Lusaka, Thursday (November 30, 2023)
Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) says at least One point Seven Million Dollars is needed for the newly launched Environmental Protection Dialogue – EPD and the Traditional Leaders Caucus – TLC Strategy and Implementation Framework.
CEJ Executive Director Maggie Mapalo Mwape said the Strategy and Implementation Framework includes strategic objectives, outcomes, outputs, and activities with a budget totalling USD 1,713,645.9.
Ms Mwape said the EPD-TLC Strategy will be implemented over the course of three years, starting in January 2024 and ending in December 2026.
She said the institutional framework relevant to the EPD resolutions and their implementation includes, among others, the Ministry Green Economy and Environment, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ministry of Justice.
Others include Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation, the Zambia Environmental Management Agency and Water Resources Management Authority.
“In line with its mandate to provide platforms for the engagement of multiple stakeholders on environmental problems in the country, CEJ founded the Environmental Protection Dialogue (EPD) in 2020. The EPD was structured to provide an annual multistakeholder platform for co-creating solutions to Zambia’s key environmental challenges through effective dialogue,” she said.
The CEJ Executive Director said the ministries and government institutions are key in providing techinical support, oversight, designing policy & taking legislative actions.
Ms Mwape said CEJ has developed a Strategy and Implementation Framework for actualising the EPD2020, EPD2021, EPD2022 and EPD2023 resolutions, together with those of the TLC 2022 and TLC 2023.
“The Framework will provide a structured approach to translating these resolutions into actionable plans, with a focus on accountability, monitoring and communication. The Implementation Framework outlines the goals, strategic objectives, proposed activities and funding requirements. It also incorporates an accountability mechanism specifying timeframes, responsible parties and clear targets to guide analysis, monitoring and evaluation of the implementation efforts,” she said.
Ms Mwape said CEJ will identify partners to support implementation through funding or technical assistance.
“The implementation efforts will be documented in form of regular reports and shared with relevant stakeholders. An evaluation will also be undertaken of not only the results, but also the process, time frame and strategy for implementation in order to make required adjustments and improvements from lessons learnt,” she said.
Ms Mwape said several resolutions were adopted alongside calls to action by EPD 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 as well as TLC 2022 and 2023.
“The EPD resolutions related broadly to environmental law and regulation, management of natural resources (conservation of biological diversity, sustainable forest management; ecosystem restoration), sustainable energy, climate change, community water rights, environmental justice and rights, and protection of heritage sites. The TLC resolutions centered on addressing forest fires, biodiversity loss, decentralization of natural resource management; land use in investments; codification of customary law; customary land tenure and resettlement policies,” she said.
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