Malawi has suffered about 20 devastating flooding episodes and seven droughts since 2000. This year, a wave of cyclones claimed over 40 lives and destroyed homes, roads, hospitals and schools in southern Malawi.  Has Malawi learned any lessons to lessen the frequency and severity of climate-related disasters? Our News Analyst CLEMENT CHINOKO engages Civil Society Network on Climate Change national coordinator Julius Ng’oma.

Ng’oma: Climate change is not a priority

Q

: What is your take on the country’s disaster preparedness and climate change management?

A

: We have been discussing financing towards climate change for quite some time.  We have seen that there are still not much resources going to natural resources and climate change management, including disaster risk management. The country has set up the Climate Change Management Fund, but there are no resources. The carbon levy has been taken down. But we also have other initiatives that can also support climate change and disaster risks. For example, there are issues to do with climate and disaster risk and insurance often discussed haphazardly. We haven’t strategically and systematically integrated these initiatives in our own programming at national level so that we are already having a streamlined approach to financing disasters.

Q

:How do you quantify low funding towards climate change and environmental programmes?

A

: The natural resources and climate change sector receives less than one percent of the annual national budget. This has been the trend since 2011.

Q

: Why do you think the climate change fund is not being funded?

A

: It isn’t a priority. We are not prioritising climate change issues as a country. We seem to think that if we prioritise health and agriculture and others, then we will solve our problems. But health and agriculture will always rely on a good and healthy environment. So, if we can’t sort out environmental management, we are going to have a lot of problems.

Q

: What consequences could the country face as a result of sustained low investment in climate change and disaster risk management?

A

:We are going to lose a lot as a country. Livelihoods are going to be affected. We are already poor and most people in the country are already struggling to manage their own property once the devastating impact of climate change such as droughts and floods have hit them. There are no alternatives in terms of people finding finances to manage the effects at household level, at community level and even as a country, economy-wise, we are going to be affected. When President Lazarus Chakwera is presenting a national address, there are always statements that some of the setbacks that hold us back as a nation are issues to do with disasters worsened by climate change. We put that as an excuse, but if we proactively tackle climate change issues, then our economy is going to be fine.

Q

:  You have been lobbying members of Parliament to support your bid for increased climate change and environmental programmes financing, why?

A

: Members of Parliament have a huge role to play especially when it comes to policies and laws formulation.  Currently, we have a Disaster Risk Management Bill which is sitting somewhere, but it is supposed to be brought to the National Assembly for discussion and approval. There are issues to do with disaster risk financing and insurance which, if the parliamentarians are actually aware of such initiatives, they could be enlightened on how best to approach that Bill. We also have the Climate Change Meteorological Bill being drafted at the moment which we are advocating that there should be a clear financing strategy. So, as we engage the parliamentarians, moving forward, as they will be discussing these two Bills, there will be paying much attention on how financing aspects should actually be looked like as they are advancing those laws.

Q

: How soon do you want those Bills presented in Parliament? 

A

: The Disaster Management Bill is long overdue. We needed it like yesterday so that we have a financing structure everyone can see. It is unfortunate that there are many reasons why this is not being advanced. On the Climate Change Meteorological Bill, the process has started this year. We would love if it is passed in Parliament next year so that we have a proper structure on how we will be financing climate change and disasters.

Q

:  President Chakwera attended CoP26, the UN Climate Change Conference held last November in Glasgow, Scotland. Is the country is reaping any rewards so far?

A

: The hype was there because it was going to be a defining CoP [conference of parties to the UN climate change treaty] in terms of financing issues, climate change and issues to do with loss and damage caused by environmental disasters. We came out of that summit very disappointed because so many issues were not concluded, especially on the issue of financing. We failed to define what climate financing means. We failed to define the goal of financing beyond $100 billion and the financial mechanism of loss and damage. We are still feeling the impact of not having those decisions made because right now we can’t really say how financing should be channelled. For example, on loss and damage, to countries like Malawi.

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