LAIKIPIA, Kenya (PAMACC News) - Two years ago, the global community drafted what is now known as the ‘Paris Agreement on climate change,’ which seeks for international interventions to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C.
But according to a new study conducted in all Kenya’s 21 semi arid land counties, at least five of them have already surpassed the 1.5 °C mark, and the impact especially on cattle survival is devastating. The most worrying part of the study is the projections, which show that the temperatures are going t rise even further in the coming years.
This comes just four years after the World Bank released a report synthesising scientific knowledge on global warming, which warned that the earth was on a path to a 4oC warmer by the end of the century - with huge implications for humanity.
According to the new study commissioned by the Canada based International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) – through a project known as Pathways to Resilience in Semi-arid Economies (PRISE), West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet are the most affected counties with temperature rise of 1.91oC in the past 50 years. Others include Turkana (1.8oC), Baringo (1.8oC), Laikipia (1.59oC) and Narok (1.75oC).
The most startling fact is that the study also found out that the overall population of cattle in all the 21 semi arid land counties has decreased by more than 26 % in the past 38 years, and the scientists who carried out the study are attributing this to the constantly rising temperatures due to global warming, and reduced or unpredictable rainfall patterns.
So far, Turkana County is the most affected in terms of cattle population reduction, recording a drop of near 60 % in the past 38 years ending 2015, followed by Machakos, Garissa, Kitui and Kajiado counties according to the study conducted by scientists from Kenya Markets Trust (KMT).
This is bad news particularly for Turkana, Garissa and Kajiado because livestock is the main source of livelihoods for residents in those counties.
However, all is not lost. While the cattle population was on the decline, sheep and goats’ overall population in the 21 semi arid counties increased by 76.3% during the same period, with some counties like Laikipia and Lamu recording 256.6% and 458% increase respectively.
According to the scientists, cattle can thrive well if the temperatures do not surpass 30oC and not below 10oC. But small animals like sheep and goats, and also camels can tolerate warmer temperatures, hence the reason why they were able to multiply exponentially in the wake of the rising temperatures.
These findings should therefore be a wake-up call for all counties. They should use such scientific information to reevaluate what is happening in terms of rising temperatures and rainfall variations and the projections in the next few years in order to come up with sound policies that are responsive to climate change.
One way of adapting to climate chocks and stresses will be by developing such policies with clear knowledge of what the near future is likely going to look like, with focus on appropriate technologies, while being mindful of crops or livestock animals that are going to survive in projected climatic conditions.
Three counties in the semi arid areas are already leading the way. Kitui, Tharaka Nithi and Embu Counties have joined hands with the Pan Africa Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) and faith based organisations to develop respective climate change policies based on experiments by local farmers to identify local technologies that can work as a way of adaptation.
According to Dr Mohammed Said, one of the PRISE researchers, 50mm change in rainfall can completely change the entire cropping system.
It therefore means that with the constantly rising temperatures, some crops will start performing poorly in places where they used to perform well, while others may start performing well in areas where they never thrived.
Considering the PRISE research findings, some counties will need to re-think and prioritise their livestock investment options to take comparative advantage of the resources they have, for example Laikipia and Isiolo could invest in cattle slaughterhouses, Marsabit goat slaughterhouse and Wajir county camel and sheep and goats slaughterhouses.
Such important knowledge must therefore be considered by all county governments as they continue developing their spatial plans.
PAMACC News - 22 mars, elles ne connaissent pas. Ce qui les préoccupe surtout, c’est la corvée d’eau et celle du bois sans laquelle le repas n’est pas prêt le soir. Le risque que le père de famille se fâche si ça arrive est grand. Des préoccupations, bien loin des fronfrons de la fête de la Journée mondiale de l’eau, célébrée à Cotonou.
Il est 17heures à Torio, un village de l’arrondissement de Bogobogo, dans la commune de Banikoara. C’est habituellement l’heure où il faut remplir les jarres d’eau pour l’usage le soir. Une partie des femmes de ce village, tous âges confondus ont rendez-vous pour la corvée journalière de l’eau. Réunies autour d’un puits à grand diamètre, elles sont une dizaine à se relayer pour aller chercher au fond le précieux liquide, qui présente l’aspect d’une eau potable. Deux seaux attachés à deux cordes différentes permettent de faire l’exercice. Le liquide, une fois retiré est versé dans des bassines immédiatement convoyés à la maison par les plus petites femmes. Elles font ce va-et-vient plusieurs fois de suite en fonction des besoins.
Quid de la qualité de l’eau
Nomma Abdul Wahab, le Chef d’étude à la Mairie de Banikoara, doute, quand-même de la qualité de cette eau. Pour l’intéressé, ces genres de puits à grand diamètre sont légions dans la commune mais pour chacun d’eux, aucune étude n’a été faite pour la potabilité de cette eau. Il déplore la résistance de certaines femmes à utiliser l’eau des forages dont il certifie la qualité parce que leur mise en fonction est précédée de quelques études techniques. Il y a aujourd’hui dans la commune de Banikoara quatre-vingt-quatre forages pour près de douze mille habitants.
