Zambia’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the 2015 Agreement on climate change.

This Zambia’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) is a nationwide sectoral document developed in line with decisions 1/CP.19 and 1/CP.20 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It aims, by implementing ambitious mitigation and adaptation programs across the prioritized sectors, to reduce poverty, attainment low carbon climate resilient economy, sustainable development and become a high middle income and prosperous nation by 2030. An assessment undertaken as part of the INDC preparation for the mitigation component revealed that mitigation measures, aiming to reduce the CO2 emissions, converge into three programs which have both mitigation and adaptation effects (1) sustainable forest management; (2) sustainable agriculture; and (3) renewable energy and energy efficiency. Similarly, adaptation measures identified based on vulnerability assessment of seven key economic sectors (agriculture, water, forestry, energy, wildlife, infrastructure and health) comprise three goals that have strong synergies with mitigation. These are (1) adaptation of strategic productive systems (agriculture, forests, wildlife and water); (2) adaptation of strategic infrastructure and health systems; and (3) enhanced capacity building, research, technology transfer and finance.
To help eliminate hunger and increase food security, the document envisages this achievement (i) as a co-benefit of increased agricultural production resulting from a more sustainable use of irrigation; and (ii) through diversification and promotion of Climate Smart Agricultural (CSA) practices for crop, livestock and fisheries production including conservation of germplasm for land races and their wild relatives.
In order to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable, this INDC proposes (i) to develop conservation and smart agriculture leading to adaptation benefits and enhancing climate resilience; (ii) generation of electricity from agriculture waste; (iii) agroforestry, use of drought tolerant varieties, water use efficiency management and fertilizer use efficiency management; (iv) to promote livestock CSA practices through improved feed management, improved animal health, improved range land management and use of drought-tolerant breeds; (v) to promote sustainable aquaculture practices through improved water management, improved feeding regimes and use of appropriate stocks; (vi) protection and conservation of water catchment areas and enhanced investment in water capture, storage and transfer; (vii) to promote Sustainable Forest Management (SFM); (viii) to develop water technologies for savings, recycling, irrigation and sustainable management for household, agriculture and industrial purposes; (ix) forest enhancement including natural regeneration and afforestation/reforestation; (x) participatory forest management and forest fire management; and (xi) generation of electricity from forest waste and residue.
Rural poverty reduction will be tackled through (i) creation of job opportunities and alternative livelihoods due to the sustainable agriculture and forest management and the consequent improved productivity; (ii) increased rural household incomes from SMEs; and (iii) improvement of energy efficiency from grid extension to non-electrified rural areas.
To increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, main interventions are directed to (i) increasing hydrological systems resilience and reducing vulnerability; (ii) safeguarding infrastructure against climate change impacts; (iii) increasing health systems resilience and adaptive capacity; (iv) enhancing decentralized climate information services for early warning and long-term projections on the effects of climate change; (v) conduct training for farmers and technical staff on climate change planning; (vi) developing an insurance market against climate change induced risks related to agriculture and infrastructure; and (vii) mainstreaming climate change in the national policies and plans.