Browsing: Climate change

cop26
  • US, EU pledge to cut global methane and greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30 per cent by 2030.
  • 16 Southern African Development Community (SADC) states have recorded 36 per cent of all weather-related disasters in Africa.
  • China, the world’s largest emitter of methane, India and Russia are not part of a pledge to cut down emissions.

The 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) has demonstrated to the world action towards climate change is possible.

As heads of state converge and pledge crucial issues including, the US and European Union announced a global methane pledge, cutting emissions of greenhouse gas by at least 30 per cent by 2030.

The conference, which is attended by countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), has been drawing international attention as climate change impacts the global economy, especially developing economies across the world.

In that context, Africa as a region …

The pursuit of a greener earth and universal reliance on renewable presents a unique dilemma for countries in Sub Saharan Africa which rely heavily on energy provided by coal, shale, and other fossil fuels but also their economic livelihoods depend on the black gold.
The elimination of coal and related energy sources would severely prejudice economies that constitute SSA which are still developing or emerging.
It is against this background that the outgoing Chief Executive of the largest coal miner on the JSE, who is also the President of the Minerals Council is on record for saying that African countries should be allowed to make the transition from fossil fuels to greener renewable energies at their own pace. …

China had been funding the development and exploitation of massive coal reserves in countries like Indonesia and Vietnam under an initiative called the Belt & Road but has come under pressure as the world tries to honour its Paris climate agreements.

This Belt & Road initiative is a strategy initiated by the People’s Republic of China that seeks to connect Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime networks with the aim of improving regional integration, increasing trade and stimulating economic growth. 

To realize this vision required the use of natural resources which China does not have entirely but other nations do and would then secure supply of this through the development of resources such as coal mines in developing countries. The Chinese are reportedly developing a US$3 billion coal mine in the Hwange area of Zimbabwe.…

The report indicates that major cereal crops which are grown across Africa will be adversely impacted by the first half of this century.

In the worst case climate change scenario, West and Central Africa will register a reduction of yields by 13 per cent, 11 per cent in North Africa while East and Southern Africa will see an 8 per cent drop.

Millet and sorghum, which are not grown by majority of smallholder farmers who make up more than 70 per cent of the agricultural output in Africa, remain resilient and will only incur yield losses of just 5 per cent and 8 per cent respectively by 2050. Wheat and rice, which also happen to be staples, will be the most affected crops losing 12 per cent and 21 per cent respectively in yields by 2050. …

As part of the requirements under the Kenyan Act, the government additionally established an Integrated Monitoring Reporting and Verification (Integrated MRV) system and published Kenya’s National Climate Change Action Plan 2018-2022 (NCCAP). The five year plan requires the government to develop “action plans”, providing mechanisms to assist stakeholders in bringing about low-carbon climate-resilient development. 

Angola boasts some of the most ambitious targets for transition to low carbon development in Africa, albeit having ratified the Paris Agreement in November 2020. Since then the country has launched a national development plan, established a climate observatory and implemented a continuous national emissions monitoring system.

In addition, Gambia is committed to reducing its GHG emissions unconditionally, by 2.4 per cent by 2025 having implemented the Sustainable Energy Action Plan in 2015, which sets out the country’s renewable energy targets and corresponding measures necessary for their achievement. It has also committed to terminating oil importation …

Water-borne illnesses are often spread through contaminated drinking water systems. Most of the contaminants are faeces and urine of sick people and animals. Another contaminant is runoff from garbage sites, landfills, sewer pipes, septic systems and industrial and residential developments.
To fight the spread of water-borne diseases in Africa, all stakeholders have to institute better sanitation measures and provide drinking water, washing and bathing facilities that promote improved hygiene. Also, water should be kept separate from waste.
In addition, extensive education programmes could help ensure that residents are aware of the proper hygiene techniques to keep their water supplies safe.…

Transport infrastructure is vital to developing countries because efficient and reliable transport networks are critical for local and international trade.

Transportation infrastructure, such as roads and railway systems, is one of the sectors most threatened by climate change. Extreme weather events such as flooding, sea-level rise, and storm surge have repeatedly wreaked Havoc on transport networks.

In Africa, extreme weather is a threat that can cause extensive structural damage. It can also accelerate the aging of infrastructure components which can lead to significant financial losses.

For instance, a recent report on Tanzania uncovered the vulnerability of the country’s transportation systems. Long stretches of road and rail networks are exposed to extreme flooding events, with growing exposure in the future.

The report estimated that worst-case disruptions to Tanzania’s multi-modal transport networks could cause losses of up to US$1.4 million per day. In addition, damage to these networks can disrupt the flow …

Over the years, various climatic disasters have occurred, notably the recent Cyclone Idai that hit the continent’s south-eastern part. Various more catastrophic weather events continue to affect the continent socially and economically. Kenya, which relies on its agricultural sector’s performance, has evidenced a sustained and growing divergence between farm production and consumption. Notable air masses like the El Nino and La Nina have had substantial negative impacts on coastal countries such as Kenya due to rising sea levels caused by changing oceanic climatic conditions.

 

Kenya has been forecasted to face another severe dry spell this year as a result of La Nina. La Nina, an air mass typical of cold weather, which is not ideal for rainfall, has been hitting the east coastal country nearly every five years. In 2016, 2.7 million people were affected by a hunger crisis, and the majority of them displaced. A notable concern in such …

Climate change is a 21st-century phenomenon that has called the attention of most governments on planet earth. In Africa, the cost of adaptation is estimated at approximately $2 billion per year in the period 2030-2100.

According to a US-based think-tank, Brookings, research finding point out that, bold climate action could deliver at least $26 trillion in global economic benefits between now and 2030. On another, it could also generate nearly 65 million new low-carbon jobs by 2030.

All these benefits safeguard Africa’s prosperous future which is filled with exciting development projects execute across the region’s vast landscape.

As far as the adoption of new climate economy models, such as phasing our fossil fuels energy structures and ushering in renewables particularly solar and wind energy—which is proving to be useful in East Africa, the role of green banks and climate funds is inevitable.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Climate …

Trade in the energy sector in Africa will be more lucrative to foreign and local investors if they identify that energy trading within the African continent is a low cost and high return venture less expensive but with high returns. …