‘Zim must play part in combating climate change’ Dr Matiza

Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter

ZIMBABWE must take action to address climate change because cyclones and other extreme climatic conditions compromise accessibility and safety of inland transport systems, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Joel Biggie Matiza has said in his annual report on reducing carbon emissions.

Extreme events such as floods and droughts due to climate change are now common in both developed and developing countries and early last year, Zimbabwe and Mozambique were hit by the powerful Cyclone Idai, which caused extensive destruction of road and rail infrastructure and killed people and animals.

Zimbabwe had to play its part, the minister, in the global requirement to reduce carbon emissions from the transport sector or even completely decarbonise transport in the medium to long term.

“Zimbabwe heavy’s reliance on fossil fuels in the transport sector is highly correlated to increased carbon emission. The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, through Central Mechanical and Equipment Department, is currently working on the modalities for Zimbabwe to embrace the use of electric cars,” he said.

He said developing countries importing second hand vehicles were encouraged to ensure that such vehicles met Global Vehicle Emission Standards and or adhered to the SADC Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology to curb global warming.

“Random checks and monitoring should be carried out periodically to impound unroadworthy vehicles in terms of pollution and mechanical defects. The Government of Zimbabwe currently charges carbon tax on fuel and has recently introduced a mass transit system in urban areas.

“Such measures have greatly contributed to the reduction in fuel consumption for urban transportation. Good inland transport systems are key economic enablers, which facilitate the attainment of the Vision by President Mnangagwa for Zimbabwe to be an upper middle-class economy by 2030. This should be supported by stern measures to curb global warming.”

According to Zimbabwe’s Third National Communication (2016) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the transport sector contributed 14 percent of energy related emissions making it a key category. Business as usual emissions for the sector are projected to double by 2050.

“This calls for urgent action to address emissions for the sector because they not only affect climate but health also. The Government of Zimbabwe, through the leadership of President Mnangagwa, is fully committed to fulfilling its obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for Zimbabwe seeks to reduce energy (including transport) related per capita emissions by 33 percent below the projected business as usual emissions by 2030.

“It is important to note that one of the five key mitigation projects of Zimbabwe’s NDC is electrification of the railway line. Refurbishment of the railway line will greatly reduce bulk transportation from the road to the rail and thereby reducing the cost of importing fuels and of course reducing emissions. Other transport related mitigation actions include blending of petrol and use of biodiesel, which the Government seeks to upscale,” said Minister Matiza.

The Paris Agreement on Climate Change under the UNFCCC, he said, called upon countries to communicate to the UNFCCC their Mid-Century (2050) Low Emission Development Strategies detailing their economy wide emission reduction strategies.

In this regard, the minister said the Government was already finalising its strategies which has clearly laid down and costed transport related mitigation actions.

“Climate change is a real threat to the attainment of 2030 Sustainable Development Goals because extreme events bring about destruction to infrastructure. To build resilience in the country, Zimbabwe is currently developing the National Adaptation Plan, which among other things provide guidance on construction of resilient infrastructure including transport. These inward looking policies are in sync with the Vision of His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.”

At the policy framework level, Minister Matiza said there was need for a strong commitment towards bold transformation of existing transport systems to environmentally friendly, efficient and safe modes of inland transport.

The adaptation measures, he said, should include use of infrastructure that can be quickly rehabilitated after disaster and putting in place robust insurance policies to minimise associated risks.

In combating climate change, Minister Matiza said they were alive to the existence of the generally conflicting objectives of good transport networks, affordability and accessibility vis-à-vis increased carbon emission especially in developing countries that import second hand vehicles.

He added that developed countries should therefore be more willing to transfer to developing countries new technologies in the area of digitalization, automation and intelligent transport systems aimed at reducing pollution.

The minister said pollution was a negative externality, which did not have respect for borders and required global commitment.

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