Podcasts: Recent Episodes
Sophie Mbugua
Africa Climate Conversations is a weekly podcast offering insight on climate change issues in Africa. Effects Climate change is having on economies, communities, and ecosystems while highlighting tons of adaptation and mitigation efforts on the ground. It is for you who cares about Africa and its growth.
African nations are blessed with 30% of the world’s critical minerals. Mineral that the world needs to develop solar panels, wind turbines, renewable energy storage, electric vehicles, defence infrastructures, communication infrastructure, digital economy and many more.
However, past mining activities since colonial era has taught Africa taught lessons. Minerals, particularly diamonds, are widely believed to have been the main factor at the root of Sierra Leone's decade-long civil war in the 1990s. In addition to the Sierra Leone conflict diamond drive civil war in Angola, and the Democratic republic of Congo led to the UN definition of blood diamonds in the 1990’s.
In 2020, the World Bank estimated the production of minerals such as graphite, lithium, nickel and cobalt, could increase by nearly 500% by 2050 to meet the growing demand for clean energy technologies.
Therefore, a world rush to acquiring critical minerals required for these green energy technologies is inevitable.
But, has Africa learned from its past experiences? Should Africa move at the same pace as the rest of the world, or should it pace itself?
Humanly speaking, forests, minerals, oceans, water bodies, and other natural resources are seen as infinite by the human eye. Infinite in the sense that there are more resources to be mined or prospected for, more land to be utilized, a vast ocean and waterbodies that can handle enormous levels of pollution, vast underground water resources that can never be drained, and billions of fish to be caught.
This attitude that the earth has an unlimited capacity and the insatiable human nature to get as much as we can out of the earth for ourselves regardless of the harm we are causing the ecosystem is what I term as greed, and as the late professor Wangari Maathai once mentioned that, “this human greed have created so many of the deep ecological wounds visible across the world today.”
Can we restore balance?
Mangroves are versatile and flexible forests that can cope with enormous disturbances. Dr. Judith Okello, a senior research scientist and mangrove ecologist at the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, says that when sedimentation occurs, the mangroves can form a new cable rooting system and migrate when there is space on land. However, due to human influence, global temperatures continue to rise, causing frequent and sporadic weather-related events. When such events occur, they lead to sudden and frequent sedimentation, and the mangroves can get fatigued, resulting in massive diebacks.
To help the mangroves cope, communities have been encouraged to plant. Instead of planting these mangroves, Dr. Okello advocates for a holistic ecological approach that solves the challenges facing mangrove forests. But how did we get here? Why is planting mangroves not the solution to restoring the degraded ecosystems?
Featured today are a group of ladies who are establishing a livelihood by planting mangroves. About sixty kilometres south of Mombasa in Kwale County, in the small fishing town of Msambweni, a group of fifteen women from the Munje village joined together during the COVID-19 outbreak. A community-based organisation with 30 members has developed out of them after around four years. They are planting mangrove propagules along the southern coast of Kenya, around Vanga-Funzi Bay, to preserve a portion of mangrove forest. Additionally, the womenare enhancing their livelihoods through activities such as beekeeping, eco-tourism, waste management, conservation education, and basket weaving. Approximately 400,000 propagules had been planted in nurseries by the end of last year by the women.
During the 28th United Nations climate summit, hosted by the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in December 2023, the first global stocktake, which is intended to map out the path to achieving the Paris Agreement's main objectives, will conclude. The global stocktake, which is anticipated to occur every five years, will assess the world's progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing resilience to climate impacts, and securing financing and support to combat the climate crisis.
Botswana's David Lesole, a seasoned African negotiator on climate change, reiterates that it is extremely difficult to measure progress where goals are unspecific. He warns that it is difficult to measure progress because the majority of African national climate commitments (NDCs) do not specify projects that will be implemented to address climate-related measures in critical sectors.
As Africa convenes in Nairobi for the Africa Climate Weeks, what must the continent contemplate prior to the global stocktaking? Given that Africa is the continent most impacted by climate change, why should it prioritise building trust between its governments and its most vulnerable citizens?
"After colonialism, religion depicted that we "Africans" lived in a satanic manner," argues Florence Monde. Mwauluka, a woman of 85 years old, founded the Limulunga la Makuwa craft women's club in the Mongu district of Zambia's Western Province. In today's episode, Mwaluka recalls her childhood before colonialism and the introduction of Christianity to her Lozi people, who have resided in the Barotse floodplains for over four centuries. The Lozi used water andherbsfrom their natural environment for medicinal purposes. The community cleared canals that connected their respective homesteads. The areas adjacent to the canals were also used for agriculture. "They did so because they believed it was their duty to the environment, as well as to maintain peace with their neighbours and ward off pests and diseases," Mwaluka explains. The Barotse floodplains have deteriorated, according to her, because the community was discouraged from conserving their environment without monetary compensation following Zambia's independence. In what other ways have religion, colonialism, and modern education influenced the conservation of the Barotse floodplains?
