The Green Business Gazette team presents in this special feature, an interview profiling the work of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, a trailblazing international organisation supporting climate change, environmental policy and facilitating partnerships amongst stakeholders in Zimbabwe and globally. Mr Dino Ndlovu, takes us through some of the inspirational milestones that KAS is pioneering in Zimbabwe. The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) is the official sponsor of the Green Business Gazette and supports other initiatives.
GBG: May you kindly introduce yourself.
DN: My name is Dino Ndlovu. I am a coordinator at Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and I work from the Zimbabwean Office. Konrad has a number of offices around the world and each office is partially independent of the other. Most of my work is primarily based on climate change and environmental policy, coordinating with partners and different line ministries that engage us on our work; as well as different organizations in the country that are interested in the same field of work we specialize in.
GBG: Please give us a brief background on KAS, its mission and vision from an international perspective and narrowing down to the Zimbabwean context.
DN: Most of our work within the country is premised on around a couple of areas which include pluralism rule of law, subsidiary and democratic institutions. We work to make sure that; they are strengthened through working on the framework conditions for independent professional journalism; that the civil society actors are present and their concerns are represented in government platforms; that parliament and individual parliamentarians are strengthened to fulfil their constitutionally defined roles; and that the political and social framework conditions are there to allow for sustainable economic, energy and climatic policies in a way that allows them to be improved. Those have been the guiding principles for the year. We also work to engage and create general awareness about issues that have to do with climate change and the environment and policies around them.
GBG: In terms of climate related policies, what has KAS been doing in Zimbabwe?
DN: We have worked very closely with the parliament of Zimbabwe in general, specific ministries and the Climate Change Management Department on things like creating awareness but also just working hand in hand with them in issues that help make their work easy. An example is that of the training that was done in 2021 to prepare delegates for COP 26. The training was on climate diplomacy. The training was facilitated by the head negotiators of the country. It discussed on trending issues on climate change specific to the Zimbabwean context and key concerns that were to be negotiated on behalf of Zimbabwe.
We have also worked with the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry to create awareness. Last year we had two events where we were training members of the media fraternity on how to report and research on climate change related issues. How to make the information palatable in a way that removes it from just being a scientific conversation but become something that is more mainstreamed and understandable to people on different levels of education. We have also tried to help the ministry through printing materials and also through certain researches that might be important in helping them fulfil their mandate. As of this year we have worked with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development in making sure that there is financial planning that is also respondent towards climate related issues. We have also worked with the energy department on launching certain things that are pending approval. In terms of engaging parliament and the ministries we have an ongoing relation that we value as an organization because they allow the movement of making sure that climate policies within the country are incredibly becoming progressive which is something that I think everybody wants.
GBG: Can you briefly explain programmatic areas where Konrad Adenauer Stiftung is involved in across the world?
DN: Most of our work is at policy level. We think most of the impact of everything that we do has to be premised on making sure that different actors within the sector have a collaborated effort that reaches policy makers and informs them about the current conversations, researches and concerns that exist within the spectrum of research and conversations around climate change.
The first step has been to make sure that there is an ongoing conversation in general about climate change and environmental issues around the country. This includes reaching out to university students as was done last year. This was to make sure that they are conversant and up to date on issues to do with climate change and also making sure that they are contributing to the body of knowledge around climate change issues. We worked on a couple of publications with students including one on, “Building climate change resilient communities in Africa. Insights from Zimbabwe’s urban and rural areas” and another one on, “Climate change impacts adaptation mitigation in Zimbabwe. Case studies from Zimbabwe’s urban and rural areas.” This was done in collaboration with university students and existing members of the academic community in Zimbabwe. It has helped to create a mentorship programme between professors, doctors, lecturers and students, so that they can work together in research and the button be passed on to the incoming generation of scholars.
We also try to engage students to make sure that they are conversant and can formulate their own opinions and create arguments around the environmental and climate change conversation by encouraging debates. Last year KAS supported a debate and a symposium at the Midlands State University, Gweru campus. Another event was held at the Lupane State University in Matebeleland North. In the Bulawayo Province, we also hosted an event with the National University of Science and Technology and lastly, we had an event with the University of Zimbabwe. In all events we had students and experts discussing issues on the role of indigenous knowledge and also encouraging local researchers to look at local communities and how they are settling and solving certain environmental issues with the aim of helping them adapt or mitigate in a cost efficient and cost saving way.
