by Costa Chisvo
Zimbabwe is the first country to organise a national response to the United Nations Earth Summit which took place in June in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The conference, entitled “Zimbabwe Environmental Action for Survival: Conservation for Sustainable Development”, was held in Harare earlier this month. It brought together representatives from government, universities, farming sector, Church groups, women’s movements, Non-Governmental Organisations and youth.
Delegates discussed the Earth Summit’s Agenda 21, a comprehensive document which provides a
blueprint for global action on all areas related to the environment. The conference organisers were putting Agenda 21 in context, identifying key sections and tailoring them to meet the needs of Zimbabwe.
Prior to the conference a national environmental survey was carried out by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. The survey was meant to prioritise environmental concerns and to link Agenda 21 in a functional way to Zimbabwe’s National Conservation Strategy.
“We do not live in a vacuum,” the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Herbert Murerwa, said in his official opening speech.
Among the external environmental impacts on Zimbabwe is the flow of Mozambican refugees who add pressure to the already burdened forest resources.
“Our priority is to improve the quality of life for our people by meeting their basic needs. We must transform Agenda 21 into an action oriented document,” said Murerwa.
Poverty featured prominently on Agenda 21 as a significant cause of environmental decline. Of particular concern are the rural poor, squatters, mine labourers, refugees and impoverished farm workers who have no alternative but to damage the environment in their attempts to support themselves by cutting trees and panning for gold.
Minister Murerwa said that the developed countries of the North should take a lead in providing financial assistance. “Without adequate financial supportAgenda 21 will remain words on paper.” he said.
For a country like Zimbabwe whose economy is already burdened by constraints such as debt servicing there is little left to take care of pressing environmental issues. A critical requirement is a firm commitment by the North to work out bilateral and multilateral agreements with the South.
Speakers from many sectors of society underlined the role of poverty in environmental destructiob and the need for action.
Gary Magadzire of the Zimbabwe Farmers Union was more worried about gold panners whom he said had come into direct conflict with farmers, causing severe environmental destruction.
‘Miners usually mine underground and farmers farm at the surface. But suddenly gold panners arc mining
from the surface.’ he complained.
Magadzire also emphasised the urgent need for action. “We should move away from talking about things and start doing things,” he added.
The Confederation of Zimbabwean Industries (CZI) established an Environment and Energy Standing Committee in June 1992 which consists of representatives of CZI, major indu:Hrial companies and government ministries. Clearly outlined in their environmental policy statement is the desire by the CZI to support sound environmental practices particularly in the manufacturing sector.
Some delegates felt that the industrial sector should go further than this. It was surprising that the
business community did not mention financial pledges to assist the environmental protection efforts.
P. Munonyara of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches put women in the forefront of the environment and called for their full inlegration into the development process. Women are traditionally the hewers of wood and fetchers of water in rural areas. They are in most cases directly responsible for the environment in the country side.
“We are convinced that Agenda 21 will not be implemented successfully and effectively if women are not put in the forefront of environmental activities,” said Munonyara.
The conference did not forget the youth. The reason was eloquently explained by Patrick Manhuwa a member of the Zimbabwe National Students’ Union.
“Any nation that suppresses the perspectives of the young is along the road to a slow death,” said Manhuwa. “Peace is not only the absence of war. There is no peace as long as there is hunger and
poverty.”
University of Zimbabwe students are already playing a crucial role in society by participating in community projects in rural areas during their vacations. This is in line with Chapter 25 of Agenda 21.
One important aspect of the conference was the organising of delegates into working groups to discuss specific questions related to Agenda 21. These workshops set the stage for voices which might otherwise have remained unheard.
The workshops created a platform for every participant to discuss some of the pressing environmental concerns. At the end of the workshops the views of the delegates were presented during the plenary sessions.
The conference was marked by a high spirit of participation and willingness to learn among the delegates.
Professor Chris Chetsanga of the University of Zimbabwe called for a programme of study on climate and climatic change. With plans already underway to establish an Institute on Environmental Studies at the University of Zimbabwe such goals can be reached.
Some delegates were cynical about the results of the meeting.
“In 1987 Zimbabwe produced a National Conservation Strategy document. But here we are five years later and absolutely nothing has been done about the document,” said one delegate. Other delegates expressed the need to reconcile environmental protection with economic growth. (SARDC)