Meet Florence Monde. Mwauluka is an 85-year-old woman popularly known here as Auntie Flo. She is the founder of the Limulunga la Makuwa craft women's club in Mongu district, Western Province, Zambia. Here, 10 women join up to weave mats, mattresses, hats, and baskets, as well as mould pots used as cooking pots, refrigerators, and water purifiers. These products are made from natural materials such as roots, grass, reeds, soil, and water obtained from the Barotse floodplains, which these women have dedicated their lives to protecting. They integrate these natural resources with plastics to craft bags, mattresses, pots, shopping bags, hats, and mats, among others. But Baita Chilemu, working with Auntie Flo, says having few women in leadership among the Barotse people and a lack of markets is a huge setback in their conservation efforts.
The Barotse floodplain is a vast land area classified as a Ramsar site, with over 300 bird species and over 130 documented fish species. When flooded, it can reach over 550 000 hectares, acting as a sponge that slowly releases water to the nearby regions that receive low rainfall. But because of climate change, the Barotse loses about 1,500 mm of water annually from evaporation, which reduces the amount of water flowing in the lower Zambezi River system
Is there a solution to the persisting water crisis in Zimbabwe? I ask Professor Tamuka Nhiwatiwa, a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biological Sciences, University Lake Kariba Research Station, at the University of Zimbabwe. Tamuka says Harare city in Zimbabwe is built on its catchment area. It relies on treating polluted waters from Lake Chivero and the Manyame River for domestic use. Lake Chivero and the Manyame rivers once hosted international fishing tournaments. However, today, these rivers are basically sewerage ponds. Why? Is there a solution to this persistent water crisis? Click to listen.
When the Lozi people migrated to the Barotse Floodplains in western Zambia about 400 years ago, they heaped soil on platforms and settled in the floodplain without destroying it. The Lozi developed canals they use to access villages and farmlands and instilled African cultural and spiritual beliefs that have been used to protect the fish, water, animals, lagoons, and biodiversity within the floodplains as well as the forests on the higher ground they migrate to annually when the floodplains flood. On this episode,Victor Syatyoka, a conservationist with the National Heritage Conservation Commission in Zambia, expounds more on this cultural and spiritual conservation practice.
Did you know that the Barotse floodplain, located in the upper Zambezi basin in Zambia’s western province, has over 339 bird species and over 129 documented fish species? When flooded, it can reach over 550 000 hectares, acting as a sponge that slowly releases water to the nearby regions that receive low rainfall. It's key for supplying water to downstream communities, and the Kariba dam relied upon by Zambia and Zimbabwe for hydroelectric energy. But, due to high temperatures in the area, the Barotse loses approximately 1,500mm of water per year through evaporation, affecting the water available along the Zambezi River system. This week,Dr. Machaya Chomba, the Upper Zambezi Program Manager at the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature Zambia,talks about itsimportance, major threats, and sustainable conservation solutions.
In order to manage and safeguard the nation's forests, Zambia has a proactive 2015 forest act that brings together stakeholders, including local communities. However, extensive deforestation is being caused by the prospecting for new minerals, the logging of indigenous trees like rosewood and African teak, and the conversion of forest area for agriculture.The origins of significant river basins like the Zambezi, Luangwa, and Kafue are in danger, according to Abel Siampale, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Zambia forestry program manager, as the nation is already seeing shifting ecological zones.
Over 50 years after world leaders recognized the environment as a major global issue during the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, Sweden, the World Meteorological Department released the 2022 State of global climate report showing that carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide –the three most potent gases responsible for global warming reached record highs in 2021. Despite numerous international treaties, nations still prioritize development over environmental protection. Is climate change the real problem, or should governments press a reset button on healing nature?
At the foot of the Aberdare mountains in Kenya, about an hour's drive to Lake Naivasha, a youth group is encouraging farmers to preserve the grasslands to conserve the Sharpe's Longclaw bird species. The Njambini Wool Crafters buy wool from these farmers to ensure they generate income through sheep-keeping. The group produces yarns made of raw sheep wool. These yarns are sold to curio shop operators or woven into blankets, carpets, rugs, throw blankets, scarves, shawls, and socks.
