November 2008

Country Profile Namibia

Climate change has dramatic consequences for Namibia. For example, it has a direct impact on the country’s key industries such as tourism, farming and fisheries. Some 70 percent of people in Namibia are dependent on agriculture and a lack of rain has a serious effect on crop yields. This is why Namibia aims to include climate change in its National Development Agenda and plans to open a National Climate Change Office which will be responsible for implementing the National Climate Change Programme. The programme will be flanked by a national strategy and an action plan. 

Namibia ratified the Kyoto Protocol back in 2003 and established its DNA in 2007 as an arm of the Ministry for Environment and Tourism. Its first CDM project (geothermal energy) received host country approval from the Namibian DNA in July 2008; approval by the CDM Executive Board is still awaited. Given the country’s fast-growing energy needs, potential for future CDM projects in Namibia is seen in fuel switch, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.


Further selected information:

Namibian Ministry for Environment and Tourism, National Climate Change Programme
Namibia gives HCA to 1st geothermal potential CDM project