The Africa Climate Summit represented a shift in Africa’s involvement in global climate action, where high-level attendance and participation demonstrated the continent’s active leadership.
The Urgent Need for Climate Change Adaptation and Biodiversity Conservation in Africa
Conservation and biodiversity are intricately linked to climate change. Rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns and extreme events pose a significant threat to wildlife, ecosystems, and delicate habitats.
Global Climate Change Education
According to a UNESCO report, 70% of young people have a very limited awareness of climate change or cannot describe it to someone else, indicating a significant gap in global climate education. The research also found that the younger the respondents, the higher the level of satisfaction of their learning experiences on climate change education, and girls have less confidence in dealing with climate change based on what they learned in school compared to boys. This brings us to the question of, how much are the schools teaching on climate change.
The global decisions around climate education remain to be one of the most underfunded and underestimated tactics in the fight against climate change. Considering climate change is a man-cause issue, we can’t change our future without first reevaluating our own institutions. The school system is a vital place to begin. Students worldwide require a climate change education that helps them understand how to take better action on climate change and recognize the human place within nature. It should be learner-centred, experiential, and reflective ways of learning making climate change education more fun, solutions-based, and action-oriented. Considering a contextualized climate change education through engagement with the local community could as well expand practical knowledge.
And since schools are important learning spaces for climate change, teachers should be well supported to become ready to teach climate change. They should also be confident enough with up-to-date information and have unlimited resources to teach about climate change. The governments have the mandate to take up the next step toward a more climate-friendly future and implement policies that will support global climate education in schools.
BREATHE Podcast Episode 5: Turn Down the Heat
There is no denying that our weather partners have evolved significantly since a decade ago. Long-term use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas has been by far the most significant contributor to these changes, accounting for more than 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of total carbon dioxide emissions. According to scientists, greenhouse gas emissions blanket the earth, trapping the sun’s heat and causing global warming and climate change.
The world is currently warming faster than at any other time in recorded history. Warmer temperatures are changing weather patterns and disrupting nature’s normal balance. This poses numerous dangers to humans and all other forms of life on Earth. This incredible phenomenon is known as climate change. Its effects can be felt in every African village and country. Communities all over the world are struggling to cope with its effects, which include higher temperatures, severe storms, increased droughts, food insecurity, poverty, and displacement.
Although Africa is estimated to be responsible for 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it is most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In this regard, African governments and organizations must urgently develop solutions that address and mitigate the effects of climate change.
This podcast episode focuses on research conducted in sub-Saharan African countries by the Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group (ABCG) to better understand how communities are adapting to climate change and its effects on biodiversity. Research findings revealed that among the most common climatic changes were decreased rainfall, seasonal changes, drought, and heatwaves. ABCG together with local partners implemented pilot projects such as rainwater harvesting, restoring water pans, improved irrigation, solar powered borehole pumps, clean cookstoves, reforestation, and providing training and materials for alternative livelihoods to help communities adapt to climate change.
Listen to this episode. Turn Down the Heat
Listen to the past episodes of the podcast
Episode 1: The seed savers. Listen here
Episode 2: Dreams from our fathers. Listen here
Episode 3: ChangeMakers. Listen here
Episode 4: Guardians of the land. Listen here
Listen to all episodes here
BREATHE is a podcast series looking to have illuminating discussions around conservation by highlighting the work of individuals and organizations across Africa who are changing the planet for the better one day at a time.
COP 26 Promises Verses Realities
World leaders and individuals across the world are gearing for the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC to be held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt from 6 – 18 November 2022. The meeting will see world leaders agree on measures to tackle climate change to mitigate the harsh consequences that we have been experiencing as result of rising temperatures.
Findings From the Assessment of Forest Cover Change in Community Forests in Five African Countries
A study by ABCG on community forestry, has found that many communities face governance challenges and need help managing the forest in sustainable ways. This study focuses on how community forestry contributes to improved forest management in Africa using a case study approach in five countries in Africa:
ABCG Welcomes Mary Kuria as the new Partnership Development Specialist
Mary Kuria has recently been appointed as the ABCG Partnership Development Specialist. Mary has over 25 years experience in international development programmes and has, over the last 15 years, specialized in fundraising and grants management. A Kenyan, Mary has extensive experience in setting up and implementing fundraising systems and supporting the diversification of organizations’ funding bases.
Time For Africa Conservation Leaders to Have the Much-Needed Dialogue on The Future of its Protected Areas
To address land-use planning challenges in Africa, ABCG has developed a scenario-based planning framework that enable spatially explicit, quantified exploration of tradeoffs or synergies between land use sectors to inform stakeholder-driven plans emphasizing sustainable strategies and policy outcomes.
Strategies for Managing Africa’s Protected Areas: ABCG at APAC
The Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group (ABCG), acknowledges that well managed protected areas embracing participatory and equitable governance appliances yield significant benefits far beyond their precincts.
World Environment Day 2022
World Environment Day was celebrated across the globe on June 5, 2022. Celebrated this year for the 49th time, this special day raises awareness on the responsibility we have in protecting our environment and the importance of conserving the planet for the sake of the current and future generation.
The event comes days after the Stockholm+50 event held on 2nd and 3rd June, under theme “a healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity.”
“The two-day meeting commemorated the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm, the first world conference that placed environment issues at the forefront of international concerns (UNEP)
Therefore this year theme #OnlyOneEarth, seeks to remind us of our role as nations and citizens of the earth, to protect and conserve our environment and to encourage sustainable living everywhere and every day. The day, also, reminds key decision makers of their obligation that awaits them in making decisions that protect rather than destroy our environment. As well as, calls for shared, transformative action to protect and restore our planet earth.
The three global crisis of climate change, nature loss and pollution, is a constant reminder that the need for action is now more important than ever and needs to happen at all levels. That humanity must take action to conserve and restore the environment, and shift from activities that harm the planet and undertake those that heal the planet.