Public Institutions

building in sub-Saharan Africa, which is commissioning studies to update greenhouse gas inventories.

Staff, includes a coordinator and a secretary. An officer from the Environment Division of the Ministry is also assigned to the Office. It is mainly externally funded, with the Government providing office space, furniture and recurrent costs. The coordinator participates in international climate change negotiations and UNFCCC conferences. The Climate Change Office’s work is guided by a multi-sectoral National Climate Change Steering Committee.

5.1.3 National Climate Change Steering Committee

The multi-sectoral National Climate Change Steering Committee supports the administration and implementation of the UNFCCC (Ministry of Environment and Tourism, 2008). The Committee was originally established under the United Nations Institute for Training and Research project, with national institutions, universities, research organisations, industry associations and NGOs providing technical input. The Committee meets annually and its primary function is sharing information about UNFCCC negotiations with all relevant stakeholders.

The Committee consists of:

 the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Management

 the Climate Change Office, which is the Secretariat

 members of line ministries and parastatals: Agriculture, Health, Science and Technology, Foreign Affairs, Water, Industry and Commerce, Finance, Labour and Social Services, Transport (which includes the Meteorology Department), the Attorney General’s Office, Environmental Management Agency, Forestry Commission

 the leader of the Coping with Drought and Climate Change project

 the Standards Association of Zimbabwe

 UNDP, Harare Office

 GEF Small Grants Programme

 the Ozone Office

 Zimbabwe Energy Research Organisation (ZERO), a regional NGO

 Southern Centre for Energy and Environment, a regional NGO

 WWF (formerly the World Wide Fund for Nature), an international NGO.

5.1.4 National Designated Authority Board

Under the Kyoto Protocol, developing countries have access to funds for investment in environmentally sound technologies under the CDM. Zimbabwe is establishing a National Designated Authority, the mechanism required to examine project proposals and access CDM funding. The framework for the National Designated Authority is under review at the Attorney General’s Office and is expected to consist of line ministries and be chaired by the Ministry of Environment. A Statutory Instrument is being developed, with terms of reference to guide the operations of the National Designated Authority.

5.1.5 National Task Team on Climate Change

The National Task Team on Climate Change is located in the Office of the President and Cabinet, and led by a Secretary of Special Affairs. The Task Team is charged with responsibility for providing overall policy guidance on climate change issues in the country and assists in mobilising all relevant Ministries and other stakeholders to participate in the development of policy and programmes on climate change in Zimbabwe, and coordinating and spearheading the development of a national climate change strategy. The Task Team would be able to instruct institutions to provide data and information on climate change. Furthermore, the multi-sector Task Team will ensure that decisions taken regarding climate change and development by various sectors are compatible and comply with the overall national development policy.

5.1.6 Department of Meteorological Services

Climate monitoring falls under the responsibility of the Department of Meteorological Services, in the Ministry of Transport. Although the Department does not have any climate change programmes, it participates in climate change initiatives. For example, the Department has a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) on a climate change programme, which involves providing data for a weather insurance index.

5.1.7 Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency

The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT, formerly the Central Statistics Office) compiles national Environmental Statistics Reports, produced in 1994, 2000, 2004 and 2010. The reports identify national environmental concerns and gaps. The 2010 Report contained a section on climate change, including a historical overview of drought and rainfall patterns in southern Africa

from 1800 to 2007 (ZIMSTAT, 2010). The Report also contains information on rainfall, water resources and deforestation.

5.1.8 Environmental Management Agency

The Environmental Management Agency, a parastatal under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resource Management, is responsible for promoting standards for environmental quality, including air quality, and providing environmental information. It oversees implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, which involves a National Action Plan and implements pilot projects dealing with adaptation by vulnerable communities.

5.1.9 Forestry Commission

The Forestry Commission, a parastatal under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resource Management, monitors the extent of forests and deforestation in the country, and promotes rural afforestation. It carries out studies for the Climate Change Office on the Land Use Change and Forestry initiative.

5.1.10 Ministry of Water Resources, Development and Management

Hydrological observations fall under the responsibility of the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), a parastatal in the Ministry of Water Resources, Development and Management. The Authority is central in the production of water statistics and has the mandate to collect data on river flows and dam levels, run-off in selected rivers, groundwater levels, siltation of water bodies, and rainfall and evaporation (CSO, 2009).

5.1.11 Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development

This Ministry, in collaboration with research institutions including the University of Zimbabwe and Chinhoyi University of Technology, is carrying out research with smallholder farmers on adaptation to climate change and piloting best practices.

5.1.12 Department of Disaster Management and Resettlement

Natural disasters in Zimbabwe are predominantly climatic or meteorological in origin, namely droughts and floods, but include wild bush fires that are primarily anthropogenic in origin.

Zimbabwe has a Disaster Risk Reduction Policy, which provides local structures for disaster and risk management. The Policy is being revised in view of climate change. Policy implementation is

coordinated by the Department of Disaster Management and Resettlement (formerly Department of Civil Protection), under the Ministry of Local Government, which is responsible for coordinating and handling natural disasters.

The Department of Disaster Management and Resettlement collates data on natural disasters, including incidence of droughts, landslides and floods, runoff, and disease outbreaks. The Department of Disaster Management and Resettlement has structures at national, provincial and district levels. At the national level, the Climate Change Coordinator is a member of the Disaster Management Committee.

5.1.13 Local Authorities

There approximately 52 local authorities in Zimbabwe, which are mandated to monitor air quality, but they have little capacity and equipment. Harare City Council carries out air pollution monitoring, but not on a regular basis.