Samuel Bakari, an ecologist with the Friends of Kinangop Plateau, told the Africa Climate Conversations that in 2000 BirdLife international records showed between 10-20,000 mature Sharpe's longclaw birds in Kenya. Today over 20 years later, Bakari says this number has reduced to less than 2000 individuals.
About an hour and a half drive from Kenya's capital city Nairobi exists the Kinangop Plateau. It is the middle catchment area between the Aberdares /Nyandarua range of mountains and Lake Naivasha. Initially, the grassland was a 70 000 hectares of expansive treeless tussocky grasses, bogs and marshlands. Today, only less than 10 percent of the grassland remains. The land converted into agricultural land, now is a significant source of cabbages, potatoes, and carrots consumed in Nairobi, Naivasha and Gilgil town. Eucalyptus, pines and cyprus trees were grown to rid the land of the water-logged marshes and bogs. As a result, tributaries and rivers flowing into lake Naivasha have lost over 80 percent of water, as observed during the Horn of Africa's longest drought. Why were these grasslands important? why is the land use change a threat to the Sharpe's Long claw birds habitats and survival? Can they be rehabilitated back to near original states amid the demand for food as population and temperatures rise? Click to listen.
About 30 years ago in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, agenda 21 recognized that humanity stands at a defining moment in history, confronted by worsening poverty, hunger, ill health, and the continuing deterioration of the ecosystems on which we all depend for our well-being. Years later, world leaders continue to prioritize development over the environment. Today’s episode explores the link between biodiversity and our day-to-day life, like food, water, and air. We also discuss how best nations can develop while sustaining their biodiversity and reducing emissions.
Happy New Year: 2023.Last year the year 2022, the average global temperature was about 1.15 degrees Celsius. 2022 marks the 8thconsecutive year from 2015-2022 where each year the annual global temperatures have reached at least 1°C above pre-industrial levels. This is according to datasets compiled by the World Meteorological organization from six international temperature datasets. The world rich countries historically responsible for the rising emissions are still expanding their coal mines to tackle the energy crisis amid the Russia-Ukraine war. We have seen the tug of war between demonstrators and the police as they protest the clearance and demolition of a village in western Germany to make way for the expansion of a coal mine. And the world pact for nature was agreed on in Montreal Canada in December last year amid concerns by some African delegates among them the Congolese. Welcome back and buckle up as we take off this year’s climate and environmental conversations from an African perspective.
Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) has come with its fair share of blessings in terms of communication and transport. The Mombasa to the Kenyan capital Nairobi line was completed in 2017. Phase two of the railway aimed to link Nairobi with Malaba on the Kenya–Uganda border cut through the pristine Olooula Forest -one of the remaining Nairobi green spaces. The Oloolua Community Forest Association tried to stop it, but as Christopher Muriithi says, development had to happen. In today’s episode, in collaboration with China Dialogue, we explore the environmental impacts developments such as the SGR has caused and when demonstrations fail, what legal options do communities have to safeguard their environment from destruction?
The Sharm el-Sheikh, decision was reached early morning on last Sunday the 20thas official plenary started at 4am. Among the wins for the Continent was the establishment of a loss and damage facility which was pushed hard by the G77 and China- Africa is in this group - as well as the civil society. But vehemently opposed by the United States at the beginning.Does the Global Shield against Climate Risks divide the African continent by cherry picking some African continent by promising them funds? Will seeking the international court of Justice to provides clarity necessary for countries to make better climate decisions at COP and at home help implementation of the Paris agreement and many other treaties on environment amd human rights?
The 27thUN Climate summit is already underway till next week in Egypt’s coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh. It is essential to recognize that this is the 27thmeeting of the parties in about 30 years. Also, remember that Africa is the continent that contributes the least to global emissions – about 4 percent.
In 2015, in Paris, when the Paris agreement was being passed, Africa was promised by the COP 21 presidencyLaurent Fabius that the continent would be recognized foritsspecial needs and circumstancesafter.
But till today,it has been a push and pulls, and Africa is yet to get this promise honored. This year the agenda still did not make it to the final agenda to be negotiated. What are the special needs and circumstances Africa has been pushing for recognition? Why should Africa concentrate on buildingeffective local and national institutions to adapt to climate change?
A conversation with David Lesole, a Climatologist with the department of meteorological services in Botswana. Former African Group of negotiators (AGN) on climate change and a former climate change lecturer at the University of Botswana.