We also took the debate a notch higher, we started a podcast. A debate podcast called ‘Green Trash Africa’ which was not just limited to Zimbabwe but was also in contact with young people and students from across the continent. People from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa were participating in the podcast and debating on different matters and implications in their lives but from a perspective of people from different parts of Africa. The debate was not meant to create points of argument but to understand points of tension where young people from across Africa can be involved in a meaningful dialogue about environmental policy, climate change issues and perhaps how we can allow the current conversation to matter more into positive and reasonable action that can protect and move the continent forward. By engaging on an international platform, we were trying to mainstream that conversation of climate change away from just students and classrooms and debate but also engaging the key actors within the sector in making sure that they do not go unnoticed.
We had a show called the ‘Green Show’ on Heart and Soul radio which was happening every week for the past 3 years. On this show we had different conversations on climate change. Different guests participated in the show and were engaging on that platform, sharing their work and also contributing to meaningful dialogue. We had representatives from the civil society, from government, the parliament portfolio on climate change and people that hold key positions within the development sector where climate change, energy and environmental policy and impact are matters that were being discussed. This was the first wave of trying to concertize the public but still we felt that it was not enough.
We also had to create a new wave of journalists that were willing, interested and understood the intrinsic nature and value of the climate change conversation. Journalists that could encourage the conversation to occur in a way that highlights its urgency of that conversation and need. Through a media capacity building exercise held in Bulawayo and Harare, we therefore took it upon ourselves to also gladly partner the Climate Change Management Department and other partners including the UNDP to teach and create capacity for those that were interested to get into the space of reporting on climate change. This programme was also meant to engage existing journalists on why they should from time to time drive their attention towards climate change issues.
KAS through a great initiative started by the Green Business Gazette found another opportunity to partner in something very meaningful that can allow the continuation of environmental and climate change conversation. You guys are doing a great job by helping us have conversations with another niche and population within the country. This includes the business society and other interested societies or people that are generally interested readers in why this conversation is so important. On a creating and sharing of knowledge basis this has been a key aspect of some of the work that we have been doing. Beyond the creation and sharing of information we are also keen to support people that are interested in the creation of knowledge itself hence the supporting of a lot of publications. We should have more than 10 publications that have been done in the past 2 years which range from topics such as ‘Climate Change Law in Zimbabwe’, ‘Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Climate Change’, ‘Climate Change Actions in Zimbabwe’ and the other books that I mentioned early on that we have successfully worked on.
We have also worked in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) on a couple of researches but our last research was on a ‘Policy Gap Analysis’. This research was analyzing the gaps that exist within our policy framework in engaging environmental and climate change issues. We have also worked with BCSDZ in engaging private sector and policy makers from different line ministries that can help create a meaningful dialogue between actors within the market and also the people that create and generate the policies that direct the ways in which those that are working within the economy can act on how perhaps we can drive the economy in a green manner. This is meant to promote business people to be able to create opportunities within the economy where people can make money that also create a sustainable future.
GBG: In terms of climate change programming, which are some of your key projects in Zimbabwe? Who are some of the key stakeholders that you have assisted or collaborated with in the Zimbabwean context?
DN: As highlighted in the previous response we are working and have worked with a number of national and international stakeholders on a number of programmes. We are working with the Green Business Gazette (GBG) on a sustainability magazine publication. We are working with the Research Advocacy Unity. We have a series of webinars that are ongoing. We have also worked with the Leaders of Africa network, the Parliament Portfolio on Climate Change, the Business Council for Sustainable Development of Zimbabwe (BCSDZ), UNDP, media personal from different media houses and students from a wide range of institutions.
GBG: Climate change risks have continued to increase in both developed and developing countries. As a country, how can Zimbabwe scale up climate change programmes?
DN: I think we should make sure that it is a conversation that is involved in every aspect of our work especially when doing disaster management and when talking about budgeting for the nation. Policy makers and decision makers should know and be conscious of the importance of building resilience, adaptation and mitigation as key components of any national policy, planning or budgetary aspirations in the country. I think we see what other countries are doing in terms of having more meaningful conversation about energy. In the recent elections in America, you saw that issues to do with energy were a critical aspect of their recent election’s conversation. Therefore, as a country we need to make sure that this is a conversation that more people take on, not only from a pedestrian perspective but taking it to heart and making sure that it is a part of every national planning project. I think as a country if more people are made aware of the problems that could arise from climate change and a changing environment, it could motivate them to actually push the agenda forward and we can be better prepared for future incidents. These include climate related disasters such as Cyclone Idai.
