Africa-Press – Zambia. The Wildlife and Environmental Council of Zambia (WECSZ) has launched a series of climate action dialogues across Itezhi Tezhi district to assist ordinary people in addressing the climate emergency.
Community dialogues are activities of the Community Coined Climate Actions (CoCCOA) project, which is part of the Voices for Justice Action (VCA) programme funded through World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
The dialogues provide a platform for the vulnerable and marginalised groups to participate in climate action by capturing and amplifying their voices on climate change issues and how they can best be included in climate action.
The CoCCA Project envisions locally coordinated and co-created climate actions, as well as alternative livelihoods, for visible and inclusive community participation in climate change mitigation in the Itezhi Tezhi district.
Itezhi Tezhi Town Council Chairperson, Oliver Sitengu, stated at the official start of the dialogues held in Itezhi Tezhi that climate change is a serious issue that requires everyone’s attention.
Mr. Sitengu stated that climate change will destroy people’s livelihoods if no serious action is taken soon. “As we talk about climate change, let us tell our stories and offer local solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change in Itezhi Tezhi,” Mr. Sitengu said.
Mr. Sitengu has since praised the organisers for promoting the inclusion of vulnerable and marginalised communities in the fight against climate change. Meanwhile, Flora Moono, a resident of chief Mbila’s area, stated that climate change effects have harmed women more than men.
Mrs. Moono said effects of climate change have affected her crop production this year as floods washed away the fertiliser in her field during the previous rain season, destroying the crops she had planted.
She said floods also destroyed the bridges that connects her village to Mbila Rural Health Centre. “The bridges were destroyed by the floods, so we could not get to the hospital,” Ms. Moono explained.
Mr. Anderson Namanjele, who represented people with disabilities, stated that people who are differently abled have suffered more as result of climate change.
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