National Policy on Climate Change for Namibia 2010.

The main purpose of the national climate change policy of Namibia is to provide the legal framework and overarching national strategy for the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of climate change mitigation and adaptation activities. The policy promotes the enhancement of synergies amongst sectors and stakeholders for effective and efficient mitigation and adaptation responses to climate change in Namibia. In addition, the policy facilitates identification of sector and cross-cutting climate change strategies and actions for implementation to lower Namibia’s overall risks, and the risks of the most vulnerable groups and sectors. The policy also provides legal basis for resource mobilisation to address climate change adaptation and mitigation (pag. 16).
Namibia has significantly lowered the vulnerability of its population and sectors to predicted climate change impacts, through the adoption and successful implementation of appropriate and effective climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in line with Namibia’s National Development Goals and Vision 2030. Namibia is significantly vulnerable to negative impacts of climate change as more than half of the population relies on natural resources and the environment for food and income; The predicted impacts for Namibia are likely to be severe on the natural and human environments. The events will include extreme droughts, increased variability in rainfall, and increased rates of soil erosion, to name a few; To adequately address climate change as a challenge and respond in a timely, effective and appropriate manner Namibia needs to explore adaptation and mitigation approaches relevant to different sectors, the situation on the ground, and in line with the objectives stated in Vision 2030. The commercial fishing and fish processing sectors significantly contribute to the economy in terms of employment, export earnings, and contribution to GDP. The Namibian Government has actively pursued value-addition policies aimed to increase onshore processing of fish products. Aquaculture has not performed as expected due to lack financing. Freshwater aquaculture is promoted to increase food security in rural areas while mariculture exploits the lucrative markets of Asia (pag. 11).
Climate change will negatively impact food security and the natural resource base in Namibia. In particular, the poor and vulnerable, especially women and children will be severely affected. The National Climate Change Policy considers climate change issues that affect food security and the sustainable resource base in Namibia very important (pags. 17 and 18). Given Namibia’s vulnerability to climate change, the National Climate Change Policy recognises the need to the prioritise climate change issues and integrate climate change into sectoral policies, as well mainstreaming climate change into development planning to ensure that it is addressed at appropriate levels at all times (pag. 23). The policy recognises the need to mainstream gender, child welfare and vulnerable groups into climate change responses at local, regional and national levels. This mainstreaming shall be integrated into existing policies and laws and shall be led by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare with support from other government agencies (pag. 24).
The objectives proposed for the Namibia Climate Change Policy are: Objective 1: To develop and implement appropriate strategies and actions that will lower the vulnerability of Namibians and various sectors to the impacts of climate change. Objective 2: To integrate climate change effectively into existing policy, institutional and development frameworks in recognition of the cross-cutting nature of climate change. Objective 3: To enhance capacities and synergies at local, regional and national levels and at individual, institutional and systemic levels to ensure successful implementation of climate change response activities. Objective 4: To provide through Government, secure and adequate funding resources for the effective adaptation and mitigation investments to climate change and associated activities (e.g. capacity building, awareness generation, etc.). Objective 5: To facilitate climate proof development to reduce the magnitude and extent of impacts of climate change (pags. 25 and 26).
Namibia’s Vision 2030, launched in June 2004, provides long-term alternative policy scenarios on the future course of development in the country at different points in time until the target year of 2030. One of the long-term aims of Vision 2030 is available clean water, and productive and healthy natural wetlands with rich biodiversity. The climate change policy will contribute to realisation of Vision 2030 goals through achievements that shall ensue from adoption and successful implementation of appropriate and effective climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. In particular, it is anticipated that adaptation to climate change will avert impacts that would otherwise hinder reduction in poverty and improvement of human health and standard of living (pag. 27).
The goal of disaster risk management in Namibia is to contribute to the attainment of sustainable development in line with Namibia’s Vision 2030 through strengthening national capacities to reduce and build community resilience to disasters by 2015. Namibia risk management is committed to international risk reduction initiatives such as the Hyogo Framework for Action and the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction. The disaster risk management strategy recognises disaster risk reduction as a frontline defence in adapting to impacts of climate change. Disaster reduction and risk management are included in the National Climate Change Policy (pag. 21).