Browsing: Climate change

• Creating climate-resilient farmers to address climate change has become urgent.
• Access to finance is essential to sustain and improve the agricultural livelihoods that vulnerable rural communities rely upon.
• Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in rural areas supports increased employment, income, and services to rural communities.

East Africa is frequently impacted by food shortages and clusters of hunger due to complex mix of factors including unstable social and political environments, macroeconomic imbalances in trade and climate change.

Floods, pests, diseases are just a number of challenges hindering farmers in East Africa who rely on rainfed agriculture.

Not only these farmers are significantly limited by their marginalized conditions but also their lower capacity to adapt.

Climate change is another problem the world and this case Africa faces. It impacts the way struggling farmers navigate through crop failure and profitable market limitation.

Following the recent release of data confirming a sharp global …

• Kenya’s SBM Bank has announced its commitment towards increasing its ESG investment in the country.
• The commitment is aimed at providing sustainable financing for projects that will allow access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy. 
• The move follows a partnership between the Bank and Safer Power in renewable energy in Lukenya that will connect Stoni Athi Resort to off-grid solar power.

ESG investments in East Africa’s most advanced economy are expected to increase as SBM Bank deepens its commitment in Kenya’s sustainability drive. The commitment to prioritise financing projects aligning with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is aimed at providing sustainable investments that optimise in the use of clean, reliable, and affordable energy. 

The announcement follows the partnership between the Bank and Safer Power in renewable energy in Lukenya that plans to connect Stoni Athi Resort to off-grid solar power.

“Our focus through this collaboration is to empower businesses within …

• President William Ruto will lead Kenya at COP28 to showcase the country’s ambitious climate change strategy and advocate for sustainable development and climate resilience in Africa.
• Kenya is pioneering clean energy solutions, notably through biodigesters, which convert organic waste into biogas and organic fertilizer, aligning with the nation’s agricultural profile and enhancing energy independence.
• At COP28, Kenya aims to inspire global action and demonstrate that sustainable development is achievable in emerging economies, contributing significantly to the global climate change dialogue.

As the world convenes in Dubai for COP28, a significant spotlight falls on Kenya. Under President Ruto’s leadership, Kenya goes to this global summit not merely as a participant but as a catalyst for Africa in bridging climate dialogue and action.

At the heart of these discussions lies the country’s ambitious strategy to combat climate change, an approach intrinsically linked to the broader global efforts to mitigate environmental risks and …

• For African universities, governments and businesses, 5G Tech Spaces are part of the solution to enable Africa to leapfrog with clean innovation.
• Africa’s climate finance inflows remain very low, at 3 percent of global climate finance.
• The continent requires as much as $2.8 trillion through 2030 to implement its climate commitments.

Africa’s most renowned universities are keen to be at the forefront of Research, Innovation and Outreach (RIO) of technologies, products, services and operating models that reduce CO2 emissions and help attain Net Zero Emissions (NZE).

To achieve this, the gap between rhetoric and action needs to be reduced, if we are to have a fighting chance of reaching Net Zero by 2050 and capping the rise in global temperature at 1.5 °C in full attainment of the Paris Agreement.

Africa produces only about 4 percent of the world’s emissions, but is disproportionately vulnerable to the impact of climate change. …

• The East African Community (EAC) will approach the upcoming COP 28 Climate Summit, to be held in Dubai from November 30th to December 12th, 2023, as one bloc.
• No country should have to choose between its development aspirations and climate change mitigation; there is a need for complementarity as opposed to competition among Partner States.
• The move comes as the continent faces the most severe challenges, including the ongoing El-Nino floods and drought that have caused havoc due to climate change.

The East African Community has revealed its intention to present a united front at the upcoming COP 28 Climate Summit scheduled to take place in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, from November 30th to December 12th, 2023.

Addressing participants at the EAC High-Level Forum on Climate Change and Food Security in Arusha, Tanzania, EAC Secretary-General Peter Mathuki emphasized the significance of the EAC having a unified stance as it …

In recent years, Africa has gained increasing attention in the climate change dialogue, especially its role in the global carbon offset market. But what exactly does this mean for the continent and the world? This article delves into the concept of carbon offsets in Africa, explores the benefits, assesses Africa’s contribution to global emissions, and examines the leading countries in carbon trading.…

The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) represents an important international forum for countries to discuss and address global climate change issues. However, these conferences have tended to be high-level and process-based, and COP 27 was no exception. – negotiations took place, and some of the highlights included the historic establishment of the loss and damage fund, which was seen as setting a precedent for climate justice.

However, agreements on other matters, such as phasing out fossil fuels and setting emission peak periods, were not achieved. For African countries, COP 28 marks an important pivot point around funding, just transition, and the Nairobi Declaration. There will be a push for realisations on commitments made and innovative funding mechanisms to drive accelerated climate action now and beyond.…

• Three Kenyan startups have been selected for an incubation programme after winning the Cyber Security Hackathon at the just concluded Blue Economy Innovation and Investment Summit. 
• The three startups, which are based in Mombasa include Bio Secure, Tide Safetynet and Seatrust Navigator. 
• Sote Hub Founder David Ogiga says the three startups will receive six months technical and financial support to bring their ideas to life. 

Three Kenyan startups have been selected for an incubation program after winning the Cyber Security Hackathon at the recently concluded Blue Economy Innovation and Investment Summit. The startups, based in Mombasa, include Bio Secure, Tide Safetynet, and Seatrust Navigator. Sote Hub Founder David Ogiga stated that these three startups would receive six months of technical and financial support to bring their ideas to life.

“Our focus for this year’s hackathon at the conference was circular economy, cyber security, blue economy, climate change, and the digital …

With its immense potential and vast resources, Africa stands at a critical point in its economic growth path. While the continent has promising economic prospects, it also has significant challenges that have impeded growth. A concept known as “blended finance” has gained popularity in recent years as a viable answer to assist governments in overcoming economic challenges. As a result, it is vital to look into what blended finance is, how African economies can leverage its benefits and its crucial role in supporting sustained growth across the continent.…

A considerable gap exists between symbol and substance regarding an African climate change approach. Foreign leaders often nod to how Africa accounts for only four per cent of global emissions but bears the brunt of the devastating climate change effects. Rising temperatures, extreme weather conditions, and ecosystem disruptions threaten millions of Africans’ livelihoods.

For many communities across the continent, the climate threat is already existential. With 18 per cent of the global population, Africa has 16 of the 20 countries most vulnerable to climate change, according to Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative.…