Zambia as we know it – as
stated in the draft National Policy on Environment (1995)…
Zambia has
an area of 752,614 km2 located at an altitude between 2,164 and
350m with a most equable climate, largely on the Central African
Plateau, with four major biomes consisting of forest, woodland,
grassland and aquatic systems. These encompass large parts of
the Zambezi and Congo drainage systems and it is thus probably
the best watered country in Africa. It is endowed with a wealth
of natural resources within 16 ecosystems with landscapes that
include extensive forests, grassy plains, hills and steep
escarpments; huge lakes and rivers, deep valleys and
ecologically rich wetlands together with areas of anthropic
origin such as cropland, plantation forests and urban
settlements.
All
development programmes are undertaken against this environmental
background and depend to some extent upon natural resources.
Above all, the country is mainly a primary commodity producer of
non-renewable resources that require special care, management
and application. It is within this context that, with planned
economic growth, the ensuing increase in resource utilisation
can only be sustained through application of a national policy
to protect and manage the environment. The country at present
faces daunting challenges of de-forestation at the rate of 250-
300 thousand ha per year; land degradation in many places
verging on desertification; wildlife depletion especially in the
protected areas and all accompanied by soil erosion, loss of
productivity, inadequate sanitation and air and water
pollution.
The
relationship between widespread poverty, with a national mean of
around 73% of the population living below the poverty line
determined by the Central Statistical Office, 1997 and
environmental degradation, is clear since 62% of the population
lives within the rural areas where dependence upon natural
resources for livelihood is on the increase.
For
example, some 60% of the total land area is covered by forest.
Most of it is degraded through deforestation, encroachment and
uncontrolled bush fires2. This situation has developed mainly as
a result of long- established inappropriate policies that tend
to discourage forest management and appear to favour other forms
of land use, very often at the expense of forests.
The
population is growing at the rate of about 2.9% per annum which,
without sufficient public awareness and control, contributes
further to a vicious circle of increasing poverty and increasing
depletion of resources.
This
central issue is compounded by limited understanding of
environmental problems, a weak administrative and legal
framework and breakdown of traditional values and practices
which previously ensured a high degree of social responsibility
and equitable sharing of resources within a natural equilibrium.
There are
11 government ministries involved in environmental affairs (9 of
these have policies that include concern for environmental
matters, some of which is extremely scanty). There are over 33
sets of legislation affecting the environment, much of which is
inadequate. Zambia has a dualistic legal framework and is
signatory to 21 international conventions on environment. Yet
it is without a single over-arching institutional arrangement,
institution or policy mandated for integration and collaboration
over these issues of national importance.
Deficiencies reflect a historical sector approach to
legislation that includes inadequate incorporation of
international standards within national legislation; that apart
from forestry, water and wildlife sectors, there is little
provision for involvement of local communities in the
implementation and enforcement of related legislation; lack of
intra and inter-sectoral institutional arrangements and few
coordination mechanisms for effective integration of
legislation. The Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ), created
in 1992 through the Environmental Protection and Pollution
Control Act No. 12 of 1990, has not been able to bring into
being the necessary nationwide collaboration in environmental
and natural resources management largely through lack of
resources.
Environment has an estimated budget allocation within the
Transitional National Development Plan of less than 1% of the
total. There is thus a clear requirement to appropriate
additional financial resources for environmental purposes and in
particular to strengthen the ECZ.
Current
shortfalls include ineffectual mechanisms for community-based
natural resources management. This makes prospects for
maintaining environmental integrity bleak and efforts for
poverty reduction and sustainable development seriously
impaired. Lack of formal inter-sectoral links and limited
up-to-date baseline data further hinder the process. In
addition, at a higher level, there are limited national
guidelines for effective integration of international
environmental conventions into the country's environment and
natural resources management efforts.
Management
of trans-boundary conservation of natural resources, whilst
being accepted as a key pillar in ecosystem management is not
well supported. There is insufficient provision in development
programmes for environmental education and promotion of gender
equity through inclusion of gender-related activities in project
activities and national agendas and work plans. Enhancement of
private sector participation in environmental and natural
resources management, also receives insufficient support.
