Zimbabwe: environment

How did drought affect Zimbabwe's harvest?

Zimbabwe's maize harvest fell about 72% in the 2023/24 season, from 2,298,281 tonnes to 634,699 tonnes, because of drought, according to ZIMSTAT's Environmental Resources 2024 report. Sorghum fell 57%, pearl millet 67% and groundnuts 98%.

The report brings together crop, livestock, fisheries and water statistics. It counted 5,741,397 cattle in 2024, while goat numbers fell 4.0% to 4,883,669. Fish caught from the wild fell 3% between 2023 and 2024, and aquaculture output fell 27%. ZIMSTAT publishes its environment reports on its environment statistics page.

Official sources: Environmental Resources 2024 report · environment statistics page

How is rubbish dealt with in Zimbabwe?

About half of households in Zimbabwe's urban residential areas burned their waste in 2023: 50.13% in high-density areas, 51.24% in medium-density areas and 46.77% in low-density areas, according to ZIMSTAT's Residuals Report 2024, using a survey by the Environmental Management Agency.

The same survey found that food waste made up 29.55% of solid waste from urban households, ash 9.16%, garden waste 9.02% and diapers 6.15%; plastics together were 10.42%. The report also estimates greenhouse gas emissions from waste disposal, incineration and open burning, and from land use change.

Official sources: Residuals Report 2024

How much of Zimbabwe is covered by forest?

Forest covered 35.7% of Zimbabwe's land area in 2024, according to World Bank data from the Food and Agriculture Organization's Global Forest Resources Assessment, down from 36.3% in 2020.

Forest area is land of more than half a hectare with trees taller than 5 metres and canopy cover of more than 10%, and does not include land mainly used for farming or towns. ZIMSTAT's Residuals Report 2024 estimates that converting forest to cropland produced 21.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, the largest land-use source of emissions it lists.

Official sources: World Bank data · Residuals Report 2024

How much of Zimbabwe's energy is renewable?

Renewable sources supplied 82.4% of Zimbabwe's final energy consumption in 2021, according to World Bank data, compared with 81.0% in 2019.

Wood and other biomass burned for cooking and heating count as renewable energy in this measure, as does hydropower. Only 10% of people relied mainly on clean fuels, according to the 2023–24 Demographic and Health Survey. Air quality is also measured: people were exposed to an average of 15.0 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic metre in 2023.

Official sources: World Bank data · 2023–24 Demographic and Health Survey · 15.0 micrograms of PM2.5

How much CO2 does Zimbabwe emit per person?

According to the European Commission's EDGAR database, carbon dioxide emissions per person in Zimbabwe was 0.8 tonnes in 2024. The peak was 1.2 tonnes in 2011 and the low 0.6 tonnes in 2020. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 0.4 tonnes; Zimbabwe is 12th highest of 47. Worldwide: 136th of 186.

How much greenhouse gas does Zimbabwe emit?

In 2024, total greenhouse gas emissions in Zimbabwe was 30.8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, according to the European Commission's EDGAR database. The peak was 32.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2011 and the low 22.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2008. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 24.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent; Zimbabwe is 22nd highest of 47. Worldwide: 108th of 186.

What share of Zimbabwe's energy comes from renewables?

82.4%: that is the renewable share of final energy use in Zimbabwe for 2021, according to the IEA, IRENA, the UN Statistics Division, the World Bank and the WHO. The peak was 84.1% in 2020 and the low 77.0% in 2012. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 71.1%; Zimbabwe is 12th highest of 48. Worldwide: 12th of 191.

What share of Zimbabwe is covered by forest?

The FAO puts forest area as a share of land in Zimbabwe at 35.7% in 2024. No year since 2005 has been lower. It is 16th highest of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 22.2%. Of 190 countries with 2024 data, 84th highest.

How polluted is the air in Zimbabwe?

In 2023, average exposure to fine particle air pollution (PM2.5) in Zimbabwe was 15.0 micrograms per cubic metre, according to the Global Burden of Disease study. Since 2005 it has ranged from 13.7 micrograms per cubic metre (2020) to 20.3 micrograms per cubic metre (2010). Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 27.5 micrograms per cubic metre, and Zimbabwe placed 41st highest of 48. Of 192 countries with 2023 data, 118th highest.

How much of Zimbabwe's land is protected?

In 2025, the share of land in protected areas in Zimbabwe was 28.3%, according to the UN Environment Programme. No year since 2013 has been higher. It is 11th highest of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 16.9%. Worldwide: 42nd of 192.

Is Zimbabwe short of water?

The latest figure from the FAO, for 2022, is 46.1%. It is the top of the series, which starts in 2005. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 5.1%; Zimbabwe is 5th highest of 47. Worldwide: 39th of 175.