Programmes

Get Involved

0772 57 1436

Climate and Environmental Justice

In the advent of climate change, climate justice is a framework that brings into view the intersection between climate change and the way social inequalities are experienced as structural violence. Climate justice has grown in public debate and grassroots campaigning over the past decade, where not-for-profits and environmental NGOs, in particular increasingly make the connection between human rights, uneven development and climate change. As such GGA advocates for climate and environmental justice through different activities. It is involved in environmental policy advocacy and reform to ensure that environmental governance is just and considers the specific needs of the most vulnerable in society. Moreover, GGA equips the youth and women with soft and hard skills in order to improve their adaptive capacity to the impacts of climate change.

Forest Conservation, Restoration and Carbon Credits

Forest restoration occupies centre stage in global conversations about carbon removal and biodiversity conservation, but recent research rarely acknowledges social dimensions or environmental justice implications related to its implementation. Approximately 294.5 million people live on tropical forest restoration opportunity land in the Global South, including 12{b9d63fd55f0bf0605a24511ae3fbf5c2f49fbb105da66ca44651fffcff9616ca} of the total population in low-income countries. Forest landscape restoration that prioritizes local communities by affording them rights to manage and restore forests provides a promising option to align global agendas for climate mitigation, conservation, environmental justice and sustainable development. Zimbabwe hosts some of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the world and is home to over 5,930 species of plants and over 1,360 animals. Forests currently cover around 45{b9d63fd55f0bf0605a24511ae3fbf5c2f49fbb105da66ca44651fffcff9616ca} of the country’s total land area, but deforestation is an increasingly pressing issue, resulting in forests disappearing at a frightening rate. As such, GGA creates platforms for project developers, governments, civil society and communities to dialogue on value-based climate mitigation economic alternatives.

Climate Change and Energy

One of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in Zimbabwe is the energy sector. The national electricity access in Zimbabwe is estimated at 40{b9d63fd55f0bf0605a24511ae3fbf5c2f49fbb105da66ca44651fffcff9616ca} with rural areas at 19{b9d63fd55f0bf0605a24511ae3fbf5c2f49fbb105da66ca44651fffcff9616ca}. Approximately 68{b9d63fd55f0bf0605a24511ae3fbf5c2f49fbb105da66ca44651fffcff9616ca} of the population lives in rural areas and the main source of energy is firewood. With an installed capacity of 2,342 MW comprising 55{b9d63fd55f0bf0605a24511ae3fbf5c2f49fbb105da66ca44651fffcff9616ca} thermal and 45{b9d63fd55f0bf0605a24511ae3fbf5c2f49fbb105da66ca44651fffcff9616ca} hydro energy, the country is unable to utilise its capacity due to limited access to water and fuel as well as ageing equipment. As such, GGA promotes the uptake of renewable energy in the country. It also disseminates information on the just energy transition to all relevant stakeholders in an effort to ensure that Zimbabwe complies with the commitments that it has made in its NDCs and LEDS and other energy, renewable energy and climate change domestic policies.

Natural Resource Governance

Zimbabwe’s mining sector is highly diversified, with close to 40 different minerals. The predominant minerals include platinum group metals (PGM), chrome, gold, coal, and diamonds. The country boasts the second-largest platinum deposit and high-grade chromium ores in the world, with approximately 2.8 billion tons of PGM and 10 billion tons of chromium ore. The global surge of critical minerals further makes Zimbabwe’s mining sector competitive as it holds the largest lithium mineral deposits in Africa at 11 million tons at the largest lithium mine in the country. The sector accounts for about 12{b9d63fd55f0bf0605a24511ae3fbf5c2f49fbb105da66ca44651fffcff9616ca} of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), and is set to potentially generate US$12 billion annually by 2023. As such, GGA promotes tax justice in the mining sector through data-driven advocacy. We stand for the transparent utilization of mining revenue for the equitable benefit of local communities. Furthermore, we also subscribe to the local value-addition of critical minerals to support the nation’s energy transition potential.