Govt, WWF partner to forge sustainable enviro-friendly energy exploration

HELEN ZULU writes@SunZambianGOVERNMENT recognises the potential damage to the environment that exploitation of energy can cause and is therefore forging partnerships to ensure sustainable and affordable energy, Energy permanent Secretary Trevor Kaunda has said.“The inevitable alteration to the natural habitat for fauna and flora must be done in a sustainable manner to maintain a reasonable balance to the eco system,” Mr Kaunda said.“It is against this back- ground that we are entering into this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). to combine efforts in pursuing a clean energy development pathway.”The MOU will provide a plat- form for uniting efforts, expertise, and resources to harness opportunities that promote clean energy development has been signed between the Government and World-Wide Fund for Nature.The Energy Permanent Secretary said the MoU would provide a platform for uniting efforts, expertise, and resources in efforts to harness opportunities that promote clean energy development and increase access to sustainable and affordable energy.Mr Kaunda said the intention of the five year MoU was to foster collaboration on Zambia’s pursuit for a clean energy development pathway.He said the MoU would assist in hosting a Renewable Energy Forum in 2021 aimed at attracting investment, support capacity buildingand community sensitisation programmes, implementation of pilot projects to increase access in rural areas as wellas the development of the Integrated Resource Plan nec- essary for energy planning.WWF country director Nachilala Nkombo said the signing of the MoU was about helping deal with the crisis of energy poverty.Ms Nkombo noted that every year, the country consumed four million tonnes of charcoal while hydropower installed capacity was at 50 percent.She said the need to increase access to clean and modern energy could not be overemphasised as key to attaining the Vision 2030 of becoming a prosperous middle income nation.“It is no secret that our hydropower dams are atmos- pherically controlled and are greatly affected by reduced rainfall, WWF is thus promot- ing a new deal for energy for all Zambians.“This deal will ensure that we as a country can develop low cost, low carbon and ef- ficient energy options that will provide power to cover busi- nesses, schools, hospitals and large companies in a sustain- able way,” Ms Nkombo said.She said it was important for Government to pursue the energy diversification agenda and partner with the private sector to catalyse a non-hydro renewable energy revolution in the country that closes the power access gap. The Sun