A report by the Malawi Economic Justice Network (Mejn) has faulted authorities for providing inadequate resources to climate-related activities.
Results of the report, titled ‘Climate Governance Status in Malawi’, were presented in Lilongwe Monday.
Among other things, the report says the first 10-year Malawi Implementation Plan (MIP-1) has set aside K31 billion to cater for climate-related activities in the 10 years up to 2030.
But the report says the damage caused by climate change in one year alone, through Tropical Cyclone Freddy, is estimated at K750 billion.
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According to the study, budget statements presented to Parliament for the past three financial years have not prioritised climate change activities
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It notes that allocations to climate-related projects are usually indicated within the budgetary share of the agricultural sector.
Furthermore, the study says two crucial programmes were identified, namely natural resources and environmental management as well as disaster preparedness, relief and rehabilitation.
“The Malawi Implementation Plan (MIP- 1) depicts the commitment of Government of Malawi to spend around K31 billion on environmental sustainability from 2021 to 2030
“The total amounts on ORT [Other Recurrent Transactions] for those two programmes in a period of three years go at around K1.9 billion. There is only one project indicated to have been implemented around climate change, by the Environmental Department, which was to do with waste management in all cities. The project was costed at K1.9 billion but Public Sector Investment programme allocated financing to the tune of K250 million only in 2017,” the report reads.
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Mejn Executive Director Bertha Phiri said they were compelled to do the study to assess government investment in climate change-related activities, particularly looking at commitments that the government has made on the global scene.
Phiri said they wanted to assess how committed the government has been to commitments it has made.
“The investment does not much the damage that climate change has caused to Malawi,” Phiri said.
A member of the Natural Resources and Climate Change Committee of Parliament Esther Jolobala agreed with the observation, and said there is a need for the authorities to commit more resources towards climate change mitigation and adaptation activities.
“Time has come for the Executive arm of the government to consult Parliament before making any commitment at global level,” she said.
