Wetland management in Harare province as a key enabler to achieving the nationally determined contributions target for Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Wetlands are gaining international recognition as vital ecosystems for both climate change adaptation and mitigation, owing to their capacity to store carbon, regulate water cycles, sustain biodiversity, and bolster community resilience to climate-related disruptions. While Zimbabwe’s NDCs acknowledge the importance of nature-based solutions, wetlands are not explicitly prioritized or systematically incorporated into national climate policies and are in danger of extinction due to the stresses from rapid urbanisation. The study thus aims to investigate wetland management in Harare province as a key enabler to achieving Zimbabwe`s Nationally Determined Contributions target. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative research techniques. Data was gathered through policy document analysis, key informant interviews, questionnaire surveys, focus group discussions with policymakers and wetland management organisations and field observations within selected wetlands in Harare Province, namely Cleveland Dam, Monavale Vlei and Lake Chivero. The results show a 60% loss in wetland area coverage on Harare`s Ramsar sites largely attributed to policy incoherence on wetland management and weak enforcement. Despite the current array of environmental legislations there is need for policy integration to enhance sustainable wetland management for climate mitigation. Furthermore, enhanced research on different types of vegetation that exhibit high carbon sequestration potential is essential for wetland conservation. The dissertation concludes that wetland conservation should be mainstreamed into national climate change strategies as a low-cost and sustainable nature-based solution for achieving Zimbabwe’s NDC targets. It recommends stronger policy integration, enhanced stakeholder participation, improved environmental monitoring systems, and increased investment in wetland restoration programmes. The findings seek to contribute to policy discourse on ecosystem-based climate action and sustainable environmental governance in Zimbabwe.