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Harare to ratify three multilateral environmental agreements

[HARARE] Zimbabwe is set to ratify three multilateral environmental agreements aimed to protect human health and create a safe environment to live in, a cabinet minister said on Thursday.

Environment and Tourism Minister, Francis Nhema, said this while addressing delegates attending a two-day annual conference of the Business Council for Sustainable Development of Zimbabwe (BCSDZ).

The environmental agreements include the Kyoto Protocol to the Convention on Climate, the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal.

The Kyoto Protocol aims at achieving stabilization of atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases at a level that prevents dangers and interference with the climate, Nhema said.

The latter conventions aim to create a shared responsibility and cooperative efforts in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals and trans-boundary movement and management of dangerous wastes.

"As a developing country, Zimbabwe has an obligation to the United Nations to report the levels of green house emissions in the country after every five years," he said, adding that the report-back period starts in January next year.

Meanwhile, BCSDZ chairman, Eben Makonese, applauded business in the country for making strides in spearheading sustainable development initiatives.

Many companies had achieved and were maintaining International Standards Organization certification, he said.

Formed in 1993, the BCSDZ was previously known as the Environment Forum of Zimbabwe focusing mainly on environmental management, which was however broadened with the name change to encompass sustainable development, which includes economic growth, ecological balance and social progress.

The BCSDZ is a member of the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development.

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