Climate Change Conference

Zambia has one of the highest percentages of land dedicated to protected areas which includes protected areas for wildlife, forests, fisheries/aquatic life and national or historical monuments. In spite of this, Zambia like many other developing countries has limited financial resources for natural resources and environmental management.

Deforestation and forest degradation has been reported to be worsening across the country despite the preparation of a National Environmental Action Plan in 1994.

Mechanisms for promoting stakeholder participation, especially the private sector and communities in environmental and natural resource management are ineffective; incentive mechanisms are absent, property rights to resources and land are not clearly defined and valuation of natural resources has been distorted leading to serious environmental threats. Poor resource valuation especially where proprietorship does not rest with those who share land with resources leads to replacement of wildlife and forests by other land users that are of higher economic benefit…