NAIROBI, Kenya (PAMACC News) - Africa must swiftly harness its rich mineral and natural resources to drive a clean energy revolution and accelerate sustainable development amidst the current climate crisis, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Antonio Pedro, has urged. “Africa is a solutions powerhouse for saving the climate, Mr. Antonio Pedro, said at the opening of the 11th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA) in Nairobi, Kenya, ahead of the inaugural Africa Climate Summit to take place from 4-6 September themed: Driving Green Growth & Climate Finance Solutions for Africa and the World. Mr. Pedro pointed out that Africa has abundant renewable energy resources, including 40% of the world’s solar irradiation potential, making it a great location for advancing green hydrogen. Already, multiple low-carbon hydrogen projects are in development in Egypt, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, and South Africa. Africa is also rich in cobalt, manganese, platinum, lithium, and copper – critical minerals for producing batteries and other green transition products. The drive toward achieving net-zero emissions is expected to trigger a 40-fold increase in lithium demand and a 25-fold increase in cobalt demand. Furthermore, Africa is home to rich natural capital, such as the Congo Basin which contains some of the largest tropical rainforests in the world. Mr. Pedro said that using nature-based sequestration alone, African countries could provide up to 30% of the world’s sequestration needs. A key challenge, however, was in “effectively and sustainably harnessing Africa’s abundant resources for the benefit of its people.” “To mobilize the necessary funding, a paradigm shift is necessary,” said Mr. Pedro, emphasizing that Africa’s renewable and non-renewable resources were assets for mobilizing climate finance and investment. “The ecological services provided by Africa to the world need to be monetised through carbon markets and other innovative instruments including debt-for-climate swaps,” he added. Studies show that African countries could mobilize up to US$82 billion annually by participating in well-functioning carbon markets. Besides, more income could be generated from value chains around non-renewable resources such as critical minerals crucial for battery production. “Our renewable and non-renewable resources must be harnessed to secure the continent’s human, energy, food, mineral, environmental and climate security, meeting basic needs and fostering sustainable structural transformation,” Mr. Pedro urged. For her part, Soipan Tuya, Kenya Minister of Environment and Forestry noted that Africa’s sustainable development hinged on the successful adaptation and mitigation of climate change impacts because the continent’s growth depends heavily on climate sensitive sectors and natural resources. She stressed, in her opening remarks that Africa was capable of overcoming climate change challenges and turning them into development opportunities through innovation, clean technologies and a paradigm shift that unlocks Africa’s huge natural resource and human potential. “Harnessing these rich enormous resources, however, requires mobilization of financial resources from both domestic and international sources to enable Africa tackle climate change and facilitate the option for clean and low carbon development pathways,” she said. Africa is bearing the brunt of climate change more, despite…

NAIROBI, Kenya (PAMACC News) - Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya on Monday officiated the opening of the Wangari Maathai Institute for Peace and Environmental Studies at the University of Nairobi's Upper Kabete Campus. The Institute, whose construction commenced in 2016, was set up by the Government to advance the legacy of the 2004 Kenyan Nobel Laureate Prof Wangari Maathai. The institute was handed over to the University of Nairobi in May 2019. Speaking at the launch, attended by the University of Nairobi's top leadership led by Chancellor Dr Vijoo Rattansi, acting Vice Chancellor Prof Julius Ogengo and Chair of Council Prof Amukowa Anangwe , CS Tuya said the institute would immortalize Prof Maathai's legacy and thanked various partners for supporting its construction. "Thank you too for immortalizing the great Nobel Peace Laureate Prof Wangari Maathai by establishing this institute. I would like to, in a very special way, thank the African Union, the African Development Bank, the Clinton Global Initiative, DANIDA and all the partners who helped make this institute a reality," Hon Tuya said. "I am informed that the institute aims to carry forward Prof Maathai’s legacy by promoting research, education, and community engagement in the field of environmental governance, cultures of peace, climate adaptation, sustainable development, and conservation," she added. The Cabinet Secretary recalled Prof Maathai's exploits as a scholar and environmentalist noting that besides making history as the first African woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her environmental work, she had set other records including being the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a PhD in biology. "As Kenyans, we forever remain proud of Prof Maathai's achievements. In fact, I personally draw so much inspiration from her in my day-to-day work as Cabinet Secretary responsible for environment, climate change and forestry because as you know she also served in the Ministry as an Assistant Minister," CS Tuya said. The Cabinet Secretary said her Ministry will collaborate closely with the Wangari Maathai Institute (WMI) on programmes that will help Kenya and the region to overcome challenges posed by climate change including conflicts over shrinking natural resources. "I would like to challenge the faculty and students at this institute to especially research and conceptualize the practical nexus of environment, conflict, and peace. "Emerging evidence and statistics are stark, including the 6th IPCC Assessment Report which shows that environment and climate factors are becoming critical drivers of insecurity, manifesting in inter and intrastate conflicts, with Africa being specially affected," CS Tuya noted. Hon Tuya also spoke at length about ongoing climate action programmes in her Ministry including the 15 billion national tree growing and ecosystem restoration programme, sustainable waste management, and the forthcoming inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi. "The late Professor Wangari Maathai led Kenyans and the world to plant trees and to build strong nature-based livelihoods especially for women and youth at the community and grassroots level. "My Ministry is building upon this legacy to carry…

