Zimbabwe and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change:

Home Page	The Convention	National Communication	National Coordination	National Legislation
	National Resources	Activities	Miscellaneous	National Focal Point

• Ministry of Environment and Tourism (The Permanent Sectretary is also the Chairperson, and the coordinator for the Capacity Building Project (Dr Toddy Ngara) is the National Coordinator
  
• Department of Meteorological Services
  
• Department of Energy
  
• Ministry of Agriculture
  
• Conferderation of Zimbabwe Industries
  
• Southern Centre for Energy and Environment (who developed this site)
  
• ZERO
  
• Department of Natural Resources
  
• National Economic Planing Commission and
  
• the local UNDP/GEF office.
  

The effectiveness of the DNR has been reduced by budgetary constraints, and by the fact that agencies which monitor environmental issues are fragmented (for example water and air pollution are monitored by other agencies). However, as it reaches full capacity in manpower, all monitoring units may be carried out by the DNR.

The DNPWM has the responsibility for the management of parks and wildlife, and for the sustainable use of animal resources. The well known CAMPFIRE program (Communal Area Management Program for indigenous Resources) has been quite successful in involving communal area farmers in widlife managment. This program has facilitated sustainable wildlife production, and reduced the degradation of land by offering a viable alternative to the farmer. It is also important to note that revenue generated by the CAMPFIRE program is ploughed back to the local community and utilized in accordance with community-identified development priorities.

The Forestry Commission is promoting rural afforestation, and finally the two Boards, NRB and PWB act as a link between the legislators on the one hand and the Ministry and its departments on the other.

The Ministry of lands Agriculture and Rural Resettlement (MLARR) implements its mandate in agriculture through Agriculture, Technical and Extension Service (AGRITEX). AGRITEX has several thousand extension workers all over the country, and through its extension work, land use planning and soil and water conservation are emphasised. MLARR has therefore considerable influence on environmental matters. AGRITEX is also in the process of establishing its own Soil and Water Conservation Unit.

The Ministry of Local Government Urban and Rural Development (MLGURD) is responsible for community development in a broad sense through the Department of Rural Development. In practice their function tends to overlap with that of AGRITEX. MLGURD is further in charge of working with the district and local authority system, through the Development Committees on the district, ward and village levels respectively. This is intended to encourage a bottom-up approach, but the influence of the traditional leadership which historically has been responsible for land allocation, has been reduced significantly. Views expressed by the Village Development Committees (VIDCO) are not systematically taken into account by decision makers on the district and national levels. MLGURD also controls the District Development Fund (DDF) whic is used for the construction of rural roads.

The Ministry of Community and Cooperative Development (MCCD) is the only ministry to be represented at the local level through the Village Development Worker (VDW). The VDWs are not sufficiently trained to address environmental issues, but call upon AGRITEX for assistance. They function through the VIDCO, which generally lack the necessary decision making power concerning resource utilisation.

Other ministries responsible for enviornmentally related matters include: The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources and Development (MEWRD) which implements the Water Act, and gives advice on issues related to surface and ground water. The Ministry of Health provides health services to urban and rural communities, and monitors health related practices in industry. Finally, the Ministry of Roads works with the construction of state roads, which have important impacts upon the environment.

In addition to the above government institutions there are several Non-Governmental Organsiations (NGOs) in the country that are active in environmental work. According to the Directory of NGOs in Zimbabwe prepared by the National Association of NGOs (NANGO), there are over 180 organisations active in the country, many of which are involved in resource management in the communal areas. They have done an important job in mobilising people in the rural areas, but NGOs in Zimbabwe nevertheless will require considerable assistance if they are to be effective in the long term. This would include financial and institutional support as well as environmental training of NGO staff.

Environmental subjects have been included at both the primary and secondary levels of education in Zimbabwe, although environmental science is not yet an integral part of the curriculum in Teachers Training Colleges. At the university level there is no "pure" environmental science course, but environmental concerns are discussed as part of a number of courses offered. In-service environmental training is also expected to be strengthened.

In 1986 the Research Council of Zimbabwe was established through an Act of Parliament (Research Act). Environmental work is carried out primarily through the Committee of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and workshops on environmental problems are held regularly. The Council coordinates and reviews national research by working closely with the Unviersity of Zimbabwe and other research institutions.

Environmental awareness in Zimbabwe is generally high, and there is a relatively high degree of commuity participation in government and NGO programs. Public awareness campaigns combined with fairly stringent law enforcement date back to the 1930s. These campaigns have since remained important, and in 1987 the country's National Conservation Strategy (NCS) was formulated. However, for several reasons the NCS has not been sufficiently incorporated in Zimbabwe's National Development Plan. This is partly due to the lack of a specific action plan for the NCS, and the government is now considering the development of an Environmental Action Plan, or some similar initiative. Regardless of what is finally decided, it is clear that the NCS may form a valuable foundation for thenew initiative.

Such a Plan would address more general institutional weaknesses, for example the fragmentation of government agencies responsible for enforcing environmental policies. At present too many government departments and sectoral interests have independent mandates to enforce those aspects of environmental legislation pertaining to their own developmen objectives. In addition to the problem of coordinating existing laws, an Action Plan would work toward the establishment of an umbrella organisation responsible for cordination of all environmental matters, and with the overall responsibility of ensuring the formulation and enforcement of legislation on the environment. A more coherent national environmental policy contained in a single piece fo legislation could then be developed. The ultimate aim would be to bridge the gap between economic development and environmental management.