30.12.2024
Climate change is real and it’s adverse impact is cross-cutting and the scale is often undetermined. This is the reason why climate change should be accorded special attention through national budget optimisation of resources so as to strengthen the country’s climate resilience capabilities, said Dr. Kelvin Kamayoyo, Zambian Economist and Scholar. Assessing through observation the annual national (Zambia) budget speeches from 2004 to 2024, it revealed that climate change or environmental protection issues have received less than 2% of the total annual national budget allocation relative to the importance of having a health environment. The analysis was based on observation theory and conscious of the sensitivity of unbalanced growth model of a national budget. Zambia has in the last 21 years accorded a de minimis annual budget allocation towards environmental protection with the lowest being 0.1% (2012) and the highest 1.3% (2018).
Arguably, the national budget is a vital government document that impacts the economy at large and the people’s livelihoods including the environment. This is often reflected in the budget speech. The budget speech outlines in detail the content of the national budget and is seen as a critical tool for shaping the country’s economic policy and determining the government’s priorities. The goal of this article is not to assess and establish which Minister(s) of Finance (Zambia) and under which year s/he delivered the longest or shortest national budget speech but to unveil the Minister(s) of Finance who delivered budget speeches with an allocation of at least 1.0% of the total annual national budget and who also delivered a budget speech with the least good allocation towards environmental protection during the period under observation.
Suffice to say that no single budget speech in the last 21 years had a dedicated theme embracing words such as “climate mitigation or adaptation”, or “environmental sustainability” or “nature Conservation.” Indisputably, the theme for the annual national budget is very important because it fuels growth and provides an indication of budget optimisation and allocation of resources. Below is the observed actual year when the national budget speech was delivered, it’s guiding theme and specific percentage budget allocation towards environmental protection interventions:
2024:‘‘Unlocking Economic Potential.”
• Environmental Protection= 0.8%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP
2023:_“Stimulating Economic Growth for improved
livelihoods.”_
• Environmental Protection= 0.6%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP
2022:”Growth, Jobs and Taking Development Closer to the People.”
• Environmental protection= 0.6%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP
2021:_“Stimulate Economic
Recovery and Build Resilience to Safeguard Livelihoods and Protect the Vulnerable.”_
• Environmental Protection= 0.8%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Dr. Bwalya K. E. Ng’andu, MP
2020:“Focusing national priorities towards stimulating the domestic economy.”
• Environmental Protection= 0.6%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Dr. Bwalya K. E. Ng’andu, MP
2019:”Delivering Fiscal Consolidation for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth.”
• Environmental Protection= 1.0%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Margaret D. Mwanakatwe, MP
2018:”Accelerating fiscal fitness for sustained inclusive growth, without leaving anyone behind.”
• Environmental Protection= 1.3%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Felix C. Mutati, MP
2017:“Restoring Fiscal Fitness for Sustained Inclusive Growth and Development.”
• Environmental Protection= 1.0%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Felix C. Mutati, MP
2016:“Fiscal Consolidation to Safeguard Our Past Achievements and Secure a Prosperous Future for All.”
• Environmental Protection= 0.3%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Alexander B. Chikwanda, MP
2015:_“Celebrating our
Golden Jubilee as One Zambia One Nation by Making Economic Independence a Reality for All.”_
• Environmental Protection= 0.4%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Alexander B. Chikwanda, MP
2014:“Moving Forward to Consolidate Growth and Social Justice in Peace and Unity.”
• Environmental Protection= 0.4%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Alexander B. Chikwanda, MP
2013:”Delivering Inclusive Development and Social Justice.”
• Environmental Protection= 0.2%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Alexander B. Chikwanda, MP
2012:”Making Zambia A Better Place for All.”
• Environmental Protection= 0.1%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Alexander B. Chikwanda, MP
2011:”A People’s Budget, from a People’s Government.”
• Environmental Protection= 0.6%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP
2010:“Enhancing Growth through Competitiveness and Diversification.”
• Environmental Protection= 0.9%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP
2009:“Enhancing Growth through Competitiveness and Diversification.”
• Environmental Protection= 0.8%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP
2008:“Unlocking Resources for Economic Empowerment and Wealth Creation.”
• Environmental Protection= 0.9%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Ng’andu P. Magande, MP
2007:“From Stability to Improved Service Delivery.”
• Environmental Protection= 0.9%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Ng’andu P. Magande, MP
2006:“From Sacrifice to Equitable Wealth Creation”
• Environmental Protection= 0.4%
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Ng’andu P. Magande, MP
2005:”Steadfastness for Accelerated and Broad-based Growth.”
• Environmental Protection= Nil
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Ng’andu P. Magande, MP
2004:”Austerity for Posterity.”
• Environmental Protection= Nil
• Delivered by Minister of Finance: Hon. Ng’andu P. Magande, MP
ln the last 21 years (2004-2024) no single “Theme” for any budget speech in Zambia had categorically pronounced “promoting environmental sustainability or building climate resilience” despite nature and the environment being so crucial to sustaining stability of the ecosystem and fostering national economic development. To single out the extreme years, in the 2004 (delivered by Hon. Ng’andu P. Magande, MP) and 2005 (delivered by Hon. Ng’andu P. Magande, MP) there were no budget lines clearly identified as “environmental protection” in the budget expenditures section of the respective budget speeches. lt, therefore, implies environmental protection issues were somewhat considered as peripheral issues or that they could be addressed indirectly through other priority interventions.
Notwithstanding, the annual national budget provides the sole opportunity for the country to transform its development aspirations into concrete plans for action, with associated budget lines illustrating national priorities to improve people’s welfare and protect the environment. Against this backdrop, several national budget speeches delivered by different Ministers of Finance (Zambia) in the last 21 years indicated that only for 2017 (delivered by Hon. Felix C. Mutati, MP); 2018 (delivered by Hon. Felix C. Mutati, MP); and 2019 (delivered by Hon. Margaret D. Mwanakatwe, MP) there was a marginal improvement in annual budgetary allocation of at least 1.0% towards environmental protection interventions. However, the worst year in terms of budget allocation towards environmental protection during the period under observation was the national budget speech for 2012 (delivered by Hon. Alexander B. Chikwanda, MP) with 0.1% allocation.
ldeally, the national budget ought to be
bold enough and outline a holistic vision that gives hope for tangible impact on the living situation of the people and also adequately prepare the country for any unplanned events especially those induced by climate change such as drought or floods. Not so uncommon the national budget preparation and analysis is the talk of the nation for notable time periods every year depending on the stage of the budget process but very little attention is given to critically interrogate the specific configuration allocations towards environmental protection and climate change mitigation or adaptation.
ln the last 21 years most Zambia’s “national budget speech themes” had concentrated more on unity, fiscal prudence, economic and political stability, poverty alleviation, and job creation, but vividly very little on environmental protection as can be observed above. This article is largely for education purposes and raising awareness about the size of national budget allocation towards environmental protection realising that the fight against climate change is for everyone. It is also clear based on the variables identified so far that a great deal of analysis can still be done regarding the impact of the national budget on the environment, nature and the economy in general.
For comments send to the author and researcher on email: [email protected]
