May 24
Africa: Climate Change May Be Fuelling a Resurgence of Piracy Across Africa
In the churning waters off Nigeria, armed pirates in small skiffs speed towards a cargo ship. They clamber aboard, seizing control of the vessel and its valuable cargo. This isn't… Read more »
May 26
East Africa: Horn of Africa Droughts - How a Network of Groundwater Bores Could Help - Study
The Horn of Africa recently suffered its worst drought in almost half a century, and its sixth failed rainfall season in a row. Read more »
May 21
Southern Africa: Sweet Sorghum Is a Hardy, Nutritious, Biofuel Crop That Offers Solutions in Drought-Hit Southern Africa
The southern African region is battling with drought at present. This is the result of El Niño, a natural climate cycle characterised by changes in Pacific Ocean… Read more »
Kenya: Kenya Is Badly Prepared for Floods - Four Steps to Reduce Devastation and Deaths
Floods in Kenya in April/May 2024 led to the deaths of over 250 people and caused damage estimated at 4 billion Kenya shillings (US$35 million). Read more »
May 19
Africa: Mapping Malaria in Africa - Climate Change Study Predicts Where Mosquitoes Will Breed in Future
The relationship between climate and malaria transmission is complex and has been the subject of intense study for some three decades. Read more »
May 18
South Africa: South African Communities Vs Shell - High Court Victories Show That Cultural Beliefs and Practices Count in Climate Cases
When the Shell petroleum company announced in 2021 that it wanted to explore for fossil fuels off South Africa's pristine Wild Coast, Indigenous communities in the area immediately… Read more »
May 10
Africa: Cement Is a Big Carbon Emitter and Quality Is Costly - a Civil Engineer Explains
Every year the world uses 4 billion tonnes of cement to make the concrete that goes into buildings and other infrastructure. It leaves a huge carbon footprint, and comes with other… Read more »
May 09
Kenya: Kenya Floods - As the Costs Add Up Pressure Mounts On a Country in Economic Crisis
There were early warnings that Kenya's long rain season - between March and May - was going to bring above-normal rainfall. The extreme intensity of the rain has resulted in… Read more »
May 08
Africa: South Africa's Plan to Move Away From Coal - 8 Steps to Make It Succeed
The South African government's Just Energy Transition Implementation Plan was launched in November 2023. It is a roadmap guiding the country away from reliance on coal-fired power… Read more »
May 01
Kenya: Kenya's Devastating Floods Expose Decades of Poor Urban Planning and Bad Land Management
Floods in Kenya killed at least 169 people between March and April 2024. The most catastrophic of these deaths occurred after a flash flood swept through a rural village killing 42… Read more »
April 30
Uganda: Business and Management Graduates Can Become Climate Change and Sustainability Champions - Lessons From Uganda and Tanzania On How Universities Can Support This
There is no doubt about it: the world is in the grips of a climate crisis. The headlines are full of reports about extreme weather events and the negative effects of the fossil… Read more »
April 26
South Africa: Waste Pickers Play a Key Role in the Fight Against Plastic Pollution
Our addiction to plastics is trashing the planet, exacerbating global heating and threatening our very survival. Since 2022, the UN has been convening negotiations on a Plastics… Read more »
April 23
Africa: Africa's Megacities Threatened By Heat, Floods and Disease
Cities cover just 3% of the planet. But they emit 78% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, absorb 80% of final global energy (what consumers use) and consume 60% of clean… Read more »
April 18
South Africa: Climate Change Makes Life Harder - in South Africa It's Likely to Bring Heatwaves, Water Stress and Gender-Based Violence
South Africa is feeling the impacts of global warming. Heat is frequent and more intense. Human-induced climate change made the severe 2015-2017 drought three to six times more… Read more »
April 17
Africa: How to End Hunger in Sub-Saharan Africa - Fight Inequality, Gender Imbalances and Climate Change
A greater part of Africa's population can't afford a healthy diet than any other regional population. Food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa is caused by climate change, high levels… Read more »
April 15
South Africa: Climate Change Is Causing Marine 'Coldwaves' Too, Killing Wildlife
The effects of ocean warming are profound and well-documented. But sometimes changes in the patterns of winds and ocean currents cause seawater to suddenly cool, instead. Read more »
April 12
Zimbabwe: El Niño Drought Leaves Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba Only 13 Percent Full - a Disaster for People and Wildlife
Water levels at Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe have dropped dramatically because of the latest El Niño drought. The country's president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has declared a national… Read more »
April 09
Africa: West Africa's Falling Fish Stocks - Illegal Chinese Trawlers, Climate Change and Artisanal Fishing Fleets to Blame
Average fish catches by traditional fishing communities along the west African coast have declined significantly over the past three decades. Read more »
April 08
Ghana: Why Is Ghana So Hot This Year? An Expert Explains
Ghana's meteorological agency and the state's health service have issued warnings about a period of very high temperatures expected in the first half of 2024 around the country.… Read more »
April 03
Africa: Africa Now Emits As Much Carbon As It Stores - Landmark New Study
A landmark new study has found that, in the last decade, the African continent has started emitting more carbon than it stores. When the total amount of carbon that is sequestered… Read more »
April 01
Africa: El Niño Disasters - Govts Know What's Coming, but Are Unprepared - What Must Change
Drought disasters in southern Africa are mainly attributed to a lack of preparedness, inadequate response and mitigation and poor risk reduction measures. With little to no… Read more »
South Africa: South Africa's Laws Aren't Geared to Protecting Against Climate Change - Judges Are Trying to Fill the Gap
South Africa has plenty of environmental laws but none that specifically oblige government officials to consider the risks and impacts of climate change when they approve new… Read more »
March 27
Africa: Venomous Snakes Could Start Migrating in Large Numbers If We Hit 5ºc Warming
A global group of scientists has predicted that climate change may cause dramatic movements in venomous snake populations across many countries in Africa. The scientists took into… Read more »
March 11
East Africa: 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. Read more »
March 07
South Africa: 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… Read more »