THE opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) says it will implement a “Green Zimbabwe” policy that will work towards restoring the country’s environmental heritage and champion sustainability.
In a statement yesterday, CCC national spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said the Zanu PF-led government had failed to implement a clear climate change agenda.
Zimbabwe last week joined the rest of the world at the just-ended COP27 conference in Egypt, to discuss strategies on tackling climate change that has been linked to catastrophic floods, droughts and hurricanes, leaving vulnerable communities in distress.
“It has been stated repeatedly that the main hurdle that vulnerable developing countries face in climate change is finance. We lack the resources of our wealthy and major economic counterparts. We, therefore, join the call for COP27 in Egypt to establish a funding commitment and mechanisms to address the climate change loss and damage on the world’s poor and most vulnerable,” Mahere said.
“Coming to Zimbabwe, we maintain that Zanu PF has failed to implement a clear climate change policy and not enough is being done to ensure environmental protection or sustainability as shown by the current trend towards desertification, the destruction of wetlands, unsustainable mining practices and deforestation.
“We believe that the environment is currently being held in trust by present generations for future generations. It is, therefore, imperative to implement sustainable policies, incentivise the use of renewable energy, and protect flora and fauna, soil and river catchments and establish cities and towns that are climate smart.”
Mahere said CCC’s policy on climate change would include exhaustive environmental impact assessment exercises, protection of wetlands and safeguarding natural ecosystems.
Zanu PF information director Tafadzwa Mugwadi, however, dismissed the CCC climate change policy as dubious.
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“They must research on what climate change is first before they make a mockery of themselves through dubious, unthought and misleading statements. Those who were in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt for COP27 are well informed about climate change and relevant global interventions to mitigate it better than street organisations like the CCC. When the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) plants trees now and then, it is no small feat as far as this discourse is concerned. CCC groups must be advised to stop behaving like moribund elements desperate for relevance on global issues when they cannot draft a mere party constitution about what cult they are.”
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