Zimbabwe flags climate risks

The Government has warned that climate change is posing an escalating direct threat to Zimbabwe's socio-economic development, with its impacts already being felt across key sectors of the economy.

Officially opening a post-COP30 stakeholder feedback workshop in Harare on Wednesday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Mr Tafirenyika Chifamba, said the country was experiencing increasingly severe climate-related shocks.

"We continue to witness erratic weather patterns, prolonged droughts, increased flooding and even cyclones. These changes threaten our agricultural productivity, our water security and the very livelihoods of our people," Chifamba said.

He cautioned that the danger posed by tropical cyclones remained particularly acute, noting that such events continue to pose a serious risk to lives and critical infrastructure.

"The threat of deadly tropical cyclones is ever-present, posing a serious risk to lives and infrastructure," he said.

Chifamba said Government had identified climate change as a major developmental risk under both Medium-Term Strategy 1 and Medium-Term Strategy 2, adding that global trends showed the situation was deteriorating.

"Temperatures and sea levels continue to rise, while loss of biodiversity is accelerating. The challenge has never been greater," he said.

Turning to international climate negotiations, Chifamba acknowledged that recent outcomes had fallen short of expectations.

"Our resolve from Denmark was lukewarm, mainly because of limited mitigation pledges and the absence of the United States," he said.

However, he noted that there had been some positive developments, particularly on adaptation financing.

"There was agreement to set a new target to triple finance for climate adaptation, to establish a new fund for tropical forest conservation and a frank acknowledgement that we are now unlikely to meet the 1,5-degree Celsius target," Chifamba said.

He warned that constrained global financing would make it harder for countries like Zimbabwe to respond effectively to climate impacts.

"As things stand, climate finance is likely to remain suppressed, while the cost of adaptation continues to rise," he said.

Chifamba urged local stakeholders to take greater ownership of the climate change agenda and revealed that progress was being made on strengthening the country's legal framework.

"Our Climate Change Management Bill is now at an advanced stage in Parliament and we expect to have an Act in early 2026," he said. "This will greatly assist in mainstreaming climate change, raising local climate finance and strengthening the country's climate and carbon policy environment."

The workshop brought together Government officials, development partners and civil society organisations to reflect on outcomes of COP30 and chart a coordinated national response to climate challenges.