By: Lloyd M’bwana
The Malawi government has secured US$12.3 million grant from Green Climate Fund (GCF) in a bid to enhance early warnings systems as part of disaster risk reduction for the next six years.
The grant is part of the benefits agreement to the nation of the just ended 21st Conference of Parties (COPs-21) which was slated for November 30-11, December, 2015, Paris in France which attracted over 30, 000 delegates from government, civil society, international observers, faith based organization, private sector, indigenous peoples and the academia.
Breaking the news to nation through the press conference on Thursday, December 17, in the capital Lilongwe, Bright Msaka, Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining expressed gratitude over the conference’s outcomes which among other benefits including US$12.million grant approved by GCF board.
Minister Msaka emphasized proper usage of the funds in addressing the effects of climate change in collaboration with various stakeholders whose direct sector beneficiaries departments including climate change, water, disaster, extension, fisheries and that will work closely with National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi (NASFAM).
“The Paris Agreement will have a transformative effect for Malawi and the world as a whole. It’s envisaged that the agreement will accelerate significant normative and policy progress domestically.
The agreement will change the way governments, civil society and the private sector view the links between climate responsibility, economic growth and social inclusion and enhancing climate change actions by all stakeholders.
“The agreement is a legally biding, universal, durable, and balanced agreement to become effective from the year 2020 as all the 196 parties to the convention applauded the announcement of the adaptation including technology framework mechanism, periodic review of emission reduction actions, mitigation ambition to limit global warming and mobilization and provision of climate finance.
“Therefore, in view of this, the Green Climate Fund board approved a six-year project for Malawi worth US$12.3 million to enhance early warning systems as part of disaster risk reduction. Let me emphasize here that this money it’s not for sharing but rather meant to address effects of climate change through various government department”, elaborates Msaka franked by the entire ministry of natural resources climate change negotiation team.
Msaka hinted that the nation still stand a chance of accessing funds from GCF under the convention through development of projects proposal to restore rivers, degraded ecosystems, forests, reduce emission, increase climate resilience with the objective of achieving both mitigation and adaptations goals.
“The forestry sector will benefit from Global Landscapes Forum: African Restoration Initiative also referred to as AFR100 which is a continental initiative with the goal of bringing 100 million hectares of degraded and deforested land in Africa into restoration by the year 2030.
“Therefore stakeholders from government institutions, CSOs, the private sector, faith based organizations and the academia are encouraged to develop project proposals that can attract investments in line with the government various instruments that the state has developed including National Climate Change Investment Plan (NCCIP),
the INDCs, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), the revised National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPA) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), for us to ably implement the country’s climate change management priorities”, urges Msaka.
The Parish COPs 21 Agreement has made provisions for the climate finance to be reviewed every five years, with the first review taking place in 2018.
