Malawi’s National State of the Environment Report (NSEOR) has not been updated for over a decade, a situation the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change highlights has limited the country’s access to crucial data to effectively address climate change-induced challenges.
Speaking at the opening of a meeting to review the First Order Draft chapters of the Report in Lilongwe, Director of Administration in the Ministry, Joseph Magwira, emphasized that the NSEOR, which is meant to be produced every five years, is key to evidence-based policymaking.
“We are mandated to report to Parliament annually as a Ministry. The cost has been adverse,” said Magwira, citing the gravity of recent cyclones as examples of consequences of limited access to environmental data.
Environmental Impact Assessment Manager with the Malawi Environment Protection Authority (MEPA), Biswock Mlaviwa, has since reiterated that beyond fulfilling international obligations, the report is a legal requirement under Malawi’s Environmental Management Act of 2017.
A team of environmental experts began developing the report in March 2024. The two-year process is expected to conclude by December 2025, with technical and financial support from the United Nations Environmental Programme and GRID Arendal, a Norwegian-based nonprofit environmental communications center
By Aston Gondwe
