SCOTLAND, Monday, 2nd November 2021- His Excellency Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia yesterday addressed world leaders at Glasgow’s COP26 climate change summit and affirmed Zambia’s willingness to support and work closely with the global community in resolving climate change.
And United Kingdom Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Boris Johnson told leaders and delegates that the “anger and the impatience of the world” would be uncontainable “unless we make this COP26 in Glasgow the moment that we get real about climate change”.
The President said Zambia is ready to reduce emissions by 47 percent if adequately supported by world leaders and global partners.
“Zambia is willing and ready to support your leadership and will work closely with the global community in resolving this challenge. In this regard, I am happy to report that prior to this summit in July 2021, Zambia submitted a revised and updated nationally determined contribution to the Paris agreement, spelling out the following ambitious efforts: we have pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% based on the 2010 levels by 2030 using a combination of our own domestic resources and other support that we have traditionally received,” he said.
President Hichilema said, “I am confident that together, we the global community of nations, will deliver the outcome that the world urgently needs for averting a climate crisis!”.
He said science is clear that the world only has a small window of opportunity to ensure that everyone collectively take decisive action and prevent the negative impact of climate change.
“For developing and vulnerable countries like Zambia, which is among the least developed countries with multiple challenges, climate change brings an additional layer of challenges and aggravates existing ones. Climate change makes it difficult for countries to effectively address several socio-economic challenges in order to lift citizens from high poverty levels,” he said.
“For the sake of humanity, a positive outcome from this conference is not an option but an absolute necessity. We are confident that the global community will share our sense of urgency, if there is any lesson we should learnt from the covid-19 pandemic, it is the need for our collaboration on this shared planet in order to secure our mutual safety and success,” he said.
The President said he was hopeful and confident that if the desired outcome from the COP-26 Summit is achieved, there should be clear, deep and real cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to be addressed by all countries with the developed countries taking the lead, adding there should adequate and predictable financing to enable developing countries to make impactful contributions to address this critical global challenge.
He further said “There is need for support with technologies and the capacities that the world needs to shift from carbon intensive development paths to low carbon green economies; placing a premium on adaptation measures and the support required to ensure that we safeguard the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable people on our planet and to protect natural ecosystems,
resolving the remaining technical bottlenecks that are delaying us from unleashing the full potential of the Paris Agreement.”
He said Zambia will expedite implementation of activities through development of bankable project proposals to enable the country to access the necessary financing.
“As I conclude, I wish to emphasise the need for us all to foster a sense of urgency as we work to give political momentum to our negotiators and encourage them to make good use of the next two weeks to give the world the outcome it needs from this conference. We have an obligation and noble task to deliver for our citizens, the much needed and desired changes to preserve this planet and safeguard our environment for future generations” he said.
Prince Charles, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sir David Attenborough, President Guy Parmelin, Switzerland, President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria, President Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghana
President Alberto Fernandez, Argentina, among other world leaders spoke at the meeting.
Issued by: Abigail Chaponda (Mrs.)
First Secretary | Press and Public Relations
Zambia High Commission in the United Kingdom
