Baseline Report on Economic Development and Climate Change

ii Foreword Climate change poses new risks to the existing challenges of tackling poverty and promoting economic growth and human development in Zimbabwe. To simultaneously address these challenges, Zimbabwe is developing a coordinated National Climate Change Response Strategy that cuts across the different sectors of the economy and society. The development of such a policy and institutional framework must be based on sound analysis of existing evidence of the effects of climate change on key economic sectors. This will in turn guide the design and implementation of climate compatible policies that contribute to sustainable economic growth and poverty eradication in Zimbabwe. This Baseline Report sets out the foundation for contributing to the development of a coordinated national climate change and development strategy that is in line with Zimbabwe’s broad policy objectives on economic growth and poverty reduction, outlined in the Medium Term Plan (MTP) 2011–2015. One of the key objectives of the MTP is to promote climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies in social and economic development at national and sectoral levels. This Baseline Report is an important first step in contributing to the achievement of this objective, at both practical and policy levels. The priorities for technical assistance, research and policy implementation identified in this Report should form a basis for further discussion among key stakeholders, with the view of obtaining broad-based participation in the prioritisation and implementation of agreed policy objectives and programmes. Government will use this Report to develop and implement relevant policies and programmes on climate change and development