BY KENNEDY MUPENSENI
The dry spell as well as the looming electricity, fuel and agricultural subsidy removal are likely to push the cost of living up in 2022 and beyond, Citizens for a Better Environment (CBE) has observed.
CBE has also called on the Government to undertake a scoping study of the extent of the country’s environmental degradation.
CBE director for social and economic research Mweene Himwiinga says her organization is worried about the dry spell.
“We are worried about the dry spell, because if it prolongs, it will affect food production leading to high food prices, “ Dr Himwiinga said.
She said in interview in Kitwe at the weekend that the looming subsidy removal on the energy and agriculture would further exacerbate the situation.
Drr. Himwiinga said any changes to fuel and electricity costs affected production in any economy because they were major inputs which dove production.
She said once the cost of essential commodities increased, the focus would be shifted to addressing the cost of commodities leaving environmental mitigation meausures with a huge funding gap.
“Usually what happens is that once there is an economic slump, the Government’s attention goes to addressing food prices, leaving out environmental protection issues” Dr Himwiinga said.
On the creation of the ministry of Green Economy and Environment, she said GBE appreciated the efforts the by the ministry to go around the country to check on the level of environmental degradation, but that a scoping exercise was needed.
“The Ministry is on the ground which we have appreciated, but there is a need for a scoping exercise to know the extent of the environmental conditions to come up with the solutions, “ Dr Himwiinga said.
She said it was from the scoping exercise that the new Government would appreciate what had already been done, what could be amended and the way forward in making the environment better.
