Kigali, Rwanda | Xinhua | Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva has hailed policies and sustained implementation of reforms to address climate change by the different stakeholders in Rwanda. “I came away impressed by the dynamism and creativity of Rwandan youth advocating for climate action and environmental conservation, …
Read More »Climate before trade
Why trade rules shouldn’t stand in the way of measures that advance global decarbonisation effort COMMENT | Dani Rodrik | Late last month, a foreign leader accused U.S. President Joe Biden of pursuing “super aggressive” industrial policies. It was not Russian President Vladimir Putin or Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose countries are …
Read More »Green bottles and blue denim
An artivist’s guide to saving the planet Kampala, Uganda | Atieno Odera | At the Climate Story Lab Africa 2022 edition, a woman dressed in a costume made with over 500 green plastic bottles struts onstage in a fully packed auditorium. “Kiragala Kiragala! Chetwagalo Kulagula! The energy is rising…filling up the air! …
Read More »Population pressure delays Butaleja wetlands restoration
Shs160bn project from COP21 commitments at stake NEWS ANALYSIS | Dicta Asiimwe | A project intended to help subsistence farmers in Butaleja district, eastern Uganda, cope with climate change impacts is at risk of failure as some would be beneficiaries have not yet left the wetlands where they grow rice. …
Read More »Climate experts to African Govts: Ignore COP27’s soft stance on fossil fuels, go for renewables
Africa’s climate experts urge the continent to look beyond COP27’s faux arguments for fossil fuels and adopt cleaner energy sources. Sharm al Sheikh, Egypt| BIRD AGENCY | A significant number of environmental disasters have occurred across communities in Africa this year. In the lead-up to the “African COP,” there was …
Read More »Rome Water Dialogue highlights connection between water management, agriculture
Rome, Italy | Xinhua | The world’s stressed water supply needs to be sustainably managed, organizers from Tuesday’s Rome Water Dialogue said, as needs for consumption and agricultural use are set to increase dramatically in the coming decades. Hosted by the Rome-based United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in …
Read More »Drought in his community turned Omunuk to climate activism
Watching his friends drop out of school due to the impact of drought, Joshua Omunuk was determined to do something about the situation. Then he came across Vanessa Nakate’s Rise Up movement Soroti, Uganda | BIRD AGENCY | When 27-year-old Joshua Omunuk joined the Rise Up Movement, a platform founded …
Read More »Why is Nigeria flooding, and what is the impact so far?
Nigeria has had a flood crisis since June 2022, with a resounding impact — over 600 lives lost, almost 1.5 million displaced, and over 200,000 homes damaged in 370 local governments across the country’s 36 states. This is the country’s worst flood incident in a decade, with floods projected to …
Read More »Transition minerals could transform the Democratic Republic of Congo, but local communities must be consulted
DRC’s minerals have been systematically plundered for centuries; now, its cobalt is coveted by the world for green energy transition. Will this finally bring transformation or more misery to the local communities? Kinshasa, DRC | BIRD AGENCY | Congo’s natural resources have been plundered at a terrible cost to its …
Read More »World Bank tells Africa: Invest in climate adaptation to achieve economic growth
Egypt, Sharm El-Sheikh | BIRD AGENCY | The recent World Bank report urges African countries to increase their investment in climate adaptation lest they miss out on their development goals. As African nations push for more climate financing at the ongoing COP 27, a series of reports by the World Bank underscores the …
Read More »