Malawi developing climate change investment plan

Malawi is currently developing a framework to guide the country to invest in specific areas of climate change management.

Acting director of Environment and Climate Change Management Dr. Aloysius Kamperewera said in an interview that the plan is going to cover areas that are most vulnerable to climate change.

The sectors, he said, include, water, agriculture, health, wildlife, forestry and industries among others.

“Our major dilemma now is that there are many funds for climate change, but for us to benefit as a country, we need to have an investment plan. In which areas should we invest as a country?

“So as a country instead of planning blindly, we are going to have real issues in mind, real places in mind and then put a cost to that; so that even when government is budgeting, it must be able to deal with these issues with our funds and donors can also refer to the same document,” said Kamperewera.

He disclosed that the national climate change investment plan (NCCIP) will be effectively used by December during the United Nations Framework on Climate Change, the Conference of Parties (COP) which will be held in Qatar this year.

“The purpose of the plan is to develop resilience for the people. We have developed mechanisms to help them be resilient to the impacts of climate change. Being resilient, in this regard, means when the impacts of climate change occur, they should be able to cope with the impacts. Climate change is here to stay and we can’t wait any longer,” added Kamperewera.

He, however, could not say how much the country would need in a year to help people cope with the impacts of climate change.

“Currently, we are working on the figures. But by the end of August or September, we should have the figures,” he said, adding: “We have identified key investment areas, the key portfolios in adaptation and mitigation.”

On the call that the nation needs to have tangible results as demanded by principal secretary for Environment and Climate Change Management Dr. Yanira Mtupanyama, Kamperewera said: “Our aim is to make sure this is a functional document.

“If we are going for negotiations with investors, they have to be referring to this document. We are going to have real figures indicating areas and geographical positions where these kind of activities need to be done.”

Climate change is a threat to sustainable economic growth in Malawi, like many other countries in Africa. It remains a top government agenda although observers have questioned the meagre resources allocated to the sector.

It has also had an adverse impact on agriculture, infrastructure, energy, human health, fisheries, forestry, water, wildlife and gender.