SUSTAINABILITY - The African Mirror

Oct

19

2023

South African academics to lead a global physics initiative on climate action

SUSTAINABILITY

TWO scholars from the University of Witwatersrand (Wits) have taken the helm of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) Working Group on Physics for Climate Action and Sustainable Development. According to a press statement from the university, Professor Nithaya Chetty will lead the charge, with Professor Gledhill assuming the role of secretary. "This is a multidisciplinary endeavour involving the basic sciences like physics, chemistry, mathematics, computing, engineering, human and social sciences, law, and health sciences," emphasised Chetty. The appointments, confirmed during the IUPAP General Assembly in Geneva, signal a growing commitment to an interdisciplinary approach to addressing…

Oct

14

2023

By TAKUDZWA CHANGADEYA, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Agroecology triumphs over climate crisis in a southern Zimbabwe village

SUSTAINABILITY

WHEN small-hold farmer Gift Chisvo was given land in Zimbabwe's midlands in the early 2000s under a Land Reform Programme introduced by President Robert Mugabe, he initially battled to make use of the land. "Before the land reform program, I resided in Hwange, where farming was impractical due to low rainfall and high temperatures. Upon securing a farming opportunity in Shashe, we encountered difficulties in revitalizing the region's productivity through traditional farming methods," explained Chisvo, who was born in Shashe. White commercial farmers had ranched cattle in the area prior to being pushed out during the reforms. The village has…

Oct

11

2023

By The African Mirror

Climate hazards aren’t restricted by borders – African countries have taken a big step to address this

SUSTAINABILITY

CLIMATE risks can be complex to deal with because they don’t respect country borders. Hazards in one region can have negative repercussions in another. These are known as transboundary climate risks, and they’re a growing concern. They require coordinated, multinational responses, which can be a challenge given the different priorities and capabilities of each country. A transboundary climate risk could be due to a shared ecosystem, such as a river basin. For instance, the Nile River, which flows through 11 countries, can experience variations in water availability due to changes in the weather. This will affect the millions who depend…

Oct

06

2023

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

‘Gorilla Friendly’ award highlights the role of wildlife partnerships

SUSTAINABILITY

NOUABALÉ-NDOKI National Park in the far north of the Republic of Congo has become the world's first certified gorilla-friendly park, according to a joint statement by two international wildlife organisations. According to the organisations, the award to the park, which lies at the heart of the Congo Basin, is a testament to the success of collaborations between the government and the private sector in wildlife conservation. This milestone was announced on September 28 by The Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network and the Wildlife Conservation Society, who hailed it as a "first-of-its-kind globally." “It proves that the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park's management follows…

Oct

04

2023

By DAVID STANWAY

Countries pledge to raise $12 billion to fund coral reef protection

SUSTAINABILITY

AN alliance of nations said members would raise $12 billion to protect coral reefs from threats such as pollution and overfishing, but experts warned the funding would only be a drop in the ocean unless broader climate risks are addressed. The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) said it would secure public and private investment to help conserve and restore coral ecosystems, which sustain a quarter of the world's marine species and more than a billion people. "The functional existence of these critical ecosystems is at stake due to the climate crisis and a myriad of other anthropogenic stressors," it said.…

Sep

29

2023

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Wind Power Surge: South Africa leads the continent-wide trend

SUSTAINABILITY

ELECTRICITY generated from wind farms is witnessing a surge in South Africa, with new data showing there are 34 operational wind farms in the country feeding more than 3400 MW to the national utility, Eskom, grid. MyBroadband, a South African ICT news platform, reports that the surge in volume and capacity is being driven primarily by Independent Power Producers, with only one of the 34 farms being state-owned. “The only Eskom-owned wind power station is the Sere Wind Farm near Vredendal in the Western Cape, which contributes roughly 105 MW,” MyBroadband reported. The progress made in wind energy is remarkable…

Sep

26

2023

By The African Mirror

Farmed rhinos will soon ‘rewild’ the African savanna

SUSTAINABILITY

WITH all the terrible news on climate change, it’s easy to lose track of what’s happening with particular species. So, in case you missed it, a new report has bad news for Earth’s five surviving species of rhino. Poaching for rhino horn continues to threaten populations of rhino in Africa, and the two smallest and most endangered species of rhino – the Sumatran rhino and the Javan rhino – tread ever closer to being unable to sustain themselves in the wild, due to habitat loss and low population sizes. JASON GILCHRIST, Lecturer in the School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier…

Jul

04

2023

By LUCY GITHUGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Twins on a mission to save the world

SUSTAINABILITY

STELLA and Winnie Mutai were virtually inseparable after being born a mere five minutes apart and that is how it stayed, all the way until university. Then came their first big shock. "Being twins goes beyond being born together and at the same time. It is a purposeful thing that can only be witnessed rather than explained," said Stella Mutai, who is today a specialist at the World Food Programme. Born and raised in Nakuru, they attended all the same schools. But then came university. For the first time, the future for the twins began to diverge, when they chose…

Jun

29

2023

By The African Mirror

Five questions for African countries that want to build climate-resilient health systems

SUSTAINABILITY

EVERY day seems to bring a new headline about a devastating climate event. African countries aren’t spared. A “rain bomb” in South Africa. Flooding in Nigeria. Cyclones battering Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Madagascar. Drought in Kenya. These events have enormous health and social effects, among them death, injuries, malnutrition and diseases (infectious and non-communicable). This all puts tremendous pressure on countries’ health systems, both in terms of caring for those affected and because facilities like hospitals and clinics are vulnerable to damage and destruction. Authors BOB MASH, Distinguished Professor, Division of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Stellenbosch University CHRISTIAN LUEME…

Jun

27

2023

By The African Mirror

920 million people could face conflict over the world’s rivers by 2050: what our study found in Africa

SUSTAINABILITY

THE Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project on the Nile River started operating in February 2022. It reinforced tensions between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. The three countries rely most heavily on the Nile’s water. Sudan and Egypt consider the US$4.6 billion dam a threat to vital water supplies. Ethiopia sees it as essential for its development. SOPHIE DE BRUIN, Researcher in Environmental Change, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam This is just one example of how conflicts can arise between states that share river basins. And there’s a real risk that such conflicts will become more common as global temperatures rise. Hundreds of rivers…