SUSTAINABILITY - The African Mirror

Jan

31

2024

1 in every 3 dollars invested into startups in Africa in 2023 went into climate tech

SUSTAINABILITY

CLIMATE tech startups bucked the trend in Africa's venture capital space, actively notching up an impressive $1 billion amidst a broader funding fall-off in 2023. Data tracker, Africa: The Big Deal notes that around 1 in 3 dollars invested into startups on the continent in the forecast period went to climate tech startups. The strength of the sector according to the Deal, illustrates "both the potential of ‘green’ investments in Africa and the increased focus of investors in this space." "While energy and water start-ups took the lion’s share, agtech dominates the early-stage pipeline, also pointing to the need for…

Jan

30

2024

By The African Mirror

Africa’s savannah elephants: small ‘fortress’ parks aren’t the answer – they need room to roam

SUSTAINABILITY

AFRICA is home to about 410,000 savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana), most of them living in southern Africa. Over 290,000 elephants (70%) are spread across 103 protected areas which vary in size, connectivity and protection. In a recent research paper, we explored how elephant populations across southern Africa performed under different conservation approaches. This work formed part of the Conservation Ecology Research Unit at the University of Pretoria, where we focus on science-based, cost-effective approaches to elephant management. CELESTÉ MARÉ, PhD candidate, Aarhus University ROBERT A.R. GULDEMOND, Researcher, Conservation Ecology Research Unit, University of Pretoria Our study was the most comprehensive…

Jan

20

2024

By DIAN SPEAR, NICOLA VAN WILGEN-BREDENKAMP and TONY REBELO

Cash-strapped conservationists in South Africa are struggling to collect biodiversity data – how to change that

SUSTAINABILITY

SOUTH Africa’s government conservation organisations have experienced substantial budget cuts. Even after steps to cut costs, South African National Parks reported a big shortfall (R223 million or about US$11.92 million) for 2021/22. So did the provincial body KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife (R89 million; about US$4.77 million). South African conservation authorities manage millions of hectares of protected areas. However, recruitment freezes and insufficient funds have reduced their ability to conduct basic operations. One of these is biodiversity monitoring. Knowing which plants and animals are present in protected areas and where they are is vital for making conservation decisions. You need to know…

Jan

19

2024

By The African Mirror

Mozambique’s cyclone flooding was devastating to animals – we studied how body size affected survival

SUSTAINABILITY

ANYONE who watches the news will have seen the devastation that tropical cyclones can cause when they reach land, with very strong winds, high rainfall and flooding. A cyclone like this, Idai, moved over Gorongosa National Park in central Mozambique in March 2019. At that time, it was the deadliest storm in Africa. JASON P. MARSHAL, Associate Professor of Ecology, University of the Witwatersrand FRANCESCA PARRINI, Associate Professor in Animal Ecology, University of the Witwatersrand Rainfall at Gorongosa averages about 850mm per year. When Idai passed over, more than 200mm of rain fell in less than 24 hours. Over the…

Jan

06

2024

By The African Mirror

Africans discovered dinosaur fossils long before the term ‘palaeontology’ existed

SUSTAINABILITY

CREDIT for discovering the first dinosaur bones usually goes to British gentlemen for their finds between the 17th and 19th centuries in England. Robert Plot, an English natural history scholar, was the first of these to describe a dinosaur bone, in his 1676 book The Natural History of Oxfordshire. Over the next two centuries, dinosaur palaeontology would be dominated by numerous British natural scientists. JULIEN BENOIT, Senior Researcher in Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of the Witwatersrand CAMERON PENN-CLARKE, Senior Researcher, University of the Witwatersrand CHARLES HELM, Research Associate, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University However, our study shows that…

Dec

21

2023

By The African Mirror

Trade rules and climate change: Africa stands to lose from proposed WTO policy tools

SUSTAINABILITY

THE World Trade Organisation launched its Trade Policy Tools for Climate Action during the COP28 conference. International economic law expert Olabisi D. Akinkugbe discusses whether the new Trade Policy Tools benefit Africa. OLABISI D. AKINKUGBE, Associate Professor & Viscount Bennett Professor of Law, Dalhousie University What are the WTO’s new Trade Policy Tools? The new tools offer opportunities for countries to mitigate the climate change effect of their trade practices. The tools align with the Paris Agreement, the 2015 legally binding United Nations Treaty on Climate Change. However, the global contribution of African states to climate change remains very low:…

Dec

14

2023

By VALERIE VOLCOVICI, GLORIA DICKIE and WILLIAM JAMES

Nations strike deal at COP28 to transition away from fossil fuels

SUSTAINABILITY

REPRESENTATIVES from nearly 200 countries agreed at the COP28 climate summit to begin reducing global consumption of fossil fuels to avert the worst of climate change, signalling the eventual end of the oil age. The deal struck in Dubai after two weeks of hard-fought negotiations was meant to send a powerful message to investors and policy-makers that the world is united in its desire to break with fossil fuels, something scientists say is the last best hope to stave off climate catastrophe. COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber called the deal "historic" but added that its true success would be in its…

Dec

09

2023

By The African Mirror

COP28: South Africa pioneered plans to transition to renewable energy – what went wrong

SUSTAINABILITY

SOUTH Africa’s experience in piloting a new type of climate finance vehicle can inform debates about how to fund a just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Two years ago at COP26, South Africa piloted the first Just Energy Transition Partnership, where rich countries help developing countries move faster towards renewable energy. A year later, the South African government unveiled its Just Energy Transition Investment Plan. This set out how it intended to build on and use the partnership funds. ALEX LENFERNA, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Nelson Mandela University. General Secretary, Climate Justice Coalition, Nelson Mandela University The plan detailed…

Dec

02

2023

By The African Mirror

Climate action for Africa in 2023: three big developments

SUSTAINABILITY

2023 is highly likely to be the hottest year ever recorded. And climate change is to blame for one-quarter of the global population being exposed to dangerous levels of extreme heat. We need signs that countries are taking steps to address this. Specifically, we need climate action that helps us adapt and that cuts greenhouse gas emissions, if we want to minimise the escalating losses and damages from climate change. NICHOLAS P. SIMPSON, Senior Research Fellow, Climate and Sustainability, ODI, Overseas Development Institute This year, there were three developments across Africa which highlight a mix of progress, priorities and potential…

Nov

30

2023

By The African Mirror

Faith communities are rallying to check climate change – their size and influence counts

SUSTAINABILITY

ACCORDING to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), more than 80% of the global population is motivated by faith or spirituality. Faced with the triple planetary crises of pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change, what role can faith communities play in saving the planet? RACHEL MASH, Research Associate of the University of Pretoria, Faculty of Theology and Religion, Department of Practical Theology and Mission Studies, University of Pretoria In a recent publication, we looked at the role of two faith-based organisations – the Green Anglicans movement, which is present in 13 African countries, and UNEP’s Faith for Earth Initiative, a…