Africa Climate Conversations.

Africa is growing. The continent comprises 54 countries with diverse ecosystems - from deserts, coastal environments, mountain environments, savanna grasslands, and forests. Combined, Africa emits about four percent of all global emissions but has seen adverse impacts of climate change.  Anthony Nyong, the Climate Change and Green Growth Director at the African Development Bank, says the cont...

In recent years many African countries have experienced severe climate-related crises.  The continent is already battling the increasing climate-related risks to health, livelihoods, food security, water supply, human security, and economic growth. But amid all the climate-related challenges, Africa has to grow. But what opportunities does the green economy bring that African governments, fin...

Kenya's marine and coastal fisheries sector supports an estimated two million people directly and indirectly. From fishers, processors, traders, input suppliers, merchants of fishing accessories, and providers of related services.  Dr Melchizedek Osore a research scientist at the Kenya Marine and fisheries research institute says despite the important role in income generation, food security,...

Nearly 20 years ago, a group of youths at Dabaso village located at the Mida Creek in Watamu - a small coastal town in Kenya, north of Mombasa, were concerned that mangrove forests along the creeks were getting destroyed at an alarming rate. Communities used poison to catch fish and mosquito nets.  They embarked on a journey to save the forest and fight the illegal fishing methods. But expert...

In the 90's the shoreline at Majaoni village along Mtwapa Creek in Mombasa county was destroyed as communities grew and demand for building materials rose. As a result, the crabs, shrimps, fish disappeared from this shoreline. Furry Ambari the COMENSUM - community Environment Sustainable Mari culture and friends came together to plant these forests afresh and educate their communities on why they...

Kenya has a remarkable potential in solar energy, but only  1percent (52MW)  of the country's energy mix has been explored. In 2014, to tap on the high potential, Professor Izael Pereira da Silva the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and innovation, advised the Strathmore university located about five kilometres away from the Nairobi city centre to install a 600megawatts solar project to...

According to Prof Muthoni Masinde, a Kenyan born computer scientist, who created a mobile app, Information Technology, and Indigenous Knowledge (ITIKI), alerting farmers on drought via SMS, indigenous knowledge is sustainable, and the future. Indigenous knowledge is that frog clocking near a farmer's house, that tree flowering on the compound and the farmer's cow running joyfully while on its way...

Change of weather is not a new phenomenon. From the time in memorial, communities understood how the weather patterns changed. They observed behaviours in plants, insects, birds, people, the astronomic, and cultural beliefs that said it was time to plant. A birds chirping sound or a down dance warned farmers to till the land. They warned of too much or little rains that would be late, or early. Bu...

The transport sector accounts for at least 22percent of all global related carbon dioxide emissions according to the International Council on Clean Transportation. In Africa, it accounts for 40 percent of these emissions. Can solar powered three wheeler bicycles help reduce emissions?

Most of Maasai Mara landscape is arid and semi-arid. As people, their livestock and the wild animals share the same water resources, human-wildlife conflict is inevitable. To solve this problem, a community has conserved natural springs, piping some water to the villages while leaving some for the wild animals. 

From time immemorial, human beings have always adapted to the changing environment. The solution series will take you into villages where communities will echo the solutions they have found to the changing weather patterns. 

Research is critical for development. The Africa Union has set a target of one percent of GDP to be invested in research by African countries. But there is a massive gap in funding research in Africa. Listen to Dr. Omumbo, a senior program manager at the African academy of sciences managing the post-doctoral program, a fellowship program of post-doctoral researchers across Africa. 

The African Union has set a target of 1 percent of GDP to be invested in research and development by African countries. But data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics show that only South Africa, Kenya, and Senegal are close to this target, investing around 0.8 percent of their GDP. Countries like Nigeria - Africa's largest economy currently spend 0.1 percent of the GDP compared to countries li...

What is science Journalism all about? Is it essential given this Covid19 and climate change times? In this week's edition of the Africa climate Conversation, Leonie Joubert, a South African science journalist from cape town, also explains why it is critical that African institutions fund journalism. 

Dealing with Covid19 has proved, if there is a will, there is a way to provide more finance to deal with global issues. But since 2009 in Copenhagen when developed countries pledged to mobilize jointly $100 billion a year in climate finance by 2020 for developing countries to there has existed a push and pull on accounting if the funds have been provided or not. In this week's episode the former A...

In April 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the UN postponed to 2021 a critical climate summit known as Cop26. It was scheduled to take place in Glasgow UK from 9-20 November. Additionally, the preparatory session of talks that happens at the UN Climate Change's headquarters in Bonn, Germany, every June, first postponed to October, was also postponed to a later date in 2021. This week's editio...

Of the 789 million people without access to electricity globally, nearly 600million of them live in sub-Saharan Africa. Countries like Kenya, Ghana, Eswatini, Ethiopia have made great efforts in electrification but still Sub-Saharan Africa is the least energised part of the world despite its abundance in energy sources like solar, wind, geothermal and difference fossil fuels. Linus Mofor a senior...

The UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), estimates that Covid-19 could cause Africa's economies to shrink by between 1.8 – 2.6 percent possibly pushing 27 million people into extreme poverty. This week on the Africa Climate Conversations, listen to Mr. Stephen Karingi, Director, Regional Integration and Trade at the UNECA answer what are the most affected sectors, why is diversification of e...

On average climate change is costing African economies 2 to 3percent of their GDPs. This is according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). On the hand, Covid19 is costing these economies GDPs between 1.7 to 2.7 percent. On this episode, Jean-Paul Adam the Director for Technology, Climate Change and Natural Resources Management at ECA, shares how best African nations can buil...

A report by the Africa Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), on economic growth, development and climate change in Africa, stipulates that without action, climate change would impede development across Africa. According to the report, inaction could cost the Western and Eastern Africa nations up to about 15 per cent of their GDP by 2050.  B...

Droughts, and floods in Africa has intensified. In about three months, flooding has affected 1.3 million people in the Horn of Africa according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). Many weather stations in the Horn of African countries are recording their highest amounts of rainfall in 40 years. This episode explains the difference between weather and...