Zambia looks towards renewable energy

Zambian Minister of National Development Planning Alexander Chiteme has appealed to the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) for backing as it expands towards investment in renewable energy, Lusaka Times reported.

“Renewable energy is very important to Zambia’s development and the CIFs’ outstanding works in promotion of initiatives are aimed at combating climate change and expansion of renewable energy,” said Chiteme.

He was speaking revealed this after a meeting he had with the Head of CIFs Mafalda Duarte on the sidelines of the CIF 10th Anniversary meeting taking place at the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN)’s Noor Complex Solar Power Plant – the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant– in Ouarzazate, Morocco.

Noor generates about 580 megawatts of power that is fed into the national grid and supplies to at least 2 million people.

According to reports, Zambia developed an investment plan to reduce deforestation and forest degradation through the Forest Investment Programme (FIP).

Chiteme said they are looking to boost the initiative.

“However, we still need more financial support towards actualizing the Investment Plan,” he said, emphasizing that this is important for Zambia to actualize the objectives of the Seventh National Development Plan and the Vision 2030 to ensure access to clean and reliable energy for all.

The Minister added that through the support of CIF, the PPCR had utilized the resources to strengthen the operations in key Government institutions such as the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, which is responsible for national climate Information and risk reduction management.

The PPCR had also launched the nationwide awareness campaign dubbed #Think2044 and established a Toll-Free Call Centre to empower people with information about climate change.

On her part, Ms. Duarte assured Mr. Chiteme that CIFs will continue to support Zambia’s development agenda, especially addressing the impact of climate change.

CIFs, a multi-donor propelled initiative, is supporting the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) in Zambia, under the Ministry of National Development Planning, which has community projects including women-led organisations that empower the vulnerable people and households in Western, Central, Lusaka and Southern provinces.

africandailyvoice.com