The President of the Republic of Zambia in his address to Parliament on 10th September 2021, proposed the creation of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MGEE). This was done in order to promote the focus on environmental sustainability through the strengthening of the institutional framework for implementing climate change commitments and effectively utilising the nation’s enormous natural wealth.

Subsequently, the Ministry was formally created through the Government Gazette Notice No. 1123 of 2021 with the responsibility of promoting effective and sustainable use of the environment, while at the same time, facilitating support for adaptation to and mitigation of the effects of climate change through low carbon developments. The creation of the Ministry also facilitated the amalgamation of key functions previously under the portfolio of four different Ministries.