Forests and savannahs provide a wide variety of ecosystem services. They provide food and fuel. Additionally, they clean the air, filter water, and control floods, and erosion, while sustaining biodiversity. However, over the years human beings have plundered the earth prioritizing development needs over the environment. Kenya’s Olo0lua forest an urban forest located about half an hour’s drive from Kenya’s international airport has seen years of plunder as Nairobi residents quarried stones in the quest to develop the city. As climate change bites, how has Oloolua forest’s biodiversity changed? How has the once cooler neighborhood changed? What are the communities doing to protect the remaining forest?
Human activities led to roughly 1.1°C of warming between 1850-1900. If this trend continues, scientists warn thatglobal warming will exceed 1.5°C between2030 and 2052,meaning more severe and extreme weather events.
The earth exists not just as an investment opportunity but as a trust passed on from previous generations for the current to hold as stewards for future generations. It is time to come out of the boardroom meetings and conferences, put down our feet, and implement these plans and policies protecting our God-given resources but from bottom-up approaches allowing communities to relate culturally and spiritually with nature. These policies have existed in many nations, but behavior change is required among communities and a mind shift among our leaders.
In the Horn of Africa, pastoralists have often moved. The movement is a crucial driver for community resilience. However, the slow onset of events like droughts, desertification, water scarcity, rising sea levels, and coastal erosion has increased climate-induced migration. By 2050, the World Bank says climate change will cause more than 200 million people could migrate, with most movement occurring within countries.
Today, the IOM East and the Horn of Africa migration, environment, and climate change thematic specialists Lisa Lim Akem talks to use about climate-induced migration as drought bites the Horn of Africa countries.
The 27th United nation Climate summit (COP27) is eight weeks away. COP27 occurs when several climate-related emergency crises, such as floods, drought, wildfires, storms, and cyclones, devastate communities, economies, and ecosystems.
Today we welcome the COP27 President Special Representative Ambassador Wael Aboulmagd.
In many African communities, traditional weather forecasting was relied upon to determine when famers would plant. Still in many communities it remains the most accessible and affordable source of weather information. However recurrent and persistent drought, has disrupted the weather patterns in Kenya. Rains no longer set in on expected months making uncertain the traditional weather forecasting. How has weekly weather texts helped save farming activities in kenya?
Africa is home to about 560 million people out of over 700 million without access to electricity worldwide. In July 2022, the African Union commission and its member states unveiled what they say is a practical approach to tackling the energy crisis in the continent.
The African Common Position on Energy Access and Just Transition stipulates that Africa will continue to deploy all forms of its abundant energy resources including renewable and non-renewable energy to address energy demand.
Natural gas, green and low carbon hydrogen and nuclear energy will play a crucial role in expanding modern energy access in the short to medium term while enhancing the uptake of renewables in the long term for low carbon and climate-resilient trajectory.
Linus Mofor a Senior Environmental Affairs officer in charge of Energy, Infrastructure, and Climate Change in the Africa Climate Policy Centre at the UN Economic Commission for Africa joins us for today’s episode.
Mofor, explains why is Africa choosing to mix its energy portfolio with natural gas and nuclear energy instead of 100 percent renewable, and what is being done to catalyze energy investment in the continent.
Hydro energy comprises of 83percent of Zambia’s installed capacity. In 2015, climate change impacts reduced Zambia energy generation capacity by more than 50 percent. In 2020 Zambia had to load shed for more than 12 hours again when inadequate rainfall again led to a loss of more than 800 MW. Coal came in hardy to stabilize Zambian economy.
Most African countries depend on hydro {highly susceptible to weather and climate impacts} for energy. However, Africa has often been advised to keep their fossil fuels reserve unutilized to reduce further emissions. Why must the energy transition be just to Africa ahead of the coming 27th UN climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Africa is a continent hard hit by climate change though least emitter. Erratic rains and floods, prolonged droughts, climate related migration and conflict, combined with Covid-19 are exposing nations to further debts.
In addition, the continent being energydeficient,many nations lack energybase load. In line with the Paris agreement, isAfricabeingpressuredto abandon its use offossilfuel energy while developed countriesfacing energy shortages and rising costs for fuel and electricity, due to Ukraine Russia crisis turn back to more and dirtier fossil fuels? who is shaping the climate justice narratives. Is Africa doing enough to push their position ahead of COP27?
Drought situation continues to worsen in Kenya. In Kenya’s Rift Valley, local says they last harvested since 2018. This year it has rained for four days. Cows have died, goats – their remaining source of food - are dying of diseases. The Worse hit are nineteen of the 23 Arid and Semi-Arid Land counties. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says the number of people in need of assistance increased from 3.5 million this May to 4.1 million in June 2022. Rainfall failed in 2020, performed poorly during the 2021 short rains and cased early during the 2022 march to May long rains season. Listen to how drought is impacting them amid rising cost of food.