Climate Change/Environment:
The environmental goods and services are the foundation for sustainable development and long term planning. Evolving policies, laws,and institutions, together with the international community, can integrate environmental concerns and issues in a positive manner.
Research in Zimbabwe indicates that the poorest people are getting 55% of their income from environmental resources, compared with just 2% for the richest fifth. Further research suggests that the value of natural resources to poor households can be up to 40% of their total income (W. Cavendish, ‘Empirical Regularities in the Poverty-Environment Relationship of African Rural Households’ (1999) Centre for the Study of African Economies).
Pro-Africa recognizes the importance of the environment for reconstruction, development,
economic planning and to the achievement of the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals).
Pro Africa is taking in consideration that:
- Poor countries depend on environmental resources to a much greater extent
than richer countries.
- Poor people have inadequate access to environmental assets such as clean water, clean air, fertile land and productive plant and animal life that are essential for livelihoods and health.
- Poor people usually bear the highest costs of environmental hazards
and degradation. Good environmental management and sustainable use of environmental and natural resources are essential to economic growth in developing countries.
- Links between environment and poverty are changing constantly.
- Weather patterns, water flows and floods are increasingly extreme and uncertain.
- Ownership and control of environmental assets are becoming concentrated in fewer hands.
- There are changes in the way aid is given: We are trying to work more in partnership with countries’ own programs, co-ordinate donors’ efforts better, use budget support more, and make the international system more effective.
- Environmental degradation to be reversed.
- Conduct ecological research expedition in Zimbabwe.
Practical Implementations:
- Agroforesty nurseries
- Gully erosion control
- Desertification measures (contour bunds)
- Animal rising control
- Environmental Regeneration Programme
- A forestation
