Visiting UK Minister for Africa James Duddridge has called on Malawi to step up efforts aimed at combating climate change and its effects on communities. Speaking during a round-table discussion event involving government and non-state actors focusing on next year’s Glasgow United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP26), Duddridge reaffirmed UK’s commitment to supporting Malawi’s climate change programs.
He said Malawi has a special place during next year’s COP and therefore requested the government and all non-state actors to prepare a strong common position that can help amplify climate voices from Malawi.
Duddridge said natural resources in Africa are under immense pressure resulting in water stresses among other problems. Besides encouraging young people to take lead in the implementation of various interventions, the visiting Minister said UK understands the urgency of the climate crisis and will continue to influence other countries on the need to implement the Paris Agreement and take a robust approach in helping communities recover from a wide range of climatic shocks.
Speaking at the same event Minister of Forestry and Natural Resources Nancy Tembo highlighted fragmented approaches in the implementation of climate change policies among partners, financial and capacity constraints as some of the areas that need attention for the country to win the climate change battle.
Tembo also appealed to the UK Government to continue supporting the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) towards the implementation of resilience-building programs.
Tembo said: “As we run up to the CoP26, it is imperative to build greater momentum and action on climate change. I would therefore request the UK Government to continue supporting the LDC members of the Adaptation and Resilience Coalition in following through with the initiatives that were launched at the Climate Summit that took place during the 2019 United Nations General Assembly in New York, as well as the pledges that were made for Adaptation Finance by the various individuals, governments and organisations at the Summit.”
“As we run up to the CoP26, it is imperative to build greater momentum and action on climate change. I would therefore request the UK Government to continue supporting the LDC members of the Adaptation and Resilience Coalition in following through with the initiatives that were launched at the Climate Summit that took place during the 2019 United Nations General Assembly in New York, as well as the pledges that were made for Adaptation Finance by the various individuals, governments and organisations at the Summit.”
The Malawi Minister also admitted the operationalisation of the country’s National Climate Change Fund aimed at pulling resources in one basked for implementation of adaptation solutions including scaling of innovations by young people is facing challenges.
“To harmonise climate change management in the country, we have established a National Climate change Fund so that it serves as a national basket for implementation of various climate change projects and programmes as prioritised in our strategic documents. However, capitalization of the Fund is still a challenge although the Ministry is working tirelessly to ensure that Treasury provides seed money for the Fund. We are therefore looking for support to capitalise the Fund” Tembo said. Besides other technical officials from the Ministry of Forestry and Natural Resources, Civil Society Network on Climate Change (CISONECC), Mwapata Institute, Association of Environmental Journalists in Malawi, UNDP and National Youth Network on Climate Change (NYNCC) participated in the discussions.
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting NYNCC coordinator Dominique Nyasulu said it was encouraging the UK Minister has hinted on the need for the government and non-state actors to work together ahead of COP 26 under the UK presidency. Cop 26 was shifted to next year (2021) due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In June last year, UK made a bold decision to become the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050.
http://imrdsoacha.gov.co/silvitra-120mg-qrms