By Staff Reporter
Zimbabwe’s Cabinet has approved the Climate Change Management Bill, 2025, in a move hailed by environmental experts as a major legislative milestone in the country’s climate governance. The Bill, presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs in his capacity as Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Legislation, now awaits parliamentary debate and adoption.
The Bill is designed to align national law with Section 73 of Zimbabwe’s Constitution, which enshrines every citizen’s right to an environment that is not harmful to health or well-being, and mandates protection for present and future generations. It seeks to mainstream climate change considerations across all economic sectors, with a strong focus on adaptation and mitigation.
“Cabinet considered and approved the Climate Change Management Bill, 2025, which was presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, as Chair of the Cabinet Committee on Legislation.
“The Climate Change Management Bill aims to achieve alignment with Section 73 of the Constitution, which guarantees environmental rights for present and future generations. Bill seeks to mainstream climate change across all sectors of the economy, prioritising adaptation and mitigation efforts,” reads a post-cabinet briefing released by the government.
At its core, the legislation aims to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and promote a transition to low-carbon development pathways. It proposes the creation of a Designated National Authority to oversee carbon trading, a mechanism that allows for the buying and selling of carbon credits to incentivise emissions reduction. Additionally, the Bill sets up a National Climate Fund to support community and sector-wide responses to climate impacts.
Zimbabwe, like many developing countries, remains acutely vulnerable to climate change. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and increased frequency of droughts have already impacted food security, water availability, and public health. Yet, until now, the country’s legal framework for climate action has been fragmented and largely reactive.
This Bill is intended to close those gaps by providing a unified legal structure to coordinate climate change responses. It mandates the integration of climate resilience into national planning and budgeting and compels both public and private institutions to account for climate risks in their operations.
While the Bill marks significant progress, some civil society groups are calling for robust implementation mechanisms and transparency in how the National Climate Fund is managed. Others urge that communities on the frontlines of climate change, particularly smallholder farmers and rural women, be meaningfully involved in the decision-making processes that will shape climate action.
“While we commend the government for this important step forward, the real test lies in implementation. The National Climate Fund must be managed transparently, with strong accountability measures. Just as importantly, the voices of those bearing the brunt of climatic impact, like the smallholder farmers and rural women, must be at the centre of planning and decision-making.
“There is dire need for the government to foster collaboration among different stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organizations, and the private sector on project selection, funds tracking, efficiency utilization of resources and harnessing of lessons learnt from climate projects and programs,” said Stanley Mugomeza, Climate Change Officer at the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG).
If enacted and properly enforced, the Climate Change Management Bill could position Zimbabwe as a regional leader in climate legislation, not only meeting its constitutional obligations but also contributing to global efforts to limit warming and build resilience in the face of escalating climate threats.
Meanwhile government through The Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife has launched the Pilot Launch of Zimbabwe’s New Carbon Market Regulations, the Zimbabwe Carbon Registry and associated digital infrastructure.
This is a culmination of eight months’ work, marks a significant landmark on Zimbabwe’s journey to achieving Article 6 readiness and re-engagement with the international carbon market in a sustainable manner.
The launch formally unveiled the Zimbabwe Carbon Registry the first national carbon registry based on secure blockchain technology. Fully integrated with a comprehensive digital application platform, this offers an unprecedented level of transparency, security and interoperability. Bolstered by additional safeguards, the Zimbabwe Carbon Registry has been designed to not only streamline approvals and transactions, but to fundamentally make Zimbabwean carbon credits more credible and reliable.
The Carbon Trading (General) Regulations, 2025 – published under Statutory Instrument 48 of 2025 – set out a comprehensive legal framework aimed at aligning Zimbabwe with the Paris Agreement and unlocking opportunities in the growing international carbon credit market.
Zimbabwe Carbon Market Authority (ZiCMA) will serve as the national authority under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and is tasked with ensuring the environmental integrity, transparency, and accountability of carbon trading projects in Zimbabwe. Its creation is expected to attract both domestic and international investment into projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable development.