THE recent preliminary warning issued by Zimbabwe’s Meteorological Services Department regarding a likely El Niño event during the 2026/27 rainy season serves as a stark reminder of the country’s growing vulnerability to climate-related hazards.
Issued within the framework of the Early Warnings for All initiative, the alert is based on forecasts from global climate centres indicating an 88 to 94% probability of El Niño conditions developing.
Historically, El Niño events have been associated with a 65% likelihood of below-normal rainfall in Zimbabwe, posing significant risks to water security, agricultural productivity, energy generation, livelihoods, and overall socio-economic stability.
Droughts are a manifestation of the climate crisis confronting Zimbabwe. In recent years, the country has increasingly experienced a cycle of extreme weather events ranging from prolonged dry spells and heatwaves to destructive cyclones and flooding.
These recurring disasters are no longer isolated incidents but growing indicators of a changing climate that is imposing substantial economic and social costs on communities, businesses, and government alike.
The increasing frequency and intensity of such hydrometeorological hazards reinforce an urgent national imperative: Zimbabwe must strengthen its climate resilience while positioning itself to access the growing pool of international climate finance available for adaptation and decarbonisation initiatives.
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As the global competition for climate funding intensifies, Zimbabwe faces a defining question: how can the country attract greater investment for sustainable development while simultaneously addressing climate change, economic growth, and infrastructure needs?
The answer may be closer than many policymakers realise. While renewable energy projects and carbon markets often dominate climate finance discussions, one of the most promising and underutilised opportunities lies within the buildings where Zimbabweans live, work, learn, and receive healthcare.
Green buildings represent one of the most practical and scalable pathways through which Zimbabwe can enhance access to climate finance, accelerate decarbonisation, and build resilience against climate-related risks while serving as a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s sustainable development agenda.
Across the world, governments are increasingly leveraging sustainable infrastructure as a catalyst for attracting climate funding. International financiers are seeking investment opportunities that deliver measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions while generating social and economic benefits. Green buildings meet all these criteria.
Buildings account for a significant share of global energy consumption and carbon emissions. Poorly-designed buildings increase electricity demand, strain national energy systems, and contribute to environmental degradation. In contrast, green buildings are designed to use energy, water, and construction materials more efficiently while providing healthier and more resilient spaces for occupants.
For Zimbabwe, this presents a strategic opportunity. The country continues to face growing energy challenges, rapid urbanisation, increasing infrastructure needs, and mounting climate risks. At the same time, it is seeking to mobilise resources to implement its Nationally Determined Contributions and broader sustainable development objectives.
Green building initiatives provide a practical mechanism for aligning these priorities.
A school equipped with solar power, rainwater harvesting systems, natural ventilation, and energy-efficient lighting is not merely a construction project. It is a climate adaptation project, an emissions reduction project, and a sustainable development project all at once. The same principle applies to hospitals, government offices, universities, commercial developments, and housing projects. This integrated value proposition is precisely what international climate financiers are looking for. However, accessing climate finance requires more than good intentions. Funding institutions increasingly assess a country’s readiness through a logical sequence of factors.
First, there must be a clear national vision for low-carbon development. For Zimbabwe, we have already made significant commitments through our climate policies, international obligations and the Climate Change Management Bill which reinforce the national inclination. These commitments now need to be translated into concrete programmes that demonstrate how emissions reductions will be achieved across all key sectors.
Second, an enabling policy environment is essential. Investors require confidence that green building standards, energy-efficiency regulations, sustainable procurement frameworks, and renewable energy policies are supported by government and will remain consistent over time. Statutory intervention transitions from policy to practice.
Third, strong institutions are necessary to coordinate, monitor, and implement climate initiatives. Transparent governance structures and effective monitoring systems increase investor confidence and improve access to international funding mechanisms.
Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, Zimbabwe must develop bankable projects. Climate funds do not finance concepts; they finance well-prepared projects supported by feasibility studies, implementation plans, financial models, and measurable impact indicators. This is where green buildings can become a powerful national asset.
Zimbabwe already possesses important building blocks. The Green Building Council of Zimbabwe has been promoting sustainable construction practices and raising awareness around green building principles. Innovative projects such as the Ecobank and Stanbic and Afreximbank (under construction) buildings in Harare have demonstrated that international green building standards can be successfully applied within the local market. What is needed now is scale.
A National Green Buildings Programme could transform sustainable construction from isolated examples into a coordinated national investment strategy. Such a programme could prioritise public buildings, affordable housing developments, schools, healthcare facilities, and commercial infrastructure. The benefits would be substantial.
Reduced energy demand would ease pressure on the national grid. Lower operational costs would improve public sector efficiency. Enhanced building performance would strengthen resilience to heat stress, water scarcity, and extreme weather events.
Most importantly, a pipeline of green infrastructure projects would significantly improve Zimbabwe’s attractiveness to climate financiers. The experience of other African countries offers valuable lessons.
South Africa has successfully integrated green building certification into its property market, attracting significant investment into sustainable real estate. Egypt has demonstrated how large public infrastructure projects can secure international recognition and financing through sustainable design principles. Nigeria is increasingly using green building certifications to attract investment into commercial developments.
Globally, countries such as Singapore, Germany, and the Netherlands have shown that strong building policies can unlock billions in climate-related investment while creating jobs and stimulating economic growth.
Zimbabwe can follow a similar trajectory.
Green buildings must no longer be perceived as niche developments or optional environmental initiatives. They should be embraced as critical national assets that strengthen economic resilience, attract investment, enhance energy security, and position Zimbabwe competitively within the global green economy.
The evidence is compelling: climate finance is increasingly flowing towards countries that can demonstrate clear policy direction, institutional capacity, and a pipeline of scalable, investment-ready projects.
Green buildings sit at the intersection of these requirements, offering a practical and highly-visible pathway for mobilising both public and private climate capital.
For Zimbabwe, the challenge is no longer whether the opportunity exists, but whether the country will move decisively enough to seize it. Establishing supportive policies, strengthening regulatory frameworks, and incentivising green construction can unlock significant climate finance while accelerating sustainable urban development and job creation.
The decisions made today will determine whether Zimbabwe becomes a leader in Africa’s green transition or risks being left behind as global investment increasingly favours low-carbon, climate-resilient economies. Green buildings are more than structures of concrete and steel; they are platforms for innovation, engines of sustainable growth, and catalysts for national transformation.
The task before policymakers is therefore clear: build not only greener buildings, but also the policy foundations that will enable Zimbabwe to convert climate ambition into investment, prosperity, and long-term resilience for generations to come.
Juru is chief executive officer at Integrated Properties.