Current Situation

Last update: 1 June 2022

Emissions profile

Zimbabwe’s First Biennial Update Report published in 2020 shows that the AFOLU sector was the country’s largest source of GHG emissions (62%) with LULUCF emissions making up the lion’s share (50% of total GHG emissions).¹ While the country also benefits from a large carbon sink, the net reported emissions remained positive in 2017. This is mostly driven by deforestation due to shifting to agriculture as well as forest harvesting.²^,³ In agriculture, cattle and other livestock are the main driver of emissions.

Emissions from the energy sector contribute 35% to total GHG emissions, with electricity production and transport accounting for most of it (19% and 8% respectively). Emissions from the IPPU and waste sectors were very small in comparison (1.9% and 1.5% of total GHG emissions).⁴

Since 1990, the proportion of GHG emissions from the energy sector has remained fairly stable, while AFOLU emissions have fluctuated more noticeably - driven by biomass burning on forested land due to droughts and economic necessity.⁵^,⁶ Zimbabwe’s forestry resources cover approximately 46% of the total land area (179,748 km²) so addressing these emissions is essential to mitigation.⁷

The National Development Strategy (NDS1), 2021-2025, aims to increase electricity and coal supply to the iron and steel sectors, both of which will lead to an upward trajectory in emissions under a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario.⁸

Graph description

Historical emissions per gas and per sector. Source: 1st BUR, published in 2020. Inventory year: 2017.

Data References
- 1st Biennial Update Report (2020). Inventory year: 2017.

Energy system

A large part of energy use in Zimbabwe is biomass-generated (over 65% in 2017) mostly used in household cooking as well as in industry. According to the 2021-2025 NDS110, Zimbabwe plans to increase electricity access from 44 to 54% by 2025 to spur a shift to electric cooking and address emissions in this sector. This has additional benefits for health and socio-economic development including clean jobs as well as improved air quality.⁹ In 2017, biofuels and waste together accounted for 69% of the energy used, followed by coal (16%), oil (12%) and hydro (4%). Zimbabwe imports almost all of the petroleum products it needs (diesel, gasoline, kerosene, LPG, etc.), mostly used in the transport sector.¹⁰

Between 2000 and 2017, the make-up of the energy mix changed noticeably. The share of renewable energy sources (including solar and biofuels) in the primary energy mix and waste increased from 65% to 80%, while coal dropped from 14% to 3%. Only oil maintained a more or less steady contribution to the energy mix of around 11%.¹¹

Growth of the energy sector has been stalled or undermined by poor maintenance, lack of investment (both State and foreign), an import debt burden and existing customers’ failure/inability to pay Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA).¹²

Targets and commitments

Economy-wide targets

Target type

Other

NDC target

Conditional NDC Target:

40% reduction in economy-wide GHG emissions per capita compared to BAU by 2030.¹³
Zimbabwe’s NDC is fully conditional.
This translates in 57% above 2015 levels by 2030, excluding LULUCF.

Market mechanisms

A Carbon Tax on fossil fuel use has been in place since 2016. As of 2019, the collected carbon tax from diesel and gasoline use is estimated at USD 12.24/tCO₂e.¹⁴
In 2016, a tobacco tax was also introduced to support sustainable afforestation efforts.

Long-term target

Zimbabwe has a Long-term Low Greenhouse Gas Emission Development Strategy.¹⁵

Sectoral targets

Energy

The updated NDC mentions universal access to cleaner energy by 2030. At present, 44% of the population has access to electricity at national level. This goal includes setting up mini-grids, increasing energy efficiency, investing in biodiesel development, a transport fuel economy policy (2025-2030) and developing public transport.¹⁶

Power

The National Renewable Energy Policy targets an increase in generation from renewables to over 26% of the overall generation by 2030.¹⁷

Transport

No target is indicated but transport is mentioned under the energy sector. Measures include the implementation of mass transit options.

Buildings

No target is indicated.

Waste

21.6% reduction by 2030 below BAU.¹⁸
In the long-term strategy, 2.54 MtCO₂e is the 2050 mitigation potential in the waste sector.¹⁹

Agriculture

61% (25.35 MtCO₂e) by 2030 below BAU (AFOLU sector).
Reduction of burned area by 500,000 ha.

LULUCF

61% (25.35 MtCO₂e) by 2030 below BAU (AFOLU sector).
Plan to increase the area from 9.9 m ha to 10.4 m ha by 2025.

Industry

10.7% (0.45 MtCO₂e) reduction by 2030 below BAU.

What is Zimbabwe's pathway to limit global warming to 1.5°C?