DR. GABRIEL POLLEN, DMMU NATIONAL COORDINATOR: DURING HIS FIRST PRESENTATION AT THE 2024 WORLD WATER WEEK CONFERENCE
Dr. Gabriel Pollen, Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit National Coordinator, was one of the key note Speakers at the 2024 World Water Week Conference during the Session Beyond Preparedness: Anticipation Action and Adaption Efforts for Community Resilience.
In his remarks, Dr. Pollen highlighted the impact of the drought situation in Zambia stating that the country had experienced the worst drought in over 100 years. He added that 100 hundred years ago, the population of Zambia was only about 1,000,000 while the current population was over 20,000,000 thereby threatening national food security.
Dr. Pollen said that the country was also faced with a huge water scarcity and for the first time in about 60 years, the Kariba Dam, which was a shared water resource between Zambia and Zimbabwe was earmarked for a shutdown because it did not have adequate water to generate electricity adding that 83% of electricity generation in Zambia was dependant on hydroelectricity. He contended that water was a vital requirement in the daily existence of communities in both rural and urban areas hence the drought situation had a negative impact on the country’s broader economy. Further that Zambia’s situation demonstrated the paramountcy of anticipatory action in managing the country’s water resources.
The session focused on water security as a key factor in addressing climate-related challenges and discovering sustainable measures to ensure proactive and anticipatory action in order to attain long term preparedness. The panel and audience discussions underscored the need for Governments and relevant Stakeholders to develop water management strategies, which could enhance climate resilience between displaced populations and hosting communities.
The session was moderated by Dr. Beatrice Mosello, Adelphi, and other key note speakers were as follows:
- Dr. Juan Carlos Sanchez Ramirez, International Water Management;
- Dr. Callist Tindimugaya, Ministry of Water and Environment, Republic of Uganda;
- Andrew Kruczkiewicz, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre; and
- Jessica Troell, Environmental Law Institute.
The 2024 World Water Week Conference was held under the theme Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future.
