Malawi derives the bulk of her revenues from the agriculture sector, whose viability
depends on the availability of adequate and reliable rainfall. As such, the country’s
economy, prosperity and the well being of its people are highly vulnerable to climate change
and climate variability. In the light of the above, it is imperative that appropriate measures
and strategies are taken into account to ensure accurate predictions of weather and climaterelated
changes and their associated adverse impacts on sectors of economic growth and
vulnerable communities. We are fully aware that establishing the required management and
response strategies is a daunting task because local weather changes and variability are
embedded in global climate systems that transcend national boundaries. However, we take
consolation in the realization that opportunities for managing and mitigating the adverse
impacts of climate change are global endeavors, whose goals are ensuring a future that
preserves the health and prosperity of the local and global communities, and that many
countries in the world to day strongly support efforts to combat global warming. It is in this
regard that the Government and the people of Malawi wish to reaffirm their commitment to
environmental protection in general, and climate change in particular, by preparing the
Second National Communication (SNC) of Malawi document.
In June 1992, Malawi signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC). The Convention entered into force on 21st April 1994, and Malawi ratified the
Convention in April 1994, and became a party to it on 21st July 1994. In 1999, Malawi
received funding from Global Environmental Facility (GEF) to prepare its Initial National
Communication (INC) under the “Climate Change Enabling Activities Project”. The
preparation and production of the INC in 2003, and that of the National Adaptation
Programmes of Action (NAPA) in 2006, marked important and significant milestones in
Malawi’s quest to address the adverse impacts of climate change on sectors of economic
growth and vulnerable communities. The preparation of these documents facilitated
institutional capacity building in the country, and also enabled local experts to acquire the
requisite skills for modeling climate change capabilities. This led to the building of strong
technical teams of local Malawians who prepared various thematic technical reports that
appear in both the Initial National Communication (INC) and the National Adaptation
Programmes of Action (NAPA).
This document takes stock of the efforts Government and its developmental partners have
made in order to address issues of climate change highlighted in the Initial National
Communication. It fills gaps that were identified in the Initial National Communication, and
highlights opportunities which our country needs to embrace in order to protect the
environment and vulnerable communities against the adverse impacts of climate change.
The Second National Communication of Malawi gives information on: (i) national
circumstances, (ii) greenhouse gases inventory for the period 1995-2000, (iii) programmes
containing measures to facilitate adaptation to climate change ((V&A assessments), (iv)
programmes containing measures to mitigate climate change, (v) other information
considered relevant to the achievement of the objective of the Convention, (vii) constraints and gaps, and related financial, technical and capacity needs, and (viii) proposed climate
change projects.
I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude, and that of the Government and people of Malawi,
to all those who have generously contributed in various ways in the production of this
Second National Communication. Let me also extend my special thanks to the Global
environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for
financial and technical support.