LUSAKA, Zambia (PAMACC News) - Dickson Zulu is part of the traditional leadership of Mphoza Village in Chief Nzamane's Chiefdom of the Ngoni people in the Eastern Province. For over five decades, he has been farming on a piece of land left to him by his late parents. However, in recent times, he has seen shrinking yields with each passing farming season from his farmland. He blames this on what he terms 'tired crop land'. In other words, due to conventional farming methods involving continuous tilling and the use of synthetic fertilizers, Headman Zulu believes the land has been overused and has lost fertility for profitable farming activities. “Our forefathers used the same land and left it to us. With continuous fertilizer use and tilling, I think we have overused this land to a point that it can no longer support profitable agricultural activities,” says Headman Zulu. “You see,” Zulu continues, “In the late 90s and early 2000s, we witnessed a massive migration of people from this area in search of fertile crop farmland. Most of the people who left went and settled mainly in the fertile portions of Mambwe District, which was then, and up to now considered to still have virgin and fertile crop land. Had it not been that I am a traditional leader, I would have left as well,” Headman Zulu laments about his predicament. The semi-arid district of Mambwe, located approximately 700 km from Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, lies in the Luangwa Valley, northwest of the Eastern Provincial capital, Chipata. Mainly inhabited by the Kunda people, the district is located in the country's agro-ecological region I, which receives less than 800mm of rainfall annually. It is thus more famous for tourism than agriculture, as it hosts the South Luangwa National Park—considered one of the last remaining unspoiled regions of Africa, offering a unique and unforgettable safari experience. However, while most of the local people depend on seasonal jobs in the tourism sector (safari and tour operators), the surrounding Game Management Area (GMA), particularly on the eastern border with the recently declared Chipangali District and parts of the Msoro area bordering Katete District in the south, still has portions of virgin and fertile land for agricultural activities. The aforementioned areas have in the last two decades seen an influx of farmers from other parts of the province seeking fertile cropland for agricultural activities. Internal Migration and Climate Change Internal migration caused by a mix of factors, particularly environmental degradation resulting from poor land husbandry practices, as well as intensifying climate variability and extremes, has led to increased encroachment into the buffer zone between the National Park and the GMA. This has resulted in increased human-animal conflicts and poaching activities. This trend confirms new and emerging research by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR FOCUS Climate Security), which indicates that internal displacement and mobility patterns have also been reinforced by climate variability and extremes with dire implications for human security and social stability more broadly. The…

KILIFI, Kenya (PAMACC News) - It is Mid July, and a team of 25 women and youths selected from all the seven Sub Counties of Kilifi County are gathered at the Mtwapa Energy Centre in the heart of Kilifi County on a three day mission to learn how to mould a unique cook stove known as ‘kuni mbili’ which uses only two pieces of firewood at a time. In general, the county’s main source of cooking energy particularly within rural communities is largely firewood burned at the centre of the traditional three stones, of which most of the heat escapes into the open air. “Our target is to train residents on how to minimise the use of biomass used for cooking as much as possible, while at the same time ensuring that there is efficiency of cooking as a way of protecting the environment and reducing risks associated with excess smoke at household levels,” said Mohamed Shuqry, the Coordinator at the Mtwapa Energy Centre. The centre is one of the facilities that were established under the Rural Electrification and Ennergy Corporation (REREC) to promote environment friendly energy development and dissemination at county levels across the country. Shuqry notes that kuni mbili cook stove is designed with a lining made of fire treated clay. “The lining keeps the heat on target, which leads to minimum use of biomass, but maximum and efficient utilisation of the heat,” he said. The initiative is in line with the Kilifi County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP), which seeks promote energy efficiency by promoting the use of clean cook stoves and energy saving jikos in institutions and at household level. The programme to build capacities and create awareness of environment friendly cooking solutions in Kilifi is driven by collaboration between the County Government, the Clean Cooking Association of Kenya (CCAK), World Wide Fund (WWF) and community based organisations under the Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA). According to Philomena Mitalo, the Programme Officer at CCAK, uptake of the improved cook stoves, most of which are imported has been very low because of the high taxes. “The costs of these stoves outweigh benefits, thereby impeding national climate and sustainable development goals,” she told the Climate Action. CCAK has been on the forefront trying to influence policy and fiscal environment in regards to import duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) that is affecting access and adoption to clean cooking solutions especially among the rural poor. To mitigate this, Kilifi County has installed briquette making machines in each of the seven Sub Counties for local communities to use for briquette making instead of relying on charcoal and wood fuel. Studies have shown that briquettes, which are compressed block of charcoal dust or other combustible biomass materials mixed with clay, have a higher thermal calorific value and lower ash content compared to charcoal. Alice Katiwa Mwiza from Guruguru village in Kaloleni Sub County says that briquette making has now become one of her sources of income. “I have taken briquette making…