LocationsZambia Launches 2025 Human Development Report: Climate Action Key to Safeguarding Development Gains
June 19, 2025
UNDP, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, launched the Zambia National Human Development Report, critically engaging with climate change and variability to determine its impacts on Zambian livelihoods and present robust actions to tackle its effects and accelerate development efforts
Lusaka, Zambia, 19 June 2025 - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Government of Zambia, officially launched the 2025 Zambia National Human Development Report (NHDR), titled: “Dialing Back: Overcoming the Threat Multipliers of Climate Change and Variability.”
The event brought together high-level government officials from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and the Ministry of Green Economy, local and international development partners, civil society, and the media, to explore how Zambia can respond to escalating climate risks through bold, integrated policies and climate-smart investment.
The report looks at how climate variability intensifies poverty, threatens food security, displaces communities, and generally slows progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Zambia’s Vision 2030. Zambia has already experienced a steady rise in temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns, with projections pointing to increasingly extreme weather events. The report estimates that over 500,000 people are at risk from rare but devastating flood events, with rural communities most exposed.
However, it also outlines Zambia’s opportunity to reverse these trends through climate-smart policies, inclusive development strategies, and innovative financing. By demonstrating that with the full implementation of Zambia’s existing climate policies, including the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and the National Green Growth Strategy (NGGS), Zambia can steer away from the most damaging impacts of climate change.
“The climate crisis is not something on the horizon; it is here, and it is accelerating,” said Permanent Secretary Prudence Kaoma in remarks delivered on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane MP, who officiated the launch, adding “we are not without options. We are not without allies, and we are not without hope. Failing to act now will cost us more in the future.”
Indeed, through strategic partnerships targeted at addressing growing climate change and variability concerns, the NHDR outlines promising projections that demonstrate the potential for bold climate action. These include significant poverty reduction, job creation, and expanded access to renewable energy by 2050.
“Zambia stands at a crossroads,” noted the Deputy Resident Representative, Laurent Rudasingwa, in remarks delivered on behalf of Dr. James Wakiaga, the Resident Representative of UNDP Zambia. “The findings of this report challenge all of us to act. We must prioritize the kind of climate action that empowers communities and ensures no one is left behind.”
Also gracing the milestone event, the Director of the Regional Service Centre for Africa (RSCA), highlighted that “the 2025 Zambia NHDR makes it clear: when policies align with climate realities, human development gains can be protected, and accelerated”.
Further affirming UNDP’s commitment to working alongside the Government of Zambia, the RSCA Director noted, “UNDP is proud to walk this journey with the Government of Zambia, supporting bold, climate-smart solutions that place people and planet at the centre of development”
The dynamic panel discussions and an interactive Q&A session with attendees at the launch event deepened the analysis of the report’s findings and identified actionable steps to accelerate Zambia’s development agenda. Key priorities that emerged included the need to strengthen institutional capacity and ensure better alignment between policy objectives and budget allocations. Participants also put forward inputs on the report’s innovative financing solutions, including green bonds, a National Green Fund, and public-private partnerships – all aimed at unlocking investment and share risk in advancing climate-resilient development.
If fully implemented, the report projects transformative outcomes across Zambia’s development landscape:
- Human Development: HDI could improve by 1% by 2030 and 3% by 2050.
- SDG Progress: A 2% increase in SDG achievements by 2030 and 5% by 2050, especially on SDGs 1, 2, 6, 11, and 13.
- Economic Impact:
- 875,000 new jobs created by 2050
- Annual GDP growth boost of 1.8%
- 8% reduction in the debt-to-GDP ratio
- Social Impact:
- 13% poverty reduction
- 2.3% decrease in income inequality
- 75% of the population gaining improved energy access via renewable sources
- Sectoral Growth: The mining and agriculture sectors are projected to benefit, with agriculture alone potentially adding ZMW 4 billion annually by 2050.
- Implementation Gaps: The report identifies key implementation gaps and calls for strengthened institutional capacity, improved cross-sector collaboration, and better alignment between policy and budgeting to maximize impact.
With strategic partnerships, inclusive policies, and targeted investments, we can turn the tide, mitigating climate threats and driving human development. “This report equips us with the tools, data, and urgency to act,” said Mr. James Wakiaga, UNDP Resident Representative. “It shows us what’s at stake, and more importantly, what’s possible if we choose climate-resilient development today.”
### ### ###
For more information and media interviews, contact:
Mercy Khozi, Head of Communications, mercy.khozi@undp.org
Fred Mukonda, Liaison Officer, fred.mukonda@undp.org
### ### ###
For more information and media interviews, contact:
Fred Mukonda, Liaison Officer, fred.mukonda@undp.org
Mercy Khozi, Head of Communications, mercy.khozi@undp.org