Zambia grapples with the fallout of climate change
In Zambia, a country heavily reliant on rainfall, the ongoing climate crisis starkly highlights the urgent need for sustainable solutions and international support.
Georgina Gustin reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- Zambia faces a dire food security crisis, with significant crop failures due to insufficient rainfall and extreme heat.
- The nation's energy supply is also threatened, leading to enforced power outages, further straining its economy and development progress.
- Efforts to adapt to these challenges include adopting climate-smart agriculture and seeking international assistance for loss and damage due to climate change.
Key quote:
"We are suffering because the climate has changed. We have never suffered a drought like this."
— Collins Nzovu, head of Zambia's Ministry for Green Economy and Environment
Why this matters:
Zambia faces a series of climate-related challenges, including extreme weather events, erratic rainfall patterns leading to both drought and flooding, and significant impacts on agriculture, which is the backbone of its economy and the livelihood of many of its citizens.
Every day that goes by in which wealthy nations fail to hold themselves accountable for achieving net zero reductions is a declaration that they don’t care if developing nations drown or dry up.