GBG: What have been some of the highlights and success stories associated with your climate change and green programmes?
DN: A lot of our work is at policy level and some of the success of it especially when you are working with policy and awareness are the number of publications made and the number of people reached. We have a lot of publications that we have worked with different partners where the initial amount of printed copies were all distributed and we ran out. We had to circulate them online because of budgetary constraints. There is a high demand for a lot of information that we are generating and this is very motivating. We have hosted a lot of capacity building workshops and the demand to attend these is also high. Most people that have come from our capacity building workshops benefit a lot as we see some of them contributing better towards their employers or media houses in generating rich content and pushing forward the climate change conversation. In terms of policy, we have had conversations with policy makers using information from research findings. There is now an ongoing partnership with policy makers which also shows that there is trust between policy makers and our organization. This shows that there is always going to be a symbiotic relationship where we bring research or actors that are contributing positively to that table to discuss certain issues that might arise concerning climate policy within the country.
GBG: Given that your organisation is from Germany, what are some of the major technological successes that African can countries draw from your experience?
DN: The head offices might be in Germany but the country offices are partially independent and have their own programming under a similar umbrella. I think my answer to that therefore is that when you look at Germany you realise the opportunities that exist from the climate change conversation. These include climate financing, very affordable climate conscious technology, better adaptation and mitigation practices. I think primarily a lesson we can draw from them is they took the conversation very seriously and it allowed them to achieve a net gain in success stories within their economy. Other countries have taken this conversation seriously as well, and there has been a more symbiotic relationships between government, business actors, civil society and students in creating a new way of thinking about the environment and possible opportunities in the environment that we find ourselves in.
GBG: You recently published some books on climate change. Can you briefly explain what these books focus on and how stakeholders can access them?
DN: I will start with a book that we thought was an essential to anyone who is new to climate change and is trying to boost their knowledge on the subject matter, this book is named, ‘Climate Change: Its Impacts and Effects’. The first book we published was ‘Zimbabwe’s Frequently Asked Questions about Climate Change’. This book is more or less a summary of a number of questions that people trying to understand climate change can ask and be answered in a palatable manner. An example of questions found in the book are ‘What is climate change?’; ‘What is causing climate change?’; ‘Is climate change real?’; ‘Who is causing climate change?’. It goes on to explain the effects of climate change in Zimbabwe, what is being done about climate change in Zimbabwe, and address questions from rural Zimbabweans and questions from urban Zimbabweans. It is more or less a gate way to climate change phenomena and dynamics. Before getting deep into climate change one needs a glossary of conversations that are occurring within the climate change space to fully understand the background.
We have another book that is titled, ‘Climate Change in Zimbabwe: A guide for planners and decision makers’ (First and Second Edition). This book dives deeper into the climate change conversation in Zimbabwe. It looks at how we are contributing to that conversation, what the rest of the world is contributing in terms of knowledge and response in the face of adversity and perhaps things we need to take note off as we move forward. This was edited by Anna Brazier. We have also recently worked on, ‘Climate Change Law in Zimbabwe: Concepts and Insights’. This book was edited by Tumai Murombo, Mutuso Dhliwayo and Tafadzwa Dhlakama. These three are prominent scholars within the field of climate change law in Zimbabwe. The book is essentially a guide through the concepts and insights of climate change. It gives an understanding of the laws that currently guide environmental and climate change policies in the country and perhaps issues that could be worked on in the future.
We have also worked on 2 other publications with university students and their lectures. This was to mainly make sure that there is a transfer of experience and knowledge but also an encouragement of the research culture around climate change and environmental research. The first one was on ‘Climate Change Impacts Adaptation Mitigation in Zimbabwe. Case study from Zimbabwean Urban and Rural Areas’; and this was incredibly similar to the other research which was on ‘Building Climate Change Resilient Communities in Africa. Insights from Zimbabwe’s Urban and Rural Areas. The editors of these articles were Professor Jephas Nyika Hadzoyi, Professor Billiard Mukamuri and Professor Linda Muhlanga.
We have also worked on a book on, ‘The Role of Media in Zimbabwe’s Environmental Discourses,’ which I was editor of. We had a few young people as well as experts contributing to that book, talking about what role the media essentially plays in the framing of certain issues and impacts, how society receives and acts upon information received and why it is crucial for media practitioners to make sure that important issues such as climate change and environmental related issues are always part of national conversations.
