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Stephen Mpofu

It took rather too long to come, but our government’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan to mitigate the effects of climate change caused by global warming must be welcomed by all as every Zimbabwean and other people elsewhere in our global village are right now reeling under siege by climate change.

However, this communicologist humbly believes that the plan above would achieve greater effects against the global warming scourge if Zimbabweans and other people elsewhere on our continent were educated about the dos and don’ts in the fight against climate change which has left many hungry souls raising begging bowls to the world in a bid to keep body and soul together instead of some among the hungry ignorantly blaming God, as they no doubt do “laughing at us for causing drought” instead of drought-hit and hungry laughing at ourselves, God’s creation for engaging in activities that snatch food from our own mouths.

The Climate Change Adaptation Plan presented by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Cde Daniel Garwe, and accepted by Cabinet, emphasises the importance of building adaptive capacities within communities, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and enhancing the management of natural resources.

But surely, does that plan not put greater emphasis on the after-effects rather than on the causes of recurrent droughts affecting not only Zimbabweans but also other people elsewhere on our continent who also happen to be victims of climate change?

As such should not that plan teach and encourage Zimbabweans to desist from activities that contribute to the depletion of ozone, the layer that shields earth and with that human beings from dangerous rays of the sun which heats up Earth, causing global warming which results in droughts and food crop failures.

In 2019 Cyclone Idai, spawned by global warming, hit the eastern parts of Zimbabwe, mainly Chimanimani and parts of Chipinge, causing floods that destroyed homes, infrastructure and roads in their wake, sucking up huge rehabilitation costs.

It therefore becomes imperative for the law to wield the stick as a deterrent measure against people who hunt with veld fires or destroy forests in order to sell firewood particularly to people in urban areas or clear land for agriculture with fire.

Carbon gases in the smoke from the fires as well as from unmodified factory chimneys and coal plants that soar higher into atmosphere combine to erode ozone wafer thin and therefore un-protective to Earth against the sun’s dangerous heat waves, causing global warming and it’s after effects on human beings.

It therefore becomes imperative in this pen’s view for widespread educational campaigns, especially in rural areas where the majority of people are not all saturated with vital information from media such as radio, television and newspapers, in order for important knowledge to be spread against the effects of irresponsible human activities as stated above, which cause climate change and suffering among people.

SADC leaders currently in Zimbabwe for various important reasons must also agree actions to implement back home in their different countries on the need to educate the masses about and against activities that contribute to global warming and climate change.

The world body, the United Nations should on its part deter companies or people who practise activities that contribute to global warming and climate change.

As is the case in Zimbabwe today and elsewhere on the continent, vast sums of money meant for economic and social development are having to be spent on importation of food for the hungry back home and for whom small grains which they are encouraged to grow for their sustenance cannot survive recurring droughts due to global warming.

So let us Zimbabweans, and others affected by global warming put our houses in order and hope for the best which is certain to come in the end for everyone in our global village.

On Zimbabwe’s part, the law must raise the stick against rampant violators of the environment with the knowledge, for instance, that trees absorb and sink carbon gases to prevent them from corroding the ozone layer which shields Earth from dangerous rays of the sun that cause global warming and climate change.