Sunday, 18th August 2024
Author: Mabel Nokhuthula Piki,
Country: Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe
SUMMARY
Climate change is a global crisis, while governments grapple with large-scale solutions, individuals hold the power to make a difference right now. This article focuses on Zimbabwe, highlighting how simple actions like responsible waste management and sustainable land preparation can significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and contribute to achieving the Paris Agreement's 1.5-degree Celsius goal. Educating the public on sustainable practices, providing incentives for environmentally friendly practices, and encouraging community initiatives can drive meaningful change.
BACKGROUND
The Climate Crisis: A Global Challenge
The Earth's temperature is rising, driven by human activities that release vast amounts of GHGs into the atmosphere. These gases trap heat, leading to extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and disruptions to ecosystems. The Paris Agreement, a landmark international accord, aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels, (UNFCCC, 2025). Achieving this ambitious goal requires a collective effort, with every individual playing a vital role.
Why Individual Action Matters
While governments are crucial in implementing large-scale policies, their efforts often face economic constraints and political complexities. Shifting away from fossil fuels, for example, it can be costly and disruptive to economies being heavily reliant on these energy sources. However, individuals can make a difference through everyday actions that have minimal economic impact but significant environmental benefits.
Zimbabwe: A Case for Individual Action
Zimbabwe is a developing country that is facing economic challenges, individual action is particularly critical. Two key areas where citizens can contribute significantly are:
1. Sustainable Land Preparation:
The Issue: A common practice in Zimbabwe is burning crop residues after harvest in preparation for the next farming season. While seemingly convenient, this practice releases harmful GHGs, pollutes the air, and degrades soil health, (E. Cassou, 2018).
The Solution: Instead of burning, farmers can adopt conservation agriculture practices, leaving crop residues on the land. This enriches soil organic matter, improves water retention, and enhances soil fertility, ultimately boosting agricultural productivity. A study on Conservation Agriculture shown that this approach can significantly improve soil productivity and carbon sequestration, (D.C.Reicosky, 2005). Manual Residue Removal can be ideal as well for urban and rural farmers with small plots.
2. Responsible Waste Management:
The Issue: Zimbabwe faces a severe solid waste management crisis, with cities like Harare declared a national disaster in 2023, (ZELA, 2023) due to overflowing landfills and the spread of illegal dumpsites. This waste releases methane and a potent GHG, contributing to climate change. The Global Methane Pledge aims to reduce anthropogenic methane emissions by 30% in 2030 compared to 2020 levels, (Dr.Y.Fan, 2023), and municipal solid waste is said to contribute 12% of GHG emissions, (D.Bodunde, 2023), and 11% of global methane emissions, (C.K.Singh, 2018).
The Solution: Individuals can play a crucial role by sorting biodegradables and recyclables. Proper waste segregation can reduce landfill emissions and provide raw materials for recycling industries and biodegradables for composting and composting was seen to potentially achieve an almost 3/5 reduction of methane emissions from the waste, (Dr.Y.Fan, 2023). The recycling initiative also helps with supporting local recycling initiatives and at the same time individuals can earn an income from selling their properly sorted recyclable waste.
Individuals can also play a part by choosing reusable and recyclable products. This initiative can help greatly in reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, as people buy items that can be reused and shy away from single-use items or items that are not recyclable. A study carried out to analyze solid waste management showed that reduction and halving of waste generation was shown to yield approximately 2/3 reduction in emissions from the waste, (Dr.Y.Fan, 2023).
Individuals also need to shy away from the habit of burning trash or dumping it on illegal sites and do their part of minimizing and sorting waste to make it easier for the local refuse collectors to transport and treat it in environmentally friendly ways.
A case study of Semarang City in Indonesia on strategies to reduce GHG emissions from the city MSW showed that GHGs from the city from 2021 to 2030 can be decreased to 10.73Gg CO2eq /year if there is an intervention to reduce the amount of illegal waste dumping, (M.A.Budihardjo, 2023).
The Power of Collective Action
While these individual actions may seem small, their collective impact is substantial. By embracing sustainable land preparation and responsible waste management, Zimbabweans can contribute significantly to mitigating climate change and ensuring a healthier planet for future generations.
The Call
The fight against climate change is a shared responsibility and while governments play a vital role, individuals hold the power to make a difference through everyday choices. In Zimbabwe, embracing sustainable land preparation and responsible waste management are two key areas where citizens can contribute significantly to reducing GHG emissions and achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. Let us all commit to taking action, no matter how small, to protect our planet and build a sustainable future.
REFERENCES
C.K.Singh, A.,. (2018, February 13). Quantitative Analysis of the Methane Gas Emissions From Municipal Solid Waste in India. Retrieved from Scientific Reports: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-21326-9
Bodunde. (2023, September 4). Solid Waste Constitutes 12% of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Retrieved from The Cable: https://www.thecable.ng/report-solid-waste-contributes-to-12-of-global-methane-emissions/
D.C.Reicosky, A. (2005). Crop Residue Management. Retrieved from ScienceDirect: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/crop-residue
Dr.Y.Fan. (2023, December 19). Using Waste In the Fight Against Climate Change. Retrieved from Environmental Change Institute: https://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/news/using-waste-fight-against-climate-change
E.Cassou. (2018, May 27). Agriculture Pollution Field Burning. Retrieved from World Bank Group: https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/989351521207797690/pdf/124342-repl-WB-KnowledgeBurning.pdf
M.A.Budihardjo, N., (2023, April 15). Strategies to reduce GHG emissions from Municipal Solid Waste In Indonesia: The Case of Semarang City. Retrieved from Alexandria Engineering Journal: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110016823001345 7.UNFCCC. (2025). Key aspects of the Paris Agreement. Retrieved from United Nations Climate Change: https://unfccc.int/most-requested/key-aspects-of-the-paris-agreement#:~:text=The%20Paris%20Agreeme nt's%20central%20aim, further%20to%201.5%20degrees%20Celsius.
ZELA. (2023, August 18). ZELA's Response to the Declaration of a State of Disaster In Solid Waste Management In Harare Metropolitan Province. Retrieved from Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association: https://zela.org/zelas-response-to-the-declaration-of-a-state-of-disaster-in-solid-waste-management-inHarare-metropolitan-province/
Opening Picture: M.N.Piki, 2024, July 17, Coldstreamstreamillegal dumpsite, Chinhoyi
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