Thursday 1st April - The government of Zambia has launched a new initiative to use nature to adapt to climate change. The project is part of a wider attempt in the country to improve the livelihoods of rural communities by restoring damaged ecosystems.
With over USD 6 million from the Global Environment Facility, a major funder of climate change projects, the initiative is focusing on the Lukanga and Bangweulu wetlands in the Central and Luapula parts of the country (respectively).
Wetlands and forests reduce the negative impacts of climate change on local communities by absorbing excess rainwater into the ground during floods and providing sources of water during droughts. The new initiative is restoring these ecosystems, while choosing climate-resilient plant and crop species for long-term sustainability and improved livelihoods.
The project was officially launched on the 1st April at a virtual event attended by high-level government ministers, local government, community representatives, UN agencies, and other key stakeholders.
“Together, forest and wetland ecosystems provide a range of valuable goods and services to surrounding rural communities,” said Jean Kapata, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources. “Millions of Zambians depend on wetlands and forests for agriculture, fisheries, livestock rearing, tourism, and non-timber forest products, including food, medicine, and building materials.”
The Lukanga and Bangweulu wetlands are both listed as wetlands of 'international importance' under the Ramsar Convention, and they are two of the country’s key hotspots for fisheries, which makes them crucial for economic development.
“Despite their importance, wetland and forest ecosystems in Zambia are currently experiencing large-scale deforestation and degradation,” said Kapata.
The use of nature-based solutions for adapting to climate change is known as Ecosystem-based Adaptation. According to the Adaptation Gap Report, it is a highly cost-effective approach. Globally, the protection of forests and mangroves alone could prevent economic losses from climate change of over US$500 billion annually by 2050.
The 4-year project, executed by Zambia’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, through the Climate Change Department, with support from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), is attempting to upscale and expand the use of Ecosystem-based Adaptation across the country by providing training to local and central government on how to best implement the approach.
“This project comes at a time when Zambia has been experiencing unpredictable and more frequent adverse weather patterns, causing droughts and floods, and having negative impacts on the livelihood of Zambians”, said Dr Coumba Mar Gadio, the UN Resident Coordinator for Zambia.
“The project will help the communities to adopt additional sustainable livelihoods and climate-resilient agricultural techniques in order to decrease their vulnerability to climate change and reduce degradation of wetland and forest ecosystems.”
As part of the broader global efforts of promoting Ecosystem-based Adaptation, the newly launched Global EbA Fund is seeking to overcome barriers to nature-based solutions and Ecosystem-based Adaptation by providing seed capital to innovative approaches (learn more about the Fund here).
For more information about the project, officially titled Building the Resilience of Local Communities in Zambia through the Introduction of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) into Priority Ecosystems, including Wetlands and Forests, please contact Jessica.Troni@un.org or emshitima40@gmail.com
To learn more about UNEP’s work in Ecosystem-based Adaptation, click here.
