The Swedish Energy Agency has announced that it has signed an agreement on emissions trading under the Paris Agreement with the Zambian Ministry of Environment. The next steps are to negotiate suitable emission reduction projects and sign a binding bilateral agreement.
The Swedish Energy Agency and the Zambian Ministry of Environment have been in dialogue on climate cooperation for about a year. The cooperation has now been formalized with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
We are very pleased about the formalization of the collaboration between our two countries. International cooperation is vital if we are to meet the challenges posed by global climate change, commented Caroline Asserup, Deputy Director General of the Swedish Energy Agency.
Develop large emission reduction projects
In parallel with negotiating an agreement regulating transactions of internationally transferable mitigation outcomes, the parties are discussing what kind of mitigation activities the Swedish Energy Agency can support in Zambia.
Together with our partner organisations, we want to develop projects that provide large emissions reductions in the near future, and at the same time affect Zambia’s energy system positively in the long term. It is also important that our efforts benefit the local communities and contribute to sustainable development in the country, said Sandra Lindström, Head of International Climate Cooperation at the Swedish Energy Agency.
Around 85 percent of the power generation in Zambia is based on hydropower. However, because of climate change and reduced rainfall, there are increasing demands for diversification.
The electricity supply in the country is unstable and there is a great need for investment and development in renewable electricity production, transmission, and distribution.
The Zambian government has presented a plan that identifies the need for investment in for example solar and wind power. It’s very welcome that the Swedish Energy Agency contributes to this development. The investments from the Swedish Energy Agency will be a great compliment to the already ongoing support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency to Zambia and other African countries, for example through the Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa, commented Johan Hallenborg, Ambassador of Sweden to Zambia.
Sweden has already signed Memoranda of Understandings on climate cooperation under the Paris Agreement with Nepal, the Dominican Republic, and Switzerland, and has a bilateral agreement with Ghana.
