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THE NATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAM |
Background
The Constitution of Namibia requires the State to actively promote
and adopt policies that maintain the ecosystems, ecological
processes and biological diversity for the benefit of the present
and future populations. The anticipated effects of climate change
could have potentially negative impacts on the ability of the state
to fulfil its constitutional obligations. The state through it
various government agencies and departments and in full partnership
with the non-governmental and private sectors have and will continue
to develop and adopt pre-emptive, preventative and corrective
actions and activities to address environmental and climate change
issues and problems.
Climate change is considered one of the most serious threats to
Namibia’s environment, human health and well-being as well as its
economic development. The arid environment, recurrent drought and
desertification have contributed to make Namibia one of the most
vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change. Considering
the natural resource based economy and limited technical and
financial resources, climate change could potentially become one of
the most significant and costly issues that affect the national
development process in Namibia.
The economy is very dependent on agricultural production and this is
threatened by the negative impacts of climate change. Food security,
health and other development goals could be turned up side down. The
projected rise in sea levels due to global warming could submerge
coastal islands and affect the entire marine industry and the
coastal economy. Fishing and tourism are also vulnerable.
Recently a cyclone in the Indian Ocean caused severe damage and
economic losses in countries such as Mozambique, Botswana, Malawi
and South Africa. This event has been indirectly linked to climate
change effects and one could say these effects are getting closer to
home. Namibia will need to prepare to deal with and adapt to the
effects of climate change.
In 1992, Namibia presented its Green Plan to the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio. As a
direct result of UNCED the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) was established. The Convention became
effective in March of 1994 following ratification by the required
number of governments. Namibia acceded to the Convention in 1995 and
this has placed a number of legal obligations on the country. Among
them is the preparation and presentation to the Convention of the
Initial National Communication or INC on the status of climate
change as well as corrective actions to reduce the predicted effects
of climate change on Namibia in particular and the world in general.
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The Intial National Communication (INC)
As a Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change, Namibia is obliged to prepare and present to the Convention
an Initial National Communication on climate change within the
country. The Convention is quite clear that climate change cannot
and should not be left to the poor and developing nations. It
therefore provides some level of financial resources to countries
like Namibia to deal with climate change effects.
During the INC preparation process two national workshops as well as
informal consultations were held to give stakeholder a medium in
which to review and make inputs into the INC. Representatives of the
various stakeholder organizations and institutions actively
participated in the preparation of this very important body of
information. The available data and documentation on climate change
and related matters were used in preparation of the INC which also
included the first greenhouse gases (GHG) inventory for Namibia, an
analysis of our vulnerability to the effects of climate change and
recommendations on adaptation measures, capacity development,
research, monitoring, public awareness and technology needs. The
financial and technology needs required for adaptation and
mitigation actions were identified in the INC and included a
preliminary estimation of the financial resources required to
implement the recommendations.
The INC was completed in July 2002 and 500 copies were printed for
public distribution. Both hard copes and an electronic version of
the INC was deposited with the UNFCCC secretariat and oral
presentation made at COP 8 in India in October 2002. The INC was
also published on the DEA/MET website www.dea.met.gov.na and the
UNFCCC website
www.unfccc.int.
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Other Actions
To Date
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has been designated lead
ministry in the co-ordination of climate change activities in
Namibia. To date actions implemented under the national climate
change program include the establishment of the Namibia Climate
Change Committee (NCCC) in 2001. The NCCC is a multi-stakeholder
committee to advise government on the policies and strategies it
needs to adopt in preparing the country for the predicted and in
some cases actual effects of climate change. Currently the committee
consists of representatives from the government, NGOs and
parastatals such as NamWater and NamPower, private sector
representatives and tertiary academic institutions such as the
University of Namibia and the Polytechnic of Namibia.
Another notable output of the climate change program was the
completion of a country study on climate change in Namibia in 1998.
This study included an overview of the vulnerability of Namibia to
climate change, an assessment of the source and sinks of green house
gases in Namibia and a preliminary overview of the emissions
scenarios and the corrective choices which the country faces. This
information was used as the foundation upon which the Initial
National Communication was built.
Efforts are currently underway to develop national capacity to
manage and implement our climate change program. A number of persons
from the government and University of Namibia visited Center for
Scientific and Industrial Research in South Africa to familiarise
themselves with some of the processes involved climate change.
Individuals within the various ministries are being prepared to
participate in the program.
