In April this year, roughly 146.5 million Indians were exposed to an extreme heatwave with temperatures hitting a sweltering 47℃. In Europe, provisional estimates of excess mortality across Europe exceeded 30,000 people over the summer, with approximately 16,000 excess deaths estimated during the 22–28 June heatwave alone. A few months later, a Himalayan glacier collapsed…
Staff Writer The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has urged governments and financiers to move from pledges to funded execution as Africa faces an annual US$246 billion climate funding shortfall. Speaking at the Africa Pavilion during the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, UNECA Executive Secretary Claver Gatete warned that global climate initiatives risk…
Bongi Khumalo Zimbabwe will centre its COP31 agenda on securing predictable adaptation funding, operationalising loss and damage support, and unlocking green technology transfers, placing climate finance at the core of its national position. The climate change conference, scheduled for November 9 to 20 in Antalya, Türkiye, will bring together governments under the United Nations Framework…
Bongi Khumalo The government is banking on a six-pillar drought mitigation strategy to shield the country from an anticipated El Niño-induced dry spell during the 2026/27 agricultural season. The multi-pronged plan focuses on strengthening national grain reserves, expanding climate-smart agricultural techniques, unlocking dedicated agricultural financing, and protecting livestock assets. The intervention also encompasses strategic grain…
Staff Writer The 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) concluded with global consensus on key biodiversity governance, benefit-sharing, and conservation-financing frameworks. The two-week summit, held in Yerevan, Armenia, saw developing nations successfully push for equitable access to environmental revenue streams and local governance protections. Throughout the summit, Zimbabwe’s…
Staff Writer Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube says the government is mobilising funding and exploring insurance mechanisms to prepare for an anticipated El Niño, as it seeks to cushion the economy against climate-related shocks. El Niño is a recurring climate phenomenon driven by warming sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. The…
Staff Writer Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube says Zimbabwe’s economy is projected to moderate to 3.5% in 2027 from an estimated 5% in 2026, with the anticipated El Niño and associated drought risks expected to weigh on economic performance. Speaking at the 2027 Pre-Budget Seminar, Ncube highlighted the expected weather shock as a key factor behind…
Staff Writer Authorities say more than 2.2 million cattle in Zimbabwe are projected to be at risk from drought in 2027, prompting the government to expand livestock mitigation measures as the country prepares for a predicted El Niño. The government estimates that 2,236,203 cattle could be affected, according to the Acting Minister of Information Paul…
Staff Writer Zimbabwe is targeting 16 million Pfumvudza/Intwasa conservation farming plots in the 2026/27 agricultural season as the country prepares for a predicted super El Niño that could threaten crop production. According to Cabinet, 7,6 million plots had been established, representing 47.52% of the target and covering 475,203 hectares. The programme’s expansion is part of…
Staff Writer Zimbabwe is stepping up preparations for the 2026/27 agricultural season, with the government warning that a predicted El Niño and rising fuel and fertiliser costs could threaten agricultural production, food security and rural livelihoods. Cabinet approved an updated 2026/27 Summer Plan incorporating the Drought Plan on Tuesday, as authorities seek to strengthen the…
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