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Policy and Practice
Around Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Malawi
In July
2008, the Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy signed a Memorandum
of Understanding with Action Aid International Malawi. The main objective
of the partnership is to influence policy and practice around disaster risk
reduction and climate change adaptation in Malawi.
Activities
Under the
memorandum of understanding, CEPA is carrying out the following activities
· Conducting research, publishing and disseminating findings for
policy lobbying on climate change and disaster risk reduction linked with
other thematic areas;
· Coordinating through the Civil Society Climate Change Network a
scooping study for climate change institutions and players in Malawi;
· Coordinating through the Civil Society Climate Change Network
organization of two national climate change capacity building workshops;
· Conducting research and facilitating development of a civil society
model policy position on disaster risk reduction policy and legislative
framework on disaster risk reduction and climate change; and
· Conducting a review of existing international commitments on climate
change and disaster risk reduction to which Malawi signed or ratified and
the status of implementation
Conducting
research, publish and disseminate findings for policy lobbying on climate
change and disaster risk reduction linked with other thematic areas
CEPA has partnered with Action Aid International Malawi to initiate
lobbying for the Government of Malawi (GoM) to develop and implement an
integrated policy that incorporates disaster risk reduction into climate
change adaptation activities in the agricultural, educational and
infrastructural sectors. The main
objective of this activity is to engage the GoM in a dialogue that will
facilitate putting in place policy and planning processes that integrate
disaster risk reduction into development and encourage improved standards
of community participation, accountability and access to information and justice in the climate change
adaptation agenda.
Coordinating through the Civil Society Climate
Change Network a scooping study for climate change institutions and players
in Malawi
Over the
past ten years the country has undertaken several initiatives including
development of policies and strategies that address issues of climate
change and natural resources in relation to sustainable development and
rural livelihood. Due to the complexity of climate change issues a number
of institutions including government have been responding to the needs of
the impacted victims both on short term and long term interventions.
However, there has been a lack of collective voice to respond and address
climate change and disaster management in Malawi. In most instances, each
institution responds according to its programmatic framework.
On the other
hand, there has been lack of collaboration amongst institutions working on
climate change and disaster management in Malawi due to lack of a lead
institution or network to facilitate the collaboration. As such in February
2008, a stakeholders planning workshop was organized to facilitate the
establishment of a Civil Society Network on Climate Change in Malawi. Its
mandate is to facilitate collaboration and provide policy positions to
relevant stakeholders including government on climate change and disaster
risk management.
Coordinating
through the Civil Society Climate Change Network organization of two
national climate change capacity building workshops
Over the
past ten years the country has undertaken several initiatives including
development of policies and strategies that address issues of climate
change and natural resources in relation to sustainable development and
rural livelihood. Due to the complexity of climate change issues a number
of institutions including government have been responding to the needs of
the impacted victims using various interventions. However, capacity to
implement climate change and disaster management is varied. In most
instances there has been limited understanding of disaster risk reduction
and prevention strategies as opposed to the traditional disaster relief
based response.
Conducting
research and facilitating development of a civil society model policy
position on disaster risk reduction policy and legislative framework on
disaster risk reduction and climate change
Malawi has
experienced a number of adverse climatic hazards over the last several
decades. The most serious have been dry spells, seasonal droughts, intense
rainfall, riverine and flush floods. Climate change policy and national
adaptation measures are critical to sustainable livelihoods. Malawi does
not have a specific climate change policy. Climate change and disaster risk
reduction policy issues are scattered in a number of natural resources
management related policies and legislation. It is also important to note
that many of the policy instruments and measures for adaptation to climate
change were however developed and adopted with little or no contributions
from local communities they are intended to serve. In many cases the
policies do not effectively integrate rural survival and coping mechanisms
or the knowledge that has been built up over the years which have enabled
rural communities to survive the effects of climate change. In order to
effectively integrate policy and adaptation measures to local needs and
realities, there is need to develop local capacity and empowerment in
policy dialogue and implementation from which lessons can be learned to
improve policy making and implementation both at national and local levels.
Conducting a
review of existing international commitments on climate change and disaster
risk reduction to which Malawi signed or ratified and the status of
implementation
Climate
change issues are regulated under international law in a number of legal
instruments. Malawi is a party to a number of these instruments including
the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United
Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. However the country does not
have a specific framework legislation dealing with climate change.
At the legal
doctrine level Malawi is a dualist state meaning that international
commitments do not immediately form part of the Laws of Malawi. Section 211
of the Constitution which provides that “any international agreement
ratified by an Act of Parliament shall form part of the Laws of Malawi if
so provided for in the Act of Parliament ratifying the agreement”. Hence
once an agreement has been signed or ratified it needs to be specifically
incorporated either in a policy or legislation.
Nevertheless
although some instruments have not been expressly incorporated, they have
overtime gone to influence the kind of policy or legislation that Malawi is
subsequently adopting. Due the multi-sectoral implications of climate
change it is essential that a comprehensive analysis be done to
determine/review the extent to which international climate change
commitments adopted at international level are being incorporated in the
varying sectors.
In addition,
as in most other international instruments, climate change related
international instruments are the responsibility of various government
departments who have different mandates. This often creates unnecessary
policy monopoly making it difficult to holistically address a
multi-sectoral issue such as climate change including its many impacts and
manifestation.
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