed that the decision to establish a Loss and Damage Fund which had been adopted at COP27 was capitalized at COP28, with a fund which exceeded US$792 million.
It is highlighted that Zimbabwe Page 3 of 8 is in the process of coming up with a Loss and Damage Framework to prepare the country for accessing the Global Fund. Resources from carbon trading can initially resource this framework. The nation is advised that a call was made by developing countries for developed countries to double adaptation finance. The COP28 developed a framework for the Global Goal on Adaptation which also outlines targets for 2030 to address water security, climate-resilient food production, and enhancing health and infrastructure resilience. The Ministry of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife has developed a National Adaptation Plan meant to guide the mainstreaming of climate change in development planning to build and ensure the country’s resilience.
The cabinet would also like to report that a call was made by parties and participants to come up with sustainable, just, resilient, and nature-positive food systems that seek to keep the temperature rise to within the 1.5 degrees target, recognizing that one-third of greenhouse gas emissions stem from food systems. It was also reported that Zimbabwe is already promoting food security and nutrition by increasing efforts to support vulnerable farmers. Cabinet would also like to underline the importance of the consensus that was reached at the COP28 for the world to “transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Zimbabwe emphasized that such transition should be just, and also recognized the principle of common but differentiated circumstances, with the developed countries taking the lead in transitioning, whilst allowing Africa to reach her development peak before being pressured to transition.
The outcome also included an agreement to triple the world’s renewable energy capacity and to double its energy efficiency by 2030. In addition, the COP28 decision called on countries to accelerate emissions reduction from road transport through a variety of pathways, not only zero-emission vehicles but also a model shift to public transport and safe cycling infrastructure programs. The nation is informed that COP28 is a milestone for Zimbabwe in setting the tone for food security, agriculture, and climate action. The effort should be sustained by ensuring that decisions that are made in future COPs would align with further investments in science, technology, and capacity building.
It is highlighted that this approach will increase the adaptive capacity of local people who are affected by climate change. Furthermore, COP28 is particularly momentous as it marked the conclusion of the first “Global Stocktake” of the world’s efforts to address climate change under the Paris Agreement. Cabinet further advises that the Government secured a Pavilion space at COP28 code-named “The Zimbabwe Climate Action Hub”.
The main objective of having the Pavilion was to provide a platform for Zimbabwe to showcase and raise awareness of the country’s climate action initiatives, foster collaboration with international partners, mobilize financial and technical resources for climate action, and to drive collective action toward addressing the global climate crisis. The Page 5 of 8 Pavilion hosted several critical events across all the country’s sectors, showcasing our progress and areas of possible investment.
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