Presidential aspirants urged to commit on Climate Change issues

By Timothy Bengo

As the country draws close to the 2019 tripartite polls, the Civil Society Network on climate change has voiced out its calls for political will expected for all those aspiring presidents and running mates on climate change issues.

The long awaited enactment of the climate change policy into law and increased resource allocation to government departments working on issues to do with climate change and the environment are some of the issues which presidential aspirants have been called for to look into seriously as they are preparing to form the next government.

CISONECC’s coordinator Julius Ng’oma said there has been lack of consistency in political will of the current administration though the climate change policy has been developed during the current administration.

“As a country we need to get serious about climate change, those who are getting into power should know that they will need to prioritize climate change issues, climate change policy was adopted but this is just a statement we don’t have an act which can help in enforcing provisions of the policy as a way of dealing away with organisations and individuals contributing to some climate change issues in Malawi” Ng’oma explained.

Ng’oma further said the current administration has shown less commitment to the devolution of powers for the government departments working in the climate change sector.

He said this has negatively affected the work of the ministries and departments in response to climate change.

Currently government ministries and departments working on climate change issues are only allocated money not more than 1 percent of the national budget.