ISD pushes for climate justice in Malawi

MFITI – Utilise the mechanism The Executive Director of the Institute of Sustainable Development, ISD, Godfrey Mfiti, has urged communities and civil society in Malawi to use the Independent Redress Mechanism, IRM, to report harm caused by Green Climate Fund, GCF-funded projects. Speaking during an advocacy campaign in Balaka District on Friday, Mfiti said the initiative aims to sensitize communities and citizens about the mechanism that handles grievances related to climate projects. "The IRM exists to help communities that feel they have been affected negatively by projects supported by the fund," Mfiti said. He said communities can seek redress through the IRM when they need compensation for losses, restoration of livelihoods, additional consultations where these were not done properly, and environmental rehabilitation in areas where projects have damaged the environment. "Sometimes there are cultural sites like people's burial sites which need to be protected. If there is a need to relocate communities, they should be resettled properly. The IRM, as an independent body, handles such kinds of grievances," he said. According to Mfiti, individuals must follow a set procedure to file a complaint. This involves identifying that the project is funded by the GCF, showing how the project has impacted or is likely to impact the community, and gathering evidence such as photos and records, he added. He urged citizens to document cases of impact through photographs and testimonies. "There are instances where projects are started without consultations," Mfiti noted. The IRM is an independent accountability unit of the GCF. It operates through two main tracks which are problem solving, which uses mediation to reach voluntary agreements, and compliance review, which investigates whether the GCF or its partners violated environmental and social policies. He said individuals, civil society organisations, or communities can file a complaint if they believe a project has caused them harm. "The IRM is particularly important for sectors like forestry, water, irrigation, and disaster risk reduction. CSOs are encouraged to help communities document impacts, prepare evidence, and submit complaints," he said. Mfiti however, highlighted that the IRM does not handle complaints unrelated to GCF projects, commercial disputes, or cases of fraud and corruption. He said Malawians should also know that the GCF is supporting projects in renewable energy, forestry and REDD+, climate-smart agriculture, water and irrigation, flood resilience infrastructure, and ecosystem restoration. "If they feel they are impacted negatively, then they have to use the IRM," he said. President of the Association of Environmental Journalists, AEJ, Titus Linzie, said ISD's call is welcome and can help ensure climate justice and respect for the rights of affected people. Executing environmental projects without feasibility studies or community involvement often leads to severe project failure and social harm. Without community input, residents lack incentive or maintain initiatives, causing projects to be abondoned. Therefore sustainable environment work requires local partnership and such mechanisms need to be utilized so that accountability is achieved," Linzie said. The GCF is the world's largest dedicated climate finance fund, established under the UNFCCC. In Malawi, it is currently supporting two major projects like a $33 million Climate Resilient Health and Wellbeing for Rural Communities in Southern Malawi, 2024-2030, accredited to Save the Children, and a $53.2 million Ecosystem based Adaptation for Resilient Watersheds and Communities in Malawi, accredited to the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO.

WIRE — MFITI – Utilise the mechanism The Executive Director of the Institute of Sustainable Development, ISD, Godfrey Mfiti, has urged communities and civil society in Malawi to use the Independent Redress Mechanism, IRM, to report harm caused by Green Climate Fund, GCF-funded projects. Speaking during an advocacy campaign in Balaka District on Friday, Mfiti said the initiative aims to sensitize communities and citizens about the mechanism that handles grievances related to climate projects. "The IRM exists to help communities that feel they have been affected negatively by projects supported by the fund," Mfiti said. He said communities can seek redress through the IRM when they need compensation for losses, restoration of livelihoods, additional consultations where these were not done properly, and environmental rehabilitation in areas where projects have damaged the environment. "Sometimes there are cultural sites like people's burial sites which need to be protected. If there is a need to relocate communities, they should be resettled properly. The IRM, as an independent body, handles such kinds of grievances," he said. According to Mfiti, individuals must follow a set procedure to file a complaint. This involves identifying that the project is funded by the GCF, showing how the project has impacted or is likely to impact the community, and gathering evidence such as photos and records, he added. He urged citizens to document cases of impact through photographs and testimonies. "There are instances where projects are started without consultations," Mfiti noted. The IRM is an independent accountability unit of the GCF. It operates through two main tracks which are problem solving, which uses mediation to reach voluntary agreements, and compliance review, which investigates whether the GCF or its partners violated environmental and social policies. He said individuals, civil society organisations, or communities can file a complaint if they believe a project has caused them harm. "The IRM is particularly important for sectors like forestry, water, irrigation, and disaster risk reduction. CSOs are encouraged to help communities document impacts, prepare evidence, and submit complaints," he said. Mfiti however, highlighted that the IRM does not handle complaints unrelated to GCF projects, commercial disputes, or cases of fraud and corruption. He said Malawians should also know that the GCF is supporting projects in renewable energy, forestry and REDD+, climate-smart agriculture, water and irrigation, flood resilience infrastructure, and ecosystem restoration. "If they feel they are impacted negatively, then they have to use the IRM," he said. President of the Association of Environmental Journalists, AEJ, Titus Linzie, said ISD's call is welcome and can help ensure climate justice and respect for the rights of affected people. Executing environmental projects without feasibility studies or community involvement often leads to severe project failure and social harm. Without community input, residents lack incentive or maintain initiatives, causing projects to be abondoned. Therefore sustainable environment work requires local partnership and such mechanisms need to be utilized so that accountability is achieved," Linzie said. The GCF is the world's largest dedicated climate finance fund, established under the UNFCCC. In Malawi, it is currently supporting two major projects like a $33 million Climate Resilient Health and Wellbeing for Rural Communities in Southern Malawi, 2024-2030, accredited to Save the Children, and a $53.2 million Ecosystem based Adaptation for Resilient Watersheds and Communities in Malawi, accredited to the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO.

"We aggregate wires to encourage regional discovery, sending readers directly back to the original source to explore full coverage."

This is a normalized overview of the breaking feed event. The complete, official release detailing all points, background context, and statements remains hosted by the original publisher.