Dialogue with Senior Policy Makers on Climate Change Results of a Miombo AIACC Meeting with Policy Makers George Mkondiwa Principal Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs

Brief introduction of workshop Issues –Challenges Floods, droughts, landslides, erratic rains etc Accessibility of information to the majority of our people (outreach) –Approach/Response Environmental Management Act 1996 Institutional arrangement: CC office (academia, govt officers and private sector) Promoting projects to address climate change

Development and Climate Change How can this be done? –Dialogues with different stakeholder groups –Revision of PRSP, EA and other environmental laws to reflect climate change: to enable integration of climate change. –Need to develop projects in adaptation to climate change –Introduce climate change in curriculum at all levels –Build human capacity in climate change

Issues Raised High staff turnover at high levels: given; need to consistently debrief and raise awareness with new people before effective participation Policy issues: Malawi not a significant emitter, but will suffer climate change effects – need continued active participation in convention Need to document costs, etc of climatic impacts Project development and execution issues in relation to GEF and its instruments: major barrier for effective participation Need for a national/local integrated assessment model that is relevant and ‘correct’ for our situation

Our view on Mainstreaming Will mainstream to understand the problem, and design appropriate responses. But it should be clear where funding will come from to implement the responses and interventions National Policy documents being revised to facilitate climate change considerations in planning Several other issues that must be mainstreamed as well – poverty, HIV/AIDS, etc

Grand Challenge Primary concern is problem of poverty, in relation to basic needs After alleviating the poverty, the other problems can be addressed