We have also done a research on, ‘The Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Zimbabwe’, which was edited by Anna Brazier. It essentially is a conversation on how communities around the country have been adapting to the change in climate for the past century. This has been through discovering indigenous knowledge that might not necessary be mainstreamed but is working to great effect in terms of helping people survive and be resilient towards changing climates. We have also worked with the Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association (ZELA) and Mutuso Dhliwayo on, ‘A Policy Gap Analysis of Zimbabwe’s Climate and Environmental Laws in Zimbabwe. This was an analysis of the loopholes that exist within our environmental laws that contribute to the challenges faced in mitigating and adapting to climate change. This is mainly because when some of the laws were initially created they did not have the foresight and the conversation was not at the stage as it is now. This is not necessarily a disgruntlement but also an opportunity for us to create more meaningful legislation and policies that cover all of our basis and make sure that we are in the best position in engaging climate change mitigation and adaptation. Publications can be found on the website at www.kas.de and the Zimbabwean KAS office.
GBG: Your organisation has been instrumental in supporting the Green Business Gazette. What do you see as the role of the Media (Print and Electronic) in the Climate Change agenda?
DN: The role of media is to conscientise but also keep in the public dimension the conversation going. It is to take the conversation to the people that might not have access to it for them to be in the know of what is happening. It is also meant to make sure that it caters for different voices within the community and to have at least a platform to be heard so that people can discuss their opinions. Above and beyond everything it is just to collect different ideas and put them in the same space so that people can access different ideas and learn. I would like to add that you guys have been doing a great job issue by issue, in highlighting different conversations and having different contributors, journalists, scientists and those involved in policy making take part in articulating ideas in a way that makes them palatable for an average reader.
GBG: Zimbabwe has experienced a number of climate induced disasters such as Cyclone Idai, Cyclone Ana and Cyclone Eline. Are you implementing any initiatives dealing with climate disasters and resilience under the extreme conditions?
DN: Most of our work is at policy level so from our end it is to make sure that the stakeholders especially those responsible for implementation and those responsible for the policy formulation have the necessary knowledge and perhaps engage the necessary people within society to work on building resilience and adaptation strategies. This also goes to the workshop we had with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development in making sure that finances are available for different parts of infrastructural development in Zimbabwe. This is to make sure that our infrastructure as country is strong and resilient in the face of disasters such as floods. We can always make sure that the infrastructure is available and helps people in the worst conditions to be able to survive. From our perspective, the law itself is a guideline that helps us act and create parameters that shape and guide what we do and without strong laws there can never be any strong implementation even if there is a general good will to do good. If the laws do not support our intent as a people we will always be vulnerable and people will never be protected.
GBG: How does KAS make sure that awareness reaches out to marginalised communities?
DN: One way in which we try to reach out to marginalized communities is by making sure our publications are in different languages. We make sure that our books are also published in local languages. A lot of our research has involved marginalised communities for instance the, “Indigenous Knowledge and Adaptation” book we did last year. This helped in creating awareness in these communities. A lot of these communities are already aware of things that are occurring around them and it is important that they contribute in generating knowledge to be shared with the rest of the world. So, it is not only important for people to be made aware of something, but to also give them platforms to have meaningful contributions towards the conversation. This is something that KAS has been trying to achieve in terms of its programming and even raising awareness.
GBG: How does KAS see the reception of its programming and publications in Zimbabwe?
DN: The demand for a lot of our publications has been something that shows that our programming has been very well received. The strategic partnership with the Green Business Gazette and the idea that people are interested in accessing new issues of the publication speaks volumes on the participation of KAS partners and the quality of contributions they are giving. The fact that at Graduation ceremonies and University Libraries, copies of KAS publications are requested so that people can read also shows a positive reception by the public. The demand also comes from outside Zimbabwe. I remember last year before COP26 we worked on a publication on, “A Manual for Climate Diplomacy” and a few countries were interested in using some of the material and information within that book to train the negotiators that were going to attend COP26, some have started asking us for those publications in preparation for COP27.
GBG: Do you have any additional information related to your climate and sustainability programmes that you would like to share with our readers?
DN: This conversation has been very exhaustive like a lot of conversations that KAS has been involved in. Outside of the programming, what I would like to say in general is, as people of 2022 are caught at a time where we have seen the dilapidation of the planet and environment as well as the fast-changing climate because of our actions, we are still at a point in time where we can do something about it.