Minister Urges Adequate Knowledge Management to Deal with Climate Change Disasters

Zomba, Malawi -Michael Usi, the Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change, has highlighted the importance of adequate knowledge management as a major way of dealing with climate change disasters, writes Luke Chimwaza.

Speaking on the sidelines of this year's commemoration of World Meteorological Day held at Gymkhana Ground in Zomba, Usi urged Malawians to take issues of climate change seriously.

"Disasters have come to stay because of climate change, and now as we commemorate this day, we need to ask ourselves questions regarding Meteorological Services, and the issues of knowledge management; Meteorological Services does send information to Malawians about the impending disasters, but what has been found lacking is the response to that particular information," Usi said.

He also urged Malawians to decentralize the information on climate change, stating that the information should reach all corners of Malawi and that people should understand the meaning of the information being rendered.

The Minister further appealed to government officers entrusted with responsibility for vetting contracts with investors in carbon credit programmes to expedite the process so as to ease the suffering of people, citing neighbouring Mozambique and Zambia, who are far ahead of Malawi in this industry.

Senior Chief Mulumbe expressed his concern over increased tree-cutting for charcoal burning, which is a major cause of climate change.

He urged all his subjects to set bylaws that would help in the conservation of the environment in their areas.

This year's World Meteorological Day, which is the 73rd, was held under the theme 'the future of weather, climate, and water across generations' and is happening in the aftermath of the devastating Cyclone Freddy, which has killed hundreds and displaced thousands in the Southern Region of Malawi.