Zimbabwe
United Nations Environment Programme
Renewable Energy
Miranda Cascione and Meher Ahmad
Carmel High School
Universal depletion of the earth’s non-renewable fossil fuels for transportation, electricity
generation and heating and cooling has placed the world communities in a precarious position.
Many nations are racing to address the negative results of fossil fuel exhaustion, such as their
damaging effects on the environment, as they send greenhouse gases into the air, exacerbating
the process of global warming, and the resultant air, water and soil pollution. However, not all
communities have the financial or technological capital essential for the development of
innovative renewable energy solutions. Those who live in these communities are many times too
dependent upon the few dollars a day they receive for their backbreaking work to allot a portion
of their hard-earned money to environment friendly energy novelties. Therefore, the world
community is moving neither forward or backward as it addresses the clash between cost barriers
of the pocketbook and the cost-tolerance of the environment. To the disadvantage of the
environment, the difficulties of switching to new systems of energy can be daunting for public
policy in politics, provoke social dynamics and abet economic setbacks in the public sector as
well as with private finances. Without neglecting these deterrents for immediate universal
adoption of renewable energy methods, the ample insufficiencies with the current and extensive
abuse of harmful fossil fuels and the consequential urgent need to investigate and produce
satisfactory techniques to utilize renewable energy sources must be addressed without delay.
Zimbabwe’s government has acknowledged the dire situation of the world’s environment
and the immediate need for renewable energy options. Beyond this recognition, however, the
nation has been slow to implement advantageous substitutes for harmful fossil fuels. Previous
UN actions, including the formation of RETS to identify barriers to use of renewable energy
technologies in Egypt, Ghana and Zimbabwe and to propose innovative ways to scale these
barriers, have determined significant difficulties for those in Zimbabwe trying to lead the country
towards environmentally healthy energy policies. Zimbabwe’s primary difficulties arise from
inadequate institutional and financial capacity necessary to address environmental issues.
Without the money and the willing investors, the country can not begin to develop or institute
new methods of energy use. Other problems include a lack of government policy support, a lack
of information dissemination and consumer awareness and the difficulties of overcoming
established energy systems. Even with the money and investments needed, however, the people
of Zimbabwe would still be dependent upon fossil fuels for heat, electricity and transportation
because of the inadequate workforce, skills and training present. These barriers all significantly
slow down a Zimbabwe that is willing and eager to cooperate with the global community and
make environmentally healthy energy choices.
To improve the situation in Zimbabwe, Africa and the world as a whole, a cooperative
plan for youth education and adult training must be implemented. Without the scientific
knowledge, public support and work force needed, energy operations are slow to develop. In
Zimbabwe, an especially mobile and displaced labor population needs incentive to remain in the
country and work in native plants. To attract workers, countries such as Zimbabwe, can offer
training in plant operations and energy information. Along with adult training, environmental
education for youth can be the catalyst for public support of energy substitutes and for greater
environmental awareness among the people. To encourage investment, a country such as
Zimbabwe must have initial financial capital. Once provided with this financial support, the
nation can develop technologies such as distributed generation systems. These systems are
small-scale power generator technologies that provide electricity with low pollution, higher
efficiency and most importantly, they burn cleaner fuels, such as sunlight, wind and natural gas.
The implementation of such systems would encourage further investment in these communities,
providing resources for further renewable energy development. The initial financial support,
however, must come from outside sources. Governments of more developed countries can
provide tax incentives for those businesses that invest in environmental solutions in lesserdeveloped countries, therefore encouraging big business to extend their resources around the
world. Tax incentives, youth education and work force training provide viable options for the
world governments to take part in the global movement to lessen our dependence upon depleting
and harmful fossil fuels and embrace more positive ventures in renewable energy sources.
Zimbabwe
UNEP
Climate Change
Meher Ahmad and Miranda Cascione
Carmel High School
Zimbabwe is faced with several critical problems in relation to climate change. The
already vulnerable region has been affected greatly by recent weather trends. Deviation from the
mean of rainfall in the past 10 years has been the greatest in 90 years, and rainfall has been
steadily decreasing. Zimbabwe’s tropical climate is also at threat, with deforestation increasing
by 16 percent in the past 10 years. From 1990 to 2005 alone, 21 percent of Zimbabwe’s forest
cover eroded. The country’s dependence on its rainforest region for fertile soil is also notable.
Zimbabwe’s major exports include tobacco, tea, cotton, sugar cane and millet, all of which are
dependent on fertile soil.
Rapid deforestation is leading to an increase in overworked lands and poor soil quality in
many of Zimbabwe’s agricultural regions. Climate change in this region has been dramatic and
will only worsen the poor soil in the farming regions. Control of the farming lands as well as
grazing rights is crucial in decreasing deforestation. Recent reorganization of land grants created
by the government of Zimbabwe has spread farmers and agricultural workers to less forested
areas, but in turn has caused further deforestation. Various organizations such as the Zimbabwe
Environmental Research Organization have attempted to stimulate forest growth, but their
introduction of the eucalyptus tree has proven to be controversial, since foreign pests and plants
are one of the major factors of deforestation and soil erosion. Poor mining techniques have also
caused major soil erosion, with excess chemicals in the soil.
In order to combat soil erosion and deforestation, it is necessary that Zimbabwe take
steps to reverse the damage that has been occurring. Although the country cannot control lack of
rainfall and a more arid climate, it can control the reaction to such climate changes. The first of
these changes would be to rethink the spread of agriculture. Farming and grazing can be
restricted to prevent further deforestation. Poor mining techniques can also be avoided,
preventing further soil pollution. The UNEP can take steps to stop the deterioration of
Zimbabwe’s environment by funding alternate methods which are more beneficial to the soil and
forest of the region.
The sudden climate change Southern Africa is experiencing can wipe out the crucial
environmental assets this region has. With average rainfall steadily decreasing, paired with
increasing temperatures, the environment can quickly deteriorate. Steps need to be taken to
prevent the deforestation and soil erosion taking place in Zimbabwe.