Zambia launches 2025 CLARExchange Forum to strengthen Climate Resilience
This initiative aims to bolster climate action by co-creating climate resilience narratives and marks a pivotal moment in the global climate response. The forum features representation from over 35 countries.
President Hakainde Hichilema has urged global climate financing frameworks, multilateral development banks, and financial institutions to urgently explore innovative approaches that enhance the resilience of climate financing tools and platforms.
He has emphasized that climate finance solutions particularly for Africa must be tailored to diverse socio-economic and cultural contexts and specific developmental needs.
He has highlighted Zambia’s climate action through increased investment in renewable energy.
The President says the government has embarked on ambitious projects to diversify the energy mix and protect the country from future power deficits, with significant investments in solar, wind, and thermal energy.
“Our estimate is that we need around US$11.9 billion to achieve our goal of adding 1,000 MW of solar power to the national grid, with US$9.5 billion expected from the private sector. We invite investors to take advantage of Zambia’s investor-friendly climate sector,” he said.
With support from the World Bank, Zambia is implementing the National Energy Advancement and Transformation (NEAT) programme to improve the financial sustainability of the state utility ZESCO and attract private investment. The World Bank also supports Zambia’s Electricity Services Access Project (ESAP) and the Zambia-Tanzania Interconnector Project (ZTIP), which aim to expand access to affordable and sustainable energy.
“Zambia is offering some of the best incentives for investors in climate adaptation,” President Hichilema noted, highlighting initiatives such as the Water Investment Programme, which promotes the use of renewable energy in water and sanitation services in public institutions, especially in rural areas. He also cited agricultural adaptation efforts through the provision of drought-resistant crop and livestock inputs following the severe drought of the 2023/2024 farming season.
Zambia is committed to achieving its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25% by 2030 or up to 47% with substantial international support.
The President has underscored the importance of youth engagement, climate education, and building research capacity, which the CLARExchange Forum actively supports.
President Hichilema has reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to contributing fairly to the global fight against climate change and called for international collaboration to protect the planet.
He has urged the forum to develop the Lusaka Evidence-to-Action Declaration, feeding into the COP 2025 conference in Belem, Brazil, and amplifying Africa’s voice in shaping global climate policies.
President Hichilema has called for immediate and future investments in climate research at universities across Africa and the Global South, advocating for public research centres or climate think tanks to lead evidence-based action.
“We don’t want to just talk about evidence we want to see investments in Southern-led pathways that translate evidence into action,” he said.
“As Zambians, we’ve witnessed the devastating effects of extreme weather from floods destroying homes and clinics, to droughts crippling agriculture and hydropower generation,” he said. “These are not just statistics they are the lived realities of our farmers, families, and communities. Research must step up to support effective responses.”
He has emphasized that addressing climate change requires a multifaceted and inclusive approach, bringing together governments, communities, civil society, the private sector, and researchers.
“We need a ‘whole-of-society’ and ‘whole-of-government’ strategy supported by cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research,” he concluded.
“As Zambia’s largest institution of higher learning, we are proud to serve as a partner in dialogue, a lab for solutions, and a bridge between science, policy, and society,” he said.
He has noted that the forum’s inclusive engagement with communities like Kanyama and Kalikiliki who have experienced climate change firsthand is crucial.
These communities often suffer severe flooding, water contamination, school closures, and threats to livelihoods during the rainy season.
“Their insights are vital for shaping practical and sustainable solutions,” he added. “By involving government officials, international partners, and local researchers, we ensure a blended, effective approach to tackling climate challenges in the Global South.”
“Research is essential it provides the evidence and tools needed to address climate impacts and improve lives,” she said.
She highlighted how local knowledge, combined with advanced technologies such as flood modelling and heat-resilient housing, enables effective adaptation strategies.
The CLARE programme funded predominantly by the UK and co-funded by Canada embodies this approach by championing locally-led, action-oriented research focused on supporting vulnerable communities.
However, Ms. Terzeon has acknowledged the ongoing challenges. “Climate change is not a distant threat it’s a present-day reality.
With up to 3.6 billion people globally living in high-risk areas, and over US$3 trillion in damages caused by climate-related disasters over the past 25 years, the urgency for adaptation has never been greater.”
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