An appeal has gone to government to increase budgetary allocation to the ministry of Environment, Tourism and Wildlife.

In an interview with YONECO FM online, Association of Environmental Journalists president, Matthews Malata said, government should take a leading role in funding activities that can arrest environmental degradation.

Malata made the plea following governments call to the private sector, development partners and the general public to invest resources and efforts to arrest degradation of Malawi’s natural environment ahead of the World environmental day which falls on 5 June.

“The ministry’s call is timely and in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17 which talks about partnership and partnership is meaningful if all stakeholders are able to put resources together that can help implement programs at national and local level,” Malata said.

He also said the private sector suffers the impact of environmental degradation, climate change most therefore they should seriously reflect on their contribution towards the environment.

“When we talk about investment in the environment we always look up to government but when we assess on who gets affected the most when issues are happening for example the loss of biodiversity, climate change you would realize that the impacts cut across, businesses are affected as well,” he said.

Malata therefore called on the private sector to look at the National Climate Change Investment Plan and see what they can do to help communities survive and recover but also help in the drive to rehabilitate the environment the nation has lost.