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The Green Economy and Climate Change Act no. 18 2024- Progressive Legislation

 




The Green Economy and Climate Change Act no.18  2024- A focused piece of legislation.

By Raphael Banda

January 23rd, 2025.

Environmental protection wise, the ''Eco-friendly curtains of 2024 brightened their colours on Zambia on December 26th as evidenced by the zeal and determination showed by government and parliament to enact a progressive law which strives to attain Zambia's vision 2030 and United Nations's Sustainable Development Goal number 13.''

On December 26th, 2024, Zambia enacted the Green Economy and Climate Change Act no.18 of 2024.

This progressive Act provides for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, climate change mitigation, low emission development, green economy and related actions.

The Act also provides for regulation of carbon markets; provides for environmental and social safeguards in climate change actions; establishes the Climate Change Fund; domesticates the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement; and provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing.

 From the environmental journalism training perspective, this law is a timely answer to the climate change effects that have continued to cause shocks on several economies of developing countries in sub-Sahara Africa and Zambia has not been spared.

Officials say 87 of Zambia’s 116 districts have been hit hard by the drought caused by the prolonged dry spell in the previous rainy season. Sectors such as Agriculture and Energy, among others, have suffered severe shocks and are being cushioned by several interventions put in place by Government and its cooperating partners.

These interventions are aimed at attaining the aspirations of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals number 1,2 and 13 which are all aimed at serving humanity and plant earth.

Notwithstanding the fact that things are pointing to a positive trajectory owing to the sufficient rainfall recorded so far during this 2024/2025 Agriculture season, it’s high time the government’s line ministry considered   operationalizing it on the date that the Minister may appoint by issuing statutory instrument (SI).   

As an environmental journalist and journalism trainer, I join other like-minded organisations that are calling for the implementation of the progressive Act which will surely turn around the climate change fight  within the early first months of 2025.

This call aligns very well with the objectives of The Constitution of Zambia, Act No.2 of 2016 Art 256 that spells out Protection of the Environment and Natural Resource of which each one of us has the duty to co-operate and protect.

Goodbye for today and happy new year. bandaraphael55@gmail.com




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Comments

  1. Brenda Nglazi ZuluJanuary 23, 2025 at 2:36 AM

    Well done

    ReplyDelete
  2. CHIMANGENI BANDAJanuary 23, 2025 at 3:51 AM

    Insightful thread on the piece of legislation. 👍

    ReplyDelete
  3. dasdumiJanuary 23, 2025 at 5:06 AM

    Great article. Climate change affects everyone

    ReplyDelete
  4. NyimaJanuary 23, 2025 at 5:15 AM

    On spot, it calls for combined efforts by all.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Henry AliJanuary 23, 2025 at 9:16 AM

    I must confess that am just learning about this Act now. Thank you for enlightening me. It is just unfortunate that key stakeholders in reversing the adverse effects of Climate Change such as the USA are now pulling in the opposite direction.

    ReplyDelete

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