Climate
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Philip Mataranyika focuses on the tenacity of Makoni girl children
By Philip Mataranyika Connecting the dots… Volume 10 My bones shall rise… The girl children of the Makoni people have always played an important role both at the household and clan level, from the days of our great patriarch and ancestor, Gunguwo, to the current generation. The roles assigned to them transcend everyday routine duties…
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Let African States Submit Updated Plans Before COP26
Less than two months to the Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, Africa has already made its demands known. According to the Tanguy Gahouma-Bekale-led African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change, the team will use the October 31-November 12 conferences to press their counterparts from the developed countries to place the…
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India extends up to US$1 million for climate-resilient agriculture in Zimbabwe
The Government of India has contributed almost USD one million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Zimbabwe to help affected populations tackle climate shocks. The contribution, provided through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, will be used to assist more than 5200 smallholder farmers in Chiredzi and Mangwe districts. Working alongside partners,…
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New Report: Across Africa, Economic Growth is Rooted in Protecting Nature
By The Campaign for Nature Africa’s prosperity depends on preserving its vast natural wealth, yet the continent’s natural capital stocks are dwindling rapidly, concludes a new report released on 24 August 2021 by the German government. The report, one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of the strong links between Africa’s development and nature protection,…
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Let’s not harm wetlands: Environmentalist speaks
By Marlvin Ngiza As the hot dry season fast approaches, citizens have been urged to exercise extreme care in protecting wetlands and adhere to all environmental policies in order to minimize harm to the natural resource. Environmentalist Noreen Rumbidzai Matonga said people should stop cultivating on or close to wetlands. She also encouraged citizens to…
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We can’t leave anyone behind on climate change: UN, FORUS
The Freedom of Rights Under Sovereign (FORUS) and the United Nations in Zimbabwe on the occasion of the commemoration of the World Humanitarian Day today emphasised the need of taking everyone on board, thus leaving no one behind in as far as responding to climate change is concerned. According to the United Nations in…
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African Development Bank Leads On Climate Finance: UN Report
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has been distinguished as the only large development bank that spent more on climate finance to enable communities to adjust to the inevitability of climate change. The AfDB crossed the threshold of committing 32 percent of its facilities to climate financing and edging toward achieving 40 percent, its peers like…
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Investments in Nature Needed to Stop the Next Pandemic: Harvard and Global Experts Report
Protecting forests and changing agricultural practices are essential, cost-effective actions to prevent pandemics Boston, Mass. – As the world struggles to contain COVID-19, a group of leading, scientific experts from the U.S., Latin America, Africa, and South Asia released a report today outlining the strong scientific foundations for taking actions to stop the next pandemic…
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World Elephant Day: Adventurer Holly Budge, 20 elephant specialists attract global audience
On World Elephant Day this year, on August 12th, Holly Budge, founder and leader of international non-profit, How Many Elephants, was among the impressive line-up of speakers at the global online event – ‘Elephants – from conflict to coexistence.’ Hosted by the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), over 20 speakers spanning four…
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Integrated Aquaculture (Pty) Limited and Desert-foods International GmbH launch aquaponics project
Climate-resilient agriculture of the future: largest aquaponics facility in Southern Africa commenced operations most recently with a foreign direct investor as a financial sponsor – water-saving year-round farming practice is 10x times more productive than open-field agriculture. Annual harvest capacity of up to 200 tons of nutritious, local, and organically cultivated multi-crop veggie and fresh-water…
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SADC Synthesis Report Reveals Widespread Regional Food and Nutrition Insecurity
The recently released 2021 Southern African Development Community (SADC) Synthesis Report on the State of Food and Nutrition Security has revealed widespread regional food insecurity. Below, Spiked Online Media shares the Executive Summary of the report: Southern Africa suffers from widespread food and nutrition insecurity. This year, in the ten SADC Member States that submitted…
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Climate change widespread, rapid, and intensifying – IPCC
Scientists are observing changes in the Earth’s climate in every region and across the whole climate system, according to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report, released yesterday. Many of the changes observed in the climate are unprecedented in thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of years, and some of the changes already…
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Understanding relationships between African communities and micro climates
By Charles Dhewa Animals, birds, and trees may not speak English, Chewa, Shona, Ndebele, KiSwahili, or any other language but they certainly speak several languages which human beings are yet to master. Co-existing with microclimates and forests for generations has exposed many African communities to the secret knowledge and languages of nature. As more people…
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New Study Shows Climate Change May Increase the Spread of Plant Pathogens
The agricultural impact of climate change would be a little more straightforward if it occurred in a world where crops were free of their microbes. Research published today has found that in this hypothetical landscape, rising global temperatures will boost global agricultural productivity, partly by opening up new arable lands near the poles that were…
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Climate-Smart Agriculture Investments Required to Boost Agricultural Production in Zimbabwe
By the World Bank STORY HIGHLIGHTS A new report by the World Bank and the Government of Zimbabwe shows that more public spending in agriculture has not translated into more productivity The report warns that without Climate-Smart Agriculture Investments, Zimbabwe’s staple food crop, maize, is expected to see a 33% yield reduction by 2030 Strengthening…
