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East Africa must prepare for more extreme rainfall during the short rainy season – new study

East Africa must prepare for more extreme rainfall during the short rainy season – new study

EAST Africa has recently had an unprecedented series of failed rains. But some rainy seasons are bringing the opposite: huge amounts of rainfall. In the last few months of 2023, the rainy season, known as the “short rains”, was much wetter than normal. It brought severe flooding to Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania. In Somalia, more than 2 million people were affected, with over 100 killed and 750,000 displaced from their homes. Tens of thousands of people in northern Kenya lost livestock, farmland and homes. The very wet short rainy seasons are linked to a climate event known as a positive…
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Women battle when trying to take climate change cases to court – South Africa and Nigeria study shows why

Women battle when trying to take climate change cases to court – South Africa and Nigeria study shows why

ACROSS domestic courts in Africa, climate cases have been decided in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, with some cases pending in Uganda. However, climate litigation is still fairly new. Climate lawsuits are an important way to access justice. This is particularly true for African women because, as research has shown, climate change affects women more than men in key areas including farming, health, water, access to electricity, migration and conflict. PEDI OBANI, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Bradford I research how the law can be applied to cases of climate change, inclusive development, water governance and sustainability. In…
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Kenya’s had unusually hot weather – an expert unpacks what could be causing it

Kenya’s had unusually hot weather – an expert unpacks what could be causing it

IN early 2024 most parts of Kenya, including Nairobi, experienced unusually high temperatures. The World Meteorological Organisation described the hot weather as a global phenomenon: record high temperatures were recorded in 2023. January 2024 has been recorded as the hottest month on record so far worldwide. Gilbert Ouma, the coordinator of the University of Nairobi’s Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation, and an associate professor at the Department of Meteorology, answers some key questions. GILBERT OUMA, Associate Professor, Meteorology Department, University of Nairobi What is unusual about the weather in Nairobi? The annual average temperatures for Nairobi are normally moderate,…
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Ghana: can contract farming help smallholder farmers build resilience to climate change?

Ghana: can contract farming help smallholder farmers build resilience to climate change?

In northern Ghana, many smallholder farmers who grow crops on less than one hectare of land each are entering into contract farming. This gives them guaranteed buyers for their crops. Human geographer and climate change adaptation expert Frederick Dapilah has found that contract farming offers many lessons about building resilience in the face of climate change. FREDERICK DAPILAH, Senior Lecturer, Department of Community Development, SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies What is contract farming? Contract farming is when farmers grow crops to meet contracts they have signed with buyers. They agree on a fixed price upfront. As…
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Africa to be $2.5 trillion short of climate finance by 2030, UN says

Africa to be $2.5 trillion short of climate finance by 2030, UN says

AFRICA will be $2.5 trillion short of the finance it needs to cope with climate change by 2030, a U.N. official said, adding that the continent has contributed the least to greenhouse gas emissions while seeing some of the worst impacts. Africa attracts only 2% of global investments in clean energy but needs $2.8 trillion of investment in the sector by 2030, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa chief economist Hanan Morsy told a conference in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, warning against the consequences of under-funding. "We end up in a vicious circle with investment shortfalls increasing exposure risk and worsening…
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Serengeti migration: fire and rain affect how zebras, wildebeest and gazelles make the journey

Serengeti migration: fire and rain affect how zebras, wildebeest and gazelles make the journey

TANZANIA’S Serengeti ecosystem is like a time machine. As one of the world’s last remaining fully intact grazing ecosystems, it provides a glimpse of what others in Australia, Eurasia and the Americas might have looked like when communities of large grazing mammals roamed freely across these continents. T. MICHAEL ANDERSON, Professor of Biology, Wake Forest University During the Late Pleistocene, which spanned from 129,000 to 11,700 years ago and is sometimes referred to as the “ice age”, populations of these grazing animals collapsed all over the world. But those populations left a mark: the effect they had on plant communities.…
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South Africa says climate targets on track if coal switch not delayed again

South Africa says climate targets on track if coal switch not delayed again

SOUTH Africa's delay in taking coal-fired power stations offline will only harm its commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050 if the plants continue to burn well into the 2030s, the head of its donor-funded green energy plan said on Tuesday. Officials admitted privately in November that South Africa will miss its binding 2030 carbon emissions targets under the Paris climate agreement, as Africa's most industrialised country will run eight coal-fired power plants for longer than planned. Countries around the world, including Canada, Britain and Germany have delayed or watered down energy transition plans. South Africa is the 15th biggest emitter in the…
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Traditional weather forecasts: expert shares 5 ways Africa’s coastal residents predict floods

Traditional weather forecasts: expert shares 5 ways Africa’s coastal residents predict floods

IN the Lapai Gwari community of Niger state, north-central Nigeria, elders predict the weather by observing a large stone in the Chachanga River. The LapanGwagwan stone serves as a tool to determine the frequency of flooding and gauge the severity of rainfall. When the colour of the stone changes to brown, it signifies an imminent heavy downpour, while a grey colour indicates either light or moderate rainfall. OLASUNKANMI HABEEB OKUNOLA, Visiting Scientist, United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), United Nations University This traditional knowledge helps the community to prepare for potential flooding. This is just…
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Can Nigeria turn the tide on plastic pollution?

Can Nigeria turn the tide on plastic pollution?

WHEN it rains heavily in Lagos, the torrents of water gushing down streets and sidewalks sweep up disposable drink cups, plastic bottles and packaging and dump them into the coastal city's drains and waterways. "Most floods in Lagos happen because of blockages of non-biodegradable polystyrene packages and not the volume of rainfall," said Joshua Babayemi, an environmental toxicologist at the University of Medical Sciences in Ondo, a state in southwestern Nigeria. But from this week, the tide of trash should at least contain fewer foam food containers as city authorities start enforcing a ban on single-use items that reflects nascent…
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What is football’s carbon footprint?

What is football’s carbon footprint?

WITH a fan base of 3.5 billion – nearly half the global population – football is the world's most popular sport and its carbon footprint is huge. With emissions created by energy use in stadiums, travel by fans and teams, broadcasting, the multibillion-dollar market for kits and other merchandise and even matchday meals, the beautiful game takes a not-so-beautiful toll on the planet's climate. This weekend, thousands of football fans across Britain are being urged to make climate-conscious choices – from opting for plant-based meals to switching to green energy providers – as part of Green Football Weekend, a campaign to engage fans and…
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