By Moses Magadza in Marondera, Zimbabwe

The Green Building Council of Zimbabwe (CBC) has said that Zimbabwe’s draft Climate Change Bill must not overlook one of the country’s biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions by recognising and regulating the built environment.

Presenting an analysis of the Bill before a joint parliamentary committee during a public hearing funded by Sweden through the SADC Parliamentary Forum in Marondera, Ms Clara Mapokotera who heads the GBC Secretariat,  said the Bill in its current form is “structurally sound but under-specified,” especially when it comes to emissions linked to buildings and construction.

She argued that while the Bill broadly covers mitigation and adaptation across sectors, it does not explicitly mention buildings, yet they account for a significant share of national emissions.

“The Bill is capable, but it never expressly names the built environment as a priority emissions sector. Without clear legal hooks, Zimbabwe risks missing low-cost, high-impact mitigation opportunities in buildings, energy use and construction,” she said.

She noted that although the Bill imposes climate responsibilities on ministries, local authorities, and private entities, it fails to directly target energy efficiency in buildings, building codes, carbon accounting, and disclosure obligations.

She warned that without specific provisions, climate obligations might remain “too general to enforce” and allow high-emitting building practices to continue unchecked.

Ms Mapokotera submitted amendments that Parliament could insert with minimal disruption to the structure of the Bill. These include formally recognising the built environment as a major source of emissions in the Bill’s objectives; introducing definitions of “built environment” and “green building”; mandating energy and carbon performance standards for buildings; requiring Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for buildings to include carbon assessments; compelling public institutions to disclose annual emissions from public buildings; empowering local authorities to introduce green building by-laws; and imposing annual reporting duties on large private property owners.

She also urged that climate incentives include tax allowances, concessional finance and rebates for green buildings and retrofits.

She suggested that the GBC be formally recognised in the Bill as a technical partner of Government.

“Zimbabwe needs a recognised national body to develop standards, certify compliance and build capacity. Every successful green transition has such an institution. The Bill must seat the Green Building Council in the statutory framework,” she said.

She recommended inserting provisions empowering the Minister to designate a national GBC through the Government Gazette, giving it legal authority to support standards, training, rating and verification.

Ms Mapokotera said recognising the building sector would align Zimbabwe with global climate finance trends. She noted that more than 30% of green funding on the continent now targets energy efficiency and climate-smart construction.

“If we want to unlock climate finance and spur green jobs locally, this is the sector to regulate and incentivise,” she said.

She added that the proposed amendments would “not balloon the Bill” but simply “provide clarity, enforceability and measurable climate outcomes.”

The joint Parliamentary committee members welcomed the submission and urged other stakeholders to submit written submissions to its secretary of the Clerk of Parliament, Mr Kennedy Chokuda.

Public hearings on the Climate Change Bill are continuing across the country as Parliament gathers public and expert input.

-Moses Magadza is the Media and Communications Manager at the SADC Parliamentary Forum.