Climate Change Bill Left Out of Parliament’s New Legislative Priorities
The much-anticipated Climate Change Bill, designed to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and promote low-carbon development technologies in Zimbabwe, has been excluded from the legislative agenda for the Second Session of the 10th Parliament.
Initially announced during the First Session in 2023, the Climate Change Bill never made it to Parliament for debate.
The exclusion is surprising, as Zimbabwe has been actively working to mitigate climate change effects. The enactment of this bill was seen as a crucial step in supporting the country’s environmental goals, especially in light of the ongoing El Niño drought, which recently prompted President Emmerson Mnangagwa to declare a State of Emergency.
Despite the urgency surrounding the Climate Change Bill, President Mnangagwa announced a different legislative focus for the Second Session of Parliament. The bill’s absence comes at a time when Zimbabwe is grappling with extreme weather patterns driven by climate change.
In addition to the Climate Change Bill, the Provincial and Metropolitan Councils Bill—another key piece of legislation aimed at operationalizing Provincial Councils as part of Zimbabwe’s devolution efforts—was also left out of the agenda. Since the adoption of the new constitution in 2013, Provincial Councils have been waiting for this bill to start functioning.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi recently assured the National Assembly that the Provincial and Metropolitan Councils Bill had been finalized and would be fast-tracked. However, it was not included in the 24 bills that President Mnangagwa outlined for Parliament’s focus during the Second Session.
New Legislative Agenda for the Second Session
The legislative agenda includes 15 new bills and 9 carry-over bills from the First Session. The bills that elapsed will be restored to the Order Paper by a simple vote in their respective Houses.
New Bills Include:
- Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council Bill
- Teaching Professions Council Bill
- Occupational Safety and Health Bill
- State Services Pensions Bill
- Public Service Act Amendment Bill
- Rural Electrification Act Amendment
- Public Entities Corporate Governance Act Amendment
- Pipelines Act Amendment
- Legal Practitioners Amendment Bill
- Public Interest Disclosure (Protection of Whistleblowers) Bill
- Electronic Transactions and Electronic Commerce Bill
- Standards Bill
- Legal Metrology Bill
- Broadcasting Services Amendment Bill
- Media Practitioners Bill
Carry-Over Bills Include:
- Persons with Disabilities Bill
- Administration of Estates Amendment Bill
- Civil Aviation Amendment Bill
- Death Penalty Abolition Bill
- Parks and Wildlife Amendment Bill
- Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill
- Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill
- Medical Services Amendment Bill
- Insurance and Pensions Amendment Bill
The exclusion of the Climate Change Bill from the agenda is a significant omission, especially considering the pressing environmental challenges Zimbabwe is currently facing.
Climate Change Bill Left Out of Parliament’s New Legislative Priorities
