SUSTAINABILITY - The African Mirror

Jun

15

2023

Nigeria needs to take climate action: 4 urgent steps to start with

SUSTAINABILITY

CLIMATE change is not just a buzzword or a topic for political debates. It is a real and pressing issue that affects every aspect of our lives. The effects of climate change are already being felt worldwide, from rising sea levels to heatwaves, droughts, floods, loss of biodiversity, food insecurity and more. Author OLASUNKANMI HABEEB OKUNOLA, Visiting Scientist at the United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), United Nations University In Nigeria, climate change has contributed to the country’s mounting economic and social challenges. The country has acknowledged the need to move to a low-carbon future.…

Jun

14

2023

By OKWI OKOH, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Old is gold: Here’s why farmers are rediscovering their love for native trees

SUSTAINABILITY

AT Joan Wandegi Nthiga's family farm in Embu, a county in eastern Kenya, she and a small group of friends have gathered to discuss the weather, a common topic of conversation these days, and its impact on their area. "The geography has changed dramatically since we started cultivating here over 40 years ago," Nthiga said. Like many other parts of the country and region, Embu is now locked in the extreme weather pattern of successive droughts and floods. "It was a whole forest before. We cut down the trees in order to make room to grow food and fruits. But…

Jun

11

2023

By The African Mirror

Cleaner air travel in Africa: Will a post-pandemic recovery herald greener skies for Africa’s fleet?

SUSTAINABILITY

BIRD STORY AGENCY KENYA Airways recently became the first African airline to use Sustainable Aviation Fuel in a commercial long-haul flight between Nairobi and Amsterdam. The national carrier participated in the Sustainable Flight Challenge – a competition among global airlines to test their ability to fly sustainably. According to Allan Kilavuka, the CEO of Kenya Airways, the pilot flight was a collaboration between KQ and energy giant Eni and "will be a significant milestone for Kenya Airways and the broader African aviation industry." The quest to fly sustainably is part of a transformative wave blowing across Africa's aviation sector as…

Jun

07

2023

By The African Mirror

Half of Africa’s white rhino population is in private hands – it’s time for a new conservation approach

SUSTAINABILITY

SOUTHERN white rhinos are widely known as a conservation success story. Their population grew from fewer than 100 individuals in the 1920s to 20,000 in 2012, mostly in South Africa. This success was partially due to the inclusion of the private sector, which started in the 1960s when white rhinos were moved from their last remaining population in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and placed in other state reserves as well as on private land. In 1991 the Game Theft Act formalised conditions for private rhino ownership and use. Poaching pressure was low at the time, and the demand for rhinos by ecotourists…

Jun

07

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigeria’s street food adds to the plastic problem – green leaves offer a solution

SUSTAINABILITY

STREET food is popular in Nigerian cities. Most of the local food delicacies are sold by vendors whose livelihoods depend on informal subsistence activities such as local food production and street food hawking. They are part of Nigeria’s vast informal sector, which accounts for 57.7% of the country’s economy. But most food prepared by vendors has to be consumed within a short time to avoid spoilage. Refrigeration capacity is limited because of unreliable power supplies in the country. Author OBIORA EZEUDU, Research Associate, University of Nigeria The popularity of food sold by street vendors is part of a global shift…

May

23

2023

By The African Mirror

Crochet and art bring awareness to anti-poaching efforts in Mozambique’s Niassa Reserve

SUSTAINABILITY

The YAO Crochet Project, a women-empowered knitting venture which trains the community in the Niassa Special Reserve in Mozambique to crochet and create toys and crafts, is creating a life-sized, metal elephant sculpture to heighten awareness and stir emotions around anti-poaching efforts in the reserve. Collaborating on the project’s creative execution are French metal sculptor, Jules Pennel; Zimbabwean metal sculptor and director of Luwire Conservancy, Derek Littleton; Mozambican artists and musicians, Norte and Jose Matola; and Mozambican metal sculptors, Cecília Paulo and Josina Estevão. The project is supported by the Metis Fund, an initiative by Agence Française de Développement. The…

May

09

2023

By The African Mirror

Flooding in Nigeria is on the rise – good forecasts, drains and risk maps are urgently needed

SUSTAINABILITY

VICTOR ONGOMA and VICTOR NNAMDI DIKE NIGERIA is one of the most flood-prone countries in West Africa. Many areas experience annual flooding. This happens during heavy rainfall and one of the reasons is poor drainage systems. The country, therefore, needs to make improvements. As researchers who have specialised in meteorology for about two decades, we believe there are several ways it can do this. The key interventions needed are: understanding the impact of climate change on rainfall extremes and water resources investing in a functional weather forecast system addressing the problem of poor drainage. These actions are necessary to build…

Apr

26

2023

By The African Mirror

Turning waste to gold: Transforming wastewater and solid waste into sustainable solutions

SUSTAINABILITY

BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY TO Jean James, Africa's fast-growing and rapidly urbanising population and the associated problems of managing wastewater and solid waste are not just challenges but also represent a unique opportunity. "They create various avenues for the circular economy… an ideal business environment, reduce cases of public health and promote clean water consumption," said James, a Nairobi-based circular economy expert, in an interview with bird story agency. James said the massive investment into waste infrastructure was an opportunity for governments to partner with the private sector to facilitate the financing of what will need to be an…

Apr

04

2023

By BIRD STORY AGENCY

Peatlands – a young scientist reveals one of Africa’s most valuable carbon sinks – in Angola

SUSTAINABILITY

PEATLAND ecosystems create almost mystical environments. Spongy, water-logged peat shifts as one moves across the surface, threatening to swallow an individual moving through vegetation above the unstable ground. Surplus water from the saturated peat forms small, meandering streams that flow towards larger accumulations of water. Beyond their unique physical attributes, peatlands, as it turns out, also serve a vital ecological function. They are filled with deep accumulations of slowly decomposing plants and other organic, which over time become known as the flammable, energy-dense material known as peat. Peatlands, as a result, are huge carbon sinks, absorbing more carbon than they…

Apr

04

2023

By The African Mirror

Climate in Court: the UN resolution that could bring climate justice for all

SUSTAINABILITY

BIRD STORY AGENCY THE UN General Assembly on Wednesday, March 29, upheld a unanimous agreement to invite the International Court of Justice to issue an advisory opinion on climate justice. The resolution asks the ICJ to clarify the "obligations of states under international law to ensure the protection of the climate system." Among other issues, the court will advise on the legal consequences nations face for not protecting Earth's climate. The move could have huge implications for collective efforts to fight climate change, according to climate campaigners. "This is a major step towards holding countries accountable for their actions," said…