CLIMATE change is putting at risk lives of millions of people worldwide, many coastal cities, and trillions of dollars of investment in transport infrastructure and services.
A transport system that cannot withstand the emerging impacts of climate change will prove burdensome, impose high costs for repair, and cause significant economic losses.
Action is needed to diagnose systemic weaknesses and adapt transport systems to withstand expected climate impacts such as changes in rainfall pattern, flooding, and sea-level rise as well as extreme weather events.
This requires a better understanding of existing vulnerability assessment tools, cost-effective engineering measures and technologies all designed to ensure robustness, redundancy and resilience are designed into road networks.
Adequate and reliable road network is key to Zambia’s economic and social development.
Good-quality road connections greatly expand access to jobs, markets, schools, and hospitals.
For rural communities, in particular, a road is often an essential lifeline that links isolated villages to economic opportunities and services.
The low density and poor condition of the existing road infrastructure are a serious impediment to the country’s growth.
However, to ensure road spending delivers the best possible return and brings lasting development benefits.
It is critical that investment plans take into account the consequences of a changing climate, as road assets are particularly vulnerable to climate stressors such as higher temperatures, increased precipitation, or flooding.
Virtually all models show that weather extremes will indeed put considerable pressure on Zambia’s road system.
The damage and accelerated aging of roads caused by climate change will require increased maintenance and more frequent rehabilitation.
Aside from higher maintenance and rehabilitation costs, climate-related damage to the road infrastructure will also cause more frequent disruptions to the movement of people and goods, with direct consequences on economic productivity.
In the recent past, Zambia had experienced unpredictable floods and intense rain damaging roads and bridges including washing away the said infrastructure.
Further, the intense weather has continued to affect the capacity of drainage resulting in the deterioration of the structural integrity of roads, bridges and culverts.
Climate resilient roads would increase economic activities in the areas and beyond their perimeters.
Therefore, the construction of the first climate resilient road in the wake of increased adverse effects of climate change is a welcome development.
The Kalomo Dundumwezi Itezhi-tezhi Namwala road project recently launched by President Edgar Lungu will bring a lot of benefits to the area and the country as whole.
The road will run from Kalomo through Dundumwezi to Itezhi-tezhi district and terminates at the Namwala pontoon.
The road network is being financed through a loan from African Development Bank (ADB) and would cost about a total of US$21 million covering a stretch of 237 kilometers and is expected to be implemented over a period of 60 months.
It would also enhance market access, increase health resilience through ensuring access to health centers, hospitals and other social and health services.
The stretch of the road is 237 kilometers and would be from Kalomo to Dundumwezi and Dundumwezi to Ngoma as well as Itezhi-Namwala Poonton area.
The 73 km of the road from Kalomo to Dundumwezi would be rehabilitated, while 95.6 kilometers from Dundumwezi to Ngoma would be constructed.
The 48.5km Itezhi-Namwala pontoon stretch would also be rehabilitated to further enhance movement of goods and people.
The project that would take five years to be completed includes two years of construction and three years of maintenance.
Some of the highlights of the resilient road instruments to be developed on this particular road includes elevating road embankments and stabilization to safeguard roads against floods.
Upgrading of drainage system to ‘climate proofed’ design standards would be one of the resilient instruments  would be used in protecting roads from any damages.
The road, once fully upgraded, would not only benefit the locals in terms of transportation and employment, but contribute to development of the tourism sector as it leads to Kafue National Park.
It is grateful that Government seeking to promote rural investments in order to stimulate economic diversification, growth, and reduce rural poverty in an effort to promote the goals of the 7th National Development Plan.
This would spearhead the country’s vision to becoming a middle-income country by 2030.
I end here today but I will in the coming weeks continue to look at impact of climate change on various sectors of the economy.
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