Work on preparation of the public awareness products (a booklet and
a poster) was completed during the first half of 2003. Nationwide
distribution to schools, educational institutions, government
offices, private sector agencies, public libraries etc., will be
conducted following a public launch of these products.
Namibia participated in and made significant contributions to the
Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Climate Change Convention as
well as the meetings of the Subsidiary Bodies of the Convention.
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Role Of Ministry
Of Environment And Tourism
The Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) and its
Directorate of Environmental Affairs (DEA) have primary
responsibility for coordination of implementation of the national
program. This includes the preparation of the Initial National
Communication. Support has been received from the United Nations
Development Program (UNDP) in Namibia to prepare the Initial
National Communication and we are grateful for such support from our
partner in development.
The Namibia Climate Change Committee has assisted the Ministry of
Environment and Tourism in carrying out this function. The Committee
guided the production of the Initial National Communication and
co-ordinated the climate change and Greenhouse Gas Inventory
activities. The NCCC will continue to provide advice to the
government on a future policy for climate change as well as the
financial resources and capacity requirements that will be needed to
implement a national climate change programme. Action has commenced
to secure resources through the Convention mechanisms to establish a
secretariat to provide support to the Ministry in the co-ordination
of the climate change program in Namibia.
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Emphasis On Vulnerability And
Adaptation
Namibia is considered a minor producer of greenhouse gases but
nevertheless will be affected by these gases with respect to climate
in the future. Namibia has therefore, in its national interest,
decided to place more emphasis on its vulnerability to the effects
of climate change and the adaptation actions that it needs to take
to prevent and/or reduce such effects.
The 1998 Climate Change Country Study identified seven areas or
sectors where Namibia is most vulnerable to climate change. These
include water resources, marine resources, agriculture, biodiversity
ecosystems, coastal zones and systems, health and energy. The
Initial National Communication was able to further define the
degrees of vulnerability of each of these sectors or areas. It
further identified the level of resources required to pre-empt or
adapt to potential negative effects. The information thus generated
will be used to prepare strategies and action plans that can be
easily fitted into the national development planning processes such
as NDP 2 and Vision 2030.
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Namibia And The United Nations
Framework Convention (UNFC) On Climate Change
Namibia as a
country is now beginning
to take its rightful place in the international climate change arena
under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change. Namibia has ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 1993.
Under the Protocol, industrialised countries will be required to
reduce their green house gas emission by an average of five percent
by 2012 compared to 1990 levels.
Namibia and Africa as a group are part of the G77. Along with China,
the G77 have developed a common negotiating position within the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
This position
included the following elements:
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Developing countries should not be
burdened with binding emission reduction targets that would
negatively affect their economic and social progress and
resulting in the institutionalisation of the current global
inequality.
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The adaptation to anticipated
climate change effects by the most vulnerable countries such as
Namibia, as well as the technology transfer and financial
resources required for such adaptation are priority issues for
the Convention. They are not dependent on nor should they be
linked to the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol.
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Climate change adaptation funding
should cover projects for forest conservation, rehabilitation of
degraded land and combating desertification.
Namibia has also decided that emphasis
should be placed on building synergies between Climate Change
Convention and other conventions such as the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention to Combat
Desertification (CCD). Namibia is a party to these conventions.
Through our programs, project proposals and our negotiating
capacity, we will position ourselves to take advantage of and access
the financial and other resources that are available to assist with
our national development.
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Future Planned
Actions
The National Climate Change Program should be integrated into the
national planning and development processes of government. Policy
options to be examined and developed.
A national climate change office to be established to coordinate the
program on behalf of the government.
A national strategy and action plan for climate change to be
developed and become the basis for implementation of the program.
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Program Contacts
For further information on climate change in Namibia, the National
Climate Change Program can be contacted as follows:
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Teofilus Nghitila: Chairman of
the NCCC and Director
Directorate of Environmental Affairs
Ministry of Environment and Tourism
Private Bag 13306, Windhoek, Namibia
Email:
Nghitila@dea.met.gov.na
Tel: +264-61-249015, Fax: +264-61-240339
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Joseph McGann: Climate Change
Program Coordinator
Directorate of Environmental Affairs
Ministry of Environment and Tourism
Private Bag 13306, Windhoek, Namibia
Email:
joemcg@dea.met.gov.na
Tel: +264-61-249015, Fax: +264-61-240339
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