Zambia Unveils Climate Finance Unit to Drive Green Growth and Protect Livelihoods
Zambia has officially launched its Climate Finance Unit (CFU), a landmark initiative led by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning (MoFNP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MoGEE) and key stakeholders.
The launch took place during the Lusaka Climate Finance Week 2026 (LCFW 2026), which convened government officials, financial institutions, development partners, and climate finance experts.
The CFU is tasked with coordinating the mobilisation, allocation, and tracking of climate investments, supporting the development of bankable projects across priority sectors, and enhancing Zambia’s access to international climate finance.
The unit forms a strategic pillar for the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and National Adaptation Plan (NAP), which require approximately $55 billion by 2030 to fund both mitigation and adaptation measures.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Mulele M. Mulele, Permanent Secretary, Economic Management & Finance, MoFNP, emphasised the importance of climate finance in safeguarding livelihoods, strengthening economic resilience, and securing a sustainable future.
He called for strong partnerships and decisive action to turn Zambia’s climate ambitions into tangible outcomes.
Echoing this, Mr Ranford Simumbwe, Acting Permanent Secretary of MoGEE, highlighted that Zambia’s climate credibility would be measured by its ability to mobilise finance, strengthen institutions, and deliver results that support resilient and sustainable development.
Throughout LCFW 2026, delegates explored mechanisms to accelerate climate finance, including green taxonomies, green bonds, climate funds, and carbon markets. Regional Climate Finance Units from countries such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Uganda shared lessons to strengthen Zambia’s institutional framework.
The launch also strengthens the UK-Zambia partnership under the Green Growth Compact and Climate Finance MoU. British High Commissioner HE Ms Rebecca Terzeon noted that the CFU represents a critical step in unlocking investments for a resilient and low-carbon economy.
Mark Napier, CEO of FSD Africa, stressed the importance of robust institutional frameworks to mobilise and deploy climate finance effectively, citing Zambia’s growing green bond programme, including Copperbelt Energy Corporation’s landmark $150 million green bond for renewable energy development.
Eng. Dr Pablo Martinez, Country Representative for the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), described the CFU as a transformative step towards embedding climate action at the core of economic policy, enabling Zambia to mobilise, align, and scale climate finance for long-term impact.
The unit brings together key government ministries, the central bank, commercial banks, civil society, and international partners such as the World Bank, FCDO, FSD Africa, and GGGI, with a shared goal of building a sustainable pipeline of climate investments to advance Zambia’s green growth ambitions.