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A lion’s share of climate funds must focus on restoring indigenous food systems
By Charles Dhewa For most developing countries, the COVID19 pandemic has shown the undisputed value of indigenous food. Several communities that had become used to depending on imported food and medicines suddenly discovered they can use lockdowns and restrictions to taste and use indigenous food as well as medicines that are easily an expression of…
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COVID-19 makes it harder for charcoal producers and traders to make ends meet
By Daniella Silva In Kisangani — Democratic Republic of Congo’s third-largest city — COVID-19 has had an impact on the charcoal industry that its more than 1.8 million inhabitants rely on to meet their daily energy needs, putting forests at greater risk. The additional challenges affecting the supply and transport of essential charcoal during the…
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AfDB supports development of satellite observations for African early warning systems
The recently released Hydromet Gap Report highlighted weaknesses in Africa’s weather and climate observation systems that contribute to a lack of climate data and inadequate early warning systems. The report calls for the establishment of ground and upper air stations for basic observation and satellite data coverage to strengthen forecast and early warning mechanisms for extreme weather…
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World’s Food Supplies Get Slammed by Drought, Floods and Frost
Extreme weather is slamming crops across the globe, bringing with it the threat of further food inflation at a time costs are already hovering near the highest in a decade and hunger is on the rise. Brazil’s worst frost in two decades brought a deadly blow to young coffee trees in the world’s biggest grower. Flooding in…
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EMA warns of high veld fire risk for 2021 season
By Marlvin Ngiza Citizens have been challenged to preserve the natural ecosystem and ensure that safety measures against veld fires have been put in place in order to avoid the loss of lives and valuables as the veld fire season approaches with the risk for 2021 season predicted to be extreme. Environmental Management Agency (EMA)…
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Technical cooperation seeks to strengthen agricultural extension services in Zimbabwe
A technical cooperation (TCP) project launched yesterday seeks to strengthen agricultural extension services in Zimbabwe. Officiating the official launch of the TCP project, Dr. John Basera, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement expressed his profound gratitude to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO ) for working hard…
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Econet steps up its sustainability drive, joins the United Nations Global Compact initiative
Econet Wireless Zimbabwe has taken a major step in demonstrating its commitment to sustainable development by becoming a participant in the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. The UNGC brings together businesses from across the globe to implement principles of sustainable development and corporate responsibility. It currently has more than…
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The Next Big Financial Crisis Could Be Triggered By Climate Change
…but Central Banks Can Prevent It In 2008, as big banks began failing across Wall Street and the housing and stock markets crashed, the nation saw how crucial financial regulation is for economic stability – and how quickly the consequences can cascade through the economy when regulators are asleep at the wheel. Today, there’s another looming economic risk: climate…
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Wildlife cybercrime: Is Zimbabwe ready to tackle it?
By Innocent Ferris Rupapa Introduction The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed our vulnerabilities even further and brought to light our broken relationship with nature. The same pandemic has pushed humans to forge new and better strategies for interaction and doing business. Travel restrictions and lockdown measures that have been imposed by nations across the world to…
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Mixing trees and crops can help both farmers and the climate
Maxwell Ochoo’s first attempt at farming was a dismal failure. In Ochieng Odiere, a village near the shores of Kenya’s Lake Victoria, “getting a job is a challenge,” the 34-year-old says. To earn some money and help feed his family, he turned to farming. In 2017, he planted watermelon seeds on his 0.7-hectare plot. Right…
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Germany provides support to vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe
The Government of Germany, through the German Federal Foreign Office, has contributed EUR 3 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Zimbabwe to support highly vulnerable communities struggling to meet their basic food needs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This is part of a EUR 18 million contribution by Germany to Southern Africa…
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Blue and Green Economy Drive Sustainable Development: 3rd SADC Youth Forum conveners
The third Southern African Development Community (SADC) Youth Forum will focus on the importance of the Blue and Green Economy to drive sustainable development. The Southern Africa Youth Forum (SAYoF-SADC) is a regional development platform for youth in the SADC region, works with SADC Secretariat, SADC-CNGO, SAT among other regional organizations to empower young people…
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The first step in using trees to slow climate change: Protect the trees we have
Between a death and a burial was hardly the best time to show up in a remote village in Madagascar to make a pitch for forest protection. Bad timing, however, turned out to be the easy problem. This forest was the first one that botanist Armand Randrianasolo had tried to protect. He’s the first native…
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UNESCO Embarks on Comprehensive Resilience Building in the Chimanimani and Chipinge Districts
Following Cyclone Idai that hit eastern Zimbabwe in March of 2019, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Regional Office for Southern Africa (UNESCO ROSA), under the World Bank Funded Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project (ZIRP), is implementing the project ‘Comprehensive Resilience Building in the Chimanimani and Chipinge Districts.’ The overall objective of the project…
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Solar power enables bank employees to work seamlessly from home
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way businesses operate worldwide, with working from home having become the new normal for many businesses, particularly during strict lockdown periods. The internet and modern information communication technology have made this possible. However, it has also required that some businesses invest in providing resources for their employees to make…
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PACJA, Fairtrade Africa sign pact to build climate resilience
The Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) and Fairtrade Africa (FTA) on Thursday signed a collaborative pact aimed at addressing the effects of climate change on trade from smallholder farming, and respective producer groups across Africa. Signed in Nairobi, Kenya the memorandum of understanding between the two leading coalitions on climate change and trade will seek…
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Industry pinpoints tech role in climate action push
Yanitsa Boyadzhieva Industry experts maintained digital technology served an important role in tackling climate change challenges, emphasising connectivity, IoT, and big data as driving forces behind current efforts. In a panel discussion, the GSMA’s head of Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation Kimberly Brown (pictured, far left) said mobile technology is uniquely placed to provide the tools…
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Try tree regeneration, not tree planting
PATRICK WORMS Assisted natural processes are a recipe for success With all those well-meaning efforts to plant trees out there, the alarm is justifiably being raised that sometimes, those trees will do more harm than good. That’s why it’s helpful to start any tree project with the thought that the objective is to “regenerate with…
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Quarry miner moves to mitigate pollution after residents’ protest
By Kumbirai Mafunda A local quarry miner has pledged to use several methods to suppress the emission of dust and minimise noise while conducting its mining activities following protests by residents of Arcadia suburb in Harare. Through their lawyer Tinashe Chinopfukutwa of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, residents of Arcadia suburb in Harare had on…
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Launch of Green Recovery Plan for small firms to face climate crisis
The latest SME Competitiveness Outlook 2021, released today, focuses on empowering small businesses to rebuild from the pandemic in a way that prepares them to face the looming climate crisis. ‘Going green is both a survival imperative and a business opportunity,’ said International Trade Centre (ITC) Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton. ‘Small businesses must rebuild in a way that prepares…
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European authorities join green devices drive
By Chris Donkin A group of seven European governments signed a treaty designed to improve the environmental credentials of devices including smartphones and laptop PCs, targeting change through the creation of a united front in procurement requirements. The International Circular and Fair ICT Pact was signed by The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Norway, the UK, Austria,…
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Zimbabwe taking commendable measures to combat desertification, hunger
Zimbabwe is taking commendable steps to combat desertification and hunger, Honourable Mangaliso Ndlovu, the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry has said. The Minister revealed this on the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought on 17 June 2021. Zimbabwe as a party to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification continues to…
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Protection of Wetlands is Critical to Achieve Sustainable Development
The Harare Wetlands Trust and the Harare Residents Trust (HRT) affirm their full support to the preservation of the environment, respect for the rule of law, and the upholding of key legal provisions on the protection of wetlands and road verges. The organisations acknowledge that there has been an increase in trading along main and…
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SADC capacitates journalists on importance of Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis data
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has trained the media on how to use Data Journalism for Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (VAA) data in their work. Alfred Hermida contends that data journalism draws on fields such as information visualization, computer science, and statistics to convey news through the analysis and representation of quantitative, computer-processed data.…
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DPA partners Econet Wireless to reduce carbon footprint, drive sustainability
Distributed Power Africa (DPA), the continent’s leading renewable energy solutions company, says it is targeting to reduce Econet Wireless Zimbabwe’s diesel consumption by 80% through the use of solar batteries. Several businesses in Africa have been relying on fossil fuels to sustain their operations due to erratic power suppliers. However, environmental and sustainability concerns, along…
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ARC, Centre for Disaster Protection seal collaborative deal to improve disaster risk management systems
The African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group and the Centre for Disaster Protection have entered into a partnership agreement to mutually promote technical collaboration on capacity building, research, and advocacy through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) jointly signed by the chief executives of both institutions. Under the MoU, the parties will explore opportunities and leverage their…
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World’s soils ‘under great pressure’, says UN pollution report
The world’s soils, which provide 95% of humanity’s food, are “under great pressure”, according to a UN report on soil pollution. Soils are also the largest active store of carbon, after the oceans, and therefore crucial in fighting the climate crisis. But the report said industrial pollution, mining, farming, and poor waste management are poisoning soils,…
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Africa Climate Resilience Investment Summit focuses on green recovery
The Fifth Africa Climate Resilient Investment Summit ACRIS V under the theme “Embedding and financing climate resilience for Africa’s green recovery” will be held virtually on 16th – 17th June 2021. The two-day program will deal with investments for climate resilience. The panel discussions will deal with cross-border energy, resilience, nature-based solutions, smart agriculture, innovative…
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Climate Change – Why Africa’s Drylands Must Be Restored – Experts
Environmentalists made this call during the third session of a dryland fellowship thematic training organised by Climate Tracker which was held virtually, Thursday. Amidst a profound surge in the negative impacts of land degradation due to human activities across the continent of Africa, sustainable environmental practices advocates have called for the intensification of proactive and…
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The Africa Green Waste and Energy Expo and Conference 10th Edition rolls to life
The Africa Green Waste and Energy Expo and Conference 2021 kicks off in Harare today with this year’s edition described as crucial since it reflects on a milestone development agenda that coincides with the 10th Anniversary. This year’s edition is running under the theme; ‘CIRCULAR ECONOMY: ‘I CREATE!” with the main event being hosted…