By BRIAN  HATYOKA –

LANDS, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Deputy Minister Susan Kawandami has called for increased funding towards various efforts aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change.
Ms Kawandami said there was need to provide adequate and predictable funds to countries which were mostly in need of support to mitigate climate change impact.
She was speaking in Livingstone on Sunday evening during a welcome reception for delegates attending the 11th Board Meeting of the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The GCF is a fund within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), founded as a mechanism to assist developing countries in the adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.
Ms Kawandami said Zambia, like many other Least Developed Countries (LDCs) was deeply concerned at the low pace at which contributions are flowing into the fund.
The GCF Board was expected to consider and probably approve the first projects worth US$168 million since the creation of the fund in 2010.
Ms Kawandami urged the Board to work with a sense of urgency bearing in mind that vulnerable countries were in urgent need of support for action on adaptation.
“The ongoing Livingstone Board Meeting for GCF should leave a good legacy of pioneering transformational change in the way climate finance is made available to the most vulnerable countries to mitigate climate change.
“Further, the meeting must deliver on bringing about a fundamental shift in the way we tackle climate change crises by providing adequate and predictable funds to those most in need of support,” she said.
The Government was pleased to be associated with the hosting of the board meeting that signalled to the world that the GCF was a promising vehicle in delivering climate change finance
Ms Kawandami appealed to developed countries to honour their pledges to enable the most vulnerable countries respond to climate change impacts.
GCF executive director Héla Cheikhrouhou said she was delighted that the first African Board meeting of the Fund was being held in Zambia.
Ms Cheikhrouhou said there was need to seek ways of mitigating the effects of climate change so that future generations enjoyed the national resources.
Southern Province Permanent Secretary Sibanze Simuchoba said tourism was dependent on a stable environment, hence the need to manage climate change issues so that the sector could continue to thrive.
Mr Simuchoma said Zambia particularly Livingstone had a lot of wildlife and other tourism attractions.
“We need to manage climate change effectively so that we have sustainable tourism in the country,” Mr Simuchoma said.