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By Cecilia Kamputa.

Harare, Zimbabwe. (News Of The South) -The government of Zimbabwe has commended Ecumenical leaders for initiating linkages with stakeholders on climate justice.

In a speech read on her behalf at the COP21 Climate Change Post-Mortem breakfast meeting held in Harare, Minister of Water, Environment and Climate, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said the church is a critical ally in addressing climate change.

“The church has prioritised climate change moving forward, and the government has also developed the national climate change response strategy and climate policy to address climate change,” read her speech.

This follows calls by the Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko for the nation to hold prayers for adequate rains in the face of impending drought, caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

VP Mphoko met with church leaders in Harare and urged them to pray that the country received sufficient rain, adding that the prayers had to be conducted till Sunday January 17, 2016.

“In the face of a possible drought, it is important that we turn to the Almighty God, creator and sustainer of life to heal our land. I therefore, request that we all dedicate time in our different gatherings to pray from Saturday January 9 to Sunday January 17,” he said.

Minister Muchinguri also commended the French Ambassador, Laurent Delahousse, for supporting Zimbabwe in organizing preparatory stakeholder meetings by government in November, 2015 towards the COP21 summit held in Paris, France.

Giving his remarks at the breakfast meeting, Ambassador Delahousse praised the faith community for the role it has played in climate change awareness.

He added that parties at the COP21 summit realized that every nation globally by climate change and the attendance of the opening ceremony by more than 150 global leaders showed the world’s political will to tackle climate change.

“Zimbabwe’s external debt and liquidity crunch are inhibiting the country from accessing climate finance,” said Ambassador Delahousse.

Parties at the COP21 summit committed to pursue domestic measure towards mitigation, from 2020 onwards. Developed and developing countries agreed to share the responsibilities.

Zimbabwe Chiefs’ Council President Chief Fortune Charumbira, on the recommendations on how Zimbabwe could move forward in climate change awareness, said there was need to remind the rich nations of their responsibilities towards addressing climate change injustice.

Small holder farmers were also urged to play a role in climate change justice as they are also negatively affected. They were urged to play a critical role in crafting alternatives in addressing food security.

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