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Africa bags early spoils at Dubai climate talks

Africa bags early spoils at Dubai climate talks

AFTER securing the landmark climate damage compensation deal at COP27, Africa's push for the Loss and Damage Fund gets a major shot in the arm at this year's climate summit, after states committed millions to activate it The Fund, which aims to provide financial assistance to countries at extreme risk from climate change, to support mitigation and recovery, was established after intense negotiations at COP27. A synchronised diplomatic offensive by African states had resulted in the historic deal to set up a kitty compensating states with historically low carbon emission levels for the impacts of climate change. Those include rising…
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COP27: Pilot programme to bring climate change courses to African universities

COP27: Pilot programme to bring climate change courses to African universities

STEVE UMIDHA, BIRD STORY AGENCY AN educational programme set to launch in 2023 will give university students across the African continent a chance to learn more about climate change and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), so they can "become ambassadors for the change process". GAIA Education, an international NGO, is readying the concept for launch early in 2023 through a pilot programme involving 15 of Africa's leading universities. It has roped in top academics from the continent through a partnership with the Association of African Universities, headquartered in Ghana, the SDG Centre for Africa based in Rwanda and the…
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COP27 key outcomes: progress on compensation for developing countries, but more needed on climate justice and equity

COP27 key outcomes: progress on compensation for developing countries, but more needed on climate justice and equity

THERE were high expectations for COP27, the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. COP conferences broadly provide a platform for the negotiation of international climate change agreements. This was to be the first COP held in Africa since 2016. It was also framed as the implementation of COP, which would lead to action. Authors IMRAAN VALODIA, Pro Vice-Chancellor: Climate, Sustainability and Inequality and Director Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of the Witwatersrand JULIA TAYLOR, Researcher: Climate and Inequality, University of the Witwatersrand COP27 was expected to make progress on “loss and damage”.…
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Strong commitments from African leaders at COP27 as Kenya, UK ink new green investment deal

Strong commitments from African leaders at COP27 as Kenya, UK ink new green investment deal

CONRAD ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY GREEN was the colour of the day as heads of state from Kenya, Ghana and Zambia laid out strong climate-related commitments at what’s been termed “Africa’s COP” in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Kenyan President Dr William Ruto was among those hosted by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the launch of the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership. Ruto reaffirmed his country’s commitment to accelerating reafforestation, telling delegates: “We remain committed to being in the frontline in sustainable land use and the conservation, protection, management and restoration of forests.” Kenya and the UK have also agreed to fast-track…
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Young Kenyan tree activist speaks up for Africa at COP27

Young Kenyan tree activist speaks up for Africa at COP27

ELIZABETH Wathuti channelled her frustration and sadness over the damage to natural habitats including Kenyan forests close to her childhood home into a life of activism, founding Green Generation Initiative to raise awareness through tree growing. Six years after starting the environmental advocacy group, Wathuti is one of Kenya's most ardent voices in the struggle against climate change, a voice she is hoping will be heard by world leaders gathered in Egypt for the COP27 climate summit. Wathuti was one of the young people calling for urgent action as the U.N. climate conference marked its traditional Young and Future Generations…
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Show us the money: Developing world at COP27 seeks financing details

Show us the money: Developing world at COP27 seeks financing details

SIMON JESSOP, KATE ABNETT and VIRGINIA FURNESS FINANCE took centre stage at the COP27 climate talks, with U.N. experts publishing a list of projects worth $120 billion that investors could back to help poorer countries cut emissions and adapt to the impacts of global warming. A $3 billion water transfer project between Lesotho and Botswana and a $10 million plan to improve the public water system in Mauritius were among dozens of projects listed, including 19 in Africa. "We can now show that a meaningful pipeline of investible opportunities does exist across the economies that need finance most," Mahmoud Mohieldin, one…
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COP27 President calls for an ‘era of implementation’ as talks kick off in Egypt

COP27 President calls for an ‘era of implementation’ as talks kick off in Egypt

SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY A little less conversation and a lot more action, please: that was the call from African states as 2022’s United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) kicked off in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Though previous COPs have been held on the continent – in Durban, South Africa, in 2011 and Marrakech, Morocco, in 2016 – this year’s gathering has been dubbed “Africa’s COP” by many, including the UN Foundation’s Vice President for Climate Change and the Environment. Speaking at the event’s opening last night, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, also COP27 President,…
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