Zero Regional Environment Organization (ZERO)
From TrustAfrica wiki - African Regional Organizations
Dorothy Manuel
Executive Director
Head Office: 158 Fife Avenue
P O Box 5338, Harare, Zimbabwe
Telephone/Fax: (263 4) 700030, 720405, 706998, 734023, 734027-30
Email: info@zeroregional.com / dorothy@zeroregional.com
Website: http://www.zeroregional.com
Description
Founded in 1987, ZERO seeks the advancement of environment and development solutions in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. Its vision is to be an influential organization championing a global paradigm shift, changing minds and promoting prosperity for all and in particular in the development process of Southern Africa. ZERO pursues its goal through awareness raising, participatory policy advocacy, sharing of information and networking with important stakeholders. Specifically, ZERO strives to develop the process of establishing and implementing land policies that consider the needs of rural women, men and youth. More specifically ZERO has a way of achieving its goals which include but are not limited to:
Networking and Coordination through workshops and seminars which bring together organizations focusing on similar issues as well as maintaining an up-to-date database of professional associates and partners in order to forge strategic alliances on research and advocacy. This is enhanced by further participation in UN conferences and other fora dealing with sustainable development and poverty at local, national and international levels.
Information & Communication: In its function as a catalyst, it provides lessons learnt through research and project activities to its constituencies. This includes publications, an interactive website, videos, CD-ROMs, DVDs and workshops. Capacity Building is given in training in the fields of Natural resource management and use, Environmental Impact Assessments, Environmental Economics, Project Financial Management, Awareness Raising on Land Reforms in the region, Gender and HIV/AIDS Mainstreaming, Renewable energy and sustainable development. Exposure programs, fund-raising, planning and monitoring are part of the package. All these are accompanied by its advocacy work, based on campaigns for policy formation. In all this, Community Participation and gender sensitivity are important ingredients.
Lastly, providing technical assistance and consultancy to communities and community-based organizations (CBOs), small-scale rural industries, local government authorities, central government agencies, partner NGOs, international organizations and bilateral and multilateral funding organizations is part of its programs. As a result they host a number of national, regional and international networks, such as CORN, Sustainability Watch, GEF NGO Network and is an active member of the Regional and International Networking Group (RING). In addition, through its resource centre it serves as a repository of knowledge and information relating to topics as diverse as land reform, participatory approaches to development, renewable energies, trade, gender and environment, HIV/AIDS, climate change and community-based natural resource management.
Governance: ZERO´s governance structure includes a Regional Board whose key functions are policymaking and formal decision-making authority. It is composed of six members from six Southern African countries. Members of the board serve as individuals and not representatives of their respective employers or organizations. They are selected on the basis of individual stature and capacity to provide strategic leadership and support to ZERO’s work. The Regional Board meets twice a year to review the program, policy and progress of the organization.
The Technical Advisory Committee is made up of stakeholders and specialists/technocrats is a consultative forum set up on a project-by-project basis to assist with the design, execution and evaluation of projects.
ZERO partners with like-minded organizations including the United Nations agencies, HIVOS, IFAD, Oxfam America, American Friends Service, UNIFEM, CIDA, Global Environmental Facility, Danish Foreign Ministry, and Kellogg Foundation. It is also an active partner of the Regional and International Networking Group (RING), a coalition of NGOs from Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria and Argentina whose objective is to strengthen South-South collaboration in research. ZERO is also part of a global network participating in the Popular Coalition to Eradicate Hunger and Poverty Project that is being coordinated by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Besides, it is an active member of IUCN World Conservation Union and the Central Focal Point for the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Track Record
With a history of dedicated work that spans almost two decades, the important milestone for ZERO is to have been able to survive in Zimbabwe despite the growing political problems. Its work has been known in the energy sector by introducing the efficient use of woodfuel and other biomass resources and the promotion of renewable energy technologies, notably wind in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia which is aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change.
The compilation of environmental profiles for 10 SADC countries, the research on natural resources management on the Zambezi River/Limpopo River; with emphasis on sustainable livelihoods, conflict resolution, loss of biodiversity, extreme climate-related events (floods, etc) and the diverse publications of Newsletters on renewable energies and environmental issues, are among its achievements. In all these achievements, the gender aspect is considered as a cross-cutting issue.
ZERO plays a vital role as a National Focal Point for the Zimbabwe chapter of Sustainability Watch, a Southern civil society coalition active in 15 countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
Challenges
Southern Africa has in the past two decades faced several environmental related challenges especially alternating floods and drought. The challenges of understanding the risks involved will continue to hang on the shoulders of ZERO as one of the key environment based research organizations. Further, ZERO will need to be enabled to play a more pivotal role in understanding how well to share the river basin resources of most of the trans-boundary rivers in Southern Africa to avoid regional resource based conflicts that may result from poorly envisioned resource exploitation.
Due to the political challenges in Zimbabwe that resulted in a rapid declining economy which was most felt in ZERO´s core area—the energy sector—its engagement in this area is required. Further, in order for ZERO to contribute to the achievement of MDGs in its core area, there is need for more support and cooperation from the government which at the moment remains suspicious of organizations with an international appeal such as ZERO.
Opportunities
Over the past 20 years ZERO has come to be known and accepted as a key partner in many development projects in Southern Africa. There is opportunity for it to play a further role particularly in the energy sector in connection with the effects of climate change and on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) particularly in relation to Zimbabwe.
ZERO has already secured funding from W K Kellogg Foundation for the Economic Stimulus – Integrated Rural Development Model which seeks to introduce a sustainable and integrated multi-pronged strategy for eradicating poverty and improving rural livelihoods.
One other challenge that has been ailing most of Africa has been the failure by policy makers and development practitioners to translate policy into concrete action programs in spite of the growing awareness. The UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, bemoaned this gap between development theorization and praxis in 2002. In response, he introduced WEHAB, a novel and unique set of initiatives that would provide a comprehensive framework for translating sustainable development commitments into concrete actions.
The five thematic areas of WEHAB (Water, Environment, Health, Agriculture and Bio diversity) will be one of ZERO´s future core activity area. This is also in line with the NEPAD Action Plan on Environment and will be taken as part of an integral approach to the implementation of sustainable development. Here are also great cooperation opportunities.