Pas de justice en matière d’eau
Si les femmes, comme d’habitude, n’ont pas voulu s’exprimer, c’est Djibril Amidou, un garçon, la trentaine qui prend leur défense. Au forage, souligne-t-il, la bassine est à cinq (5) francs ou vous payez cent (100) francs pour tout le mois pour avoir accès à cette eau, de l’argent dont ne disposent pas ces femmes, explique Djibril. Or, au puits à grand diamètre, l’eau est gratuite.
A une vingtaine de mètres du puits à grand diamètre, justement, se dresse un forage autour duquel est réunie l’autre partie des femmes, celles qui ont les cinq (5) FCFA pour la bassine d’eau. Ici, l’or bleu est pompé. C’est moins pénible que de l’autre côté du puits à grand diamètre, en plus, à ciel ouvert où le risque d’accident est souvent grand. Qui s’en plaindrait ?
ACCRA, Ghana (PAMACC News) - Long-term climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme weather and climate events.
In Ghana, some regions have unexpectedly experienced incessant downpour in the month of March. Yet heatwaves abound throughout the countrol.
Heavy rains and heatwaves are among hazards faced by the ever-growing global population.
With urbanization and the spread of megacities, communities are exposed and vulnerable.
And people get worried.
In a WhatsApp group discussion, a lady quizzed: “Why does it rain only at night these days?”
Her question attracted a quick explanation in meteorology and climatology that “it rains mostly in the night because air is generally cooler at night, and cool air holds less moisture than warm air resulting in rainfall”.
But a socio-emotional explanation of the weather trend was sought after than the scientific account – the questioner was much worried at the lonely cold nights she has had to bear as a spinster.
And the sensually sexual reactions to the lady’s question were as intriguing as the unexpected changes in the weather condition.
“For smooth facilitation of reproduction,” one retorted in response to the question.
Another member on the platform also stated that “it is good for those of us who can’t afford air conditioning and its attendant electricity bills to enjoy cool weather”.
The group chat exposed the comfort and discomfort of extreme increases in environmental temperature.
Hot Discomforting Breeze
Barely a fortnight before the rains set in, many a family suffered heat waves day and night.
Social media had been agog with a circular cautioning an unbearable heat during daytime and at night.
“This is as a result of heat waves stemming from the emission of greenhouse gases. Experts have warned us to prepare for more hot days and warm nights. This preparation will require smart adaptation strategies and engaging in climate resilient practices to cope with the damage that has been done,” said the unknown author of the circular.
It was therefore welcoming when the rains arrived after a long dry spell of heatwaves that cut deep into the skin.
Kojo and her partner enjoyed a soothing night sleep after an evening’s downpour.
“Now I can put my legs on my wife,” he exclaimed.
Apparently, intimacy between the couple had been strained by the heat waves. The two could hardly stay in bed at night; their romantic intimacy of cuddling suffered in the hands of discomforting night sweat under the hot breeze.
“It gets irritating to go skin-to-skin when you and your partner are already drowning in sweat. Even late night cold showers don’t help matters,” said Kojo. “How can you be on heat when you’re already on fire?”
Persistent extreme weather events
As soothing as it may have been, the first rains in the year 2018 left Ghana’s capital city flooded.
Up north in Tamale, the heat waves remained unbearable even before Midday.
New research by scientists at Stanford University predicts extreme weather events are set to occur more frequently, even if the central goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement to limit the global temperatures rise to well under 2°C is met.
The researchers analyzed the likelihood of warm, dry, and excessively rainy periods in the coming years, all of which are already exacerbated by rising global temperatures and sea levels.
Weather-ready, climate-smart is the theme of World Meteorological Day 2018. This reflects one of the top priorities of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) – to protect lives, livelihoods and property from the risks related to weather, climate and water events.
The Organization has noted that “now more than ever, we need to be weather-ready, climate-smart and water-wise” as climate services can inform decisions on both climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Certainly, the warm, dry periods will be causing havoc to romantic relationships as the excessive rainy periods break communities apart.
Adaptation to the inevitable impacts of climate change will doubtless become increasingly important over the coming years.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (PAMACC News) - There is a significant disconnect between global policy optimism on the benefits of REDD+ and local realities, experts said Thursday at the start of a two-day talkson “Market policy versus market mechanisms in the implementation of the Paris Agreement”.
“REDD+ is alive but not well” Dr. Adeniyi Kashwan of the University of Connecticut told a cross-section of climate change experts in Addis Ababa.
As climate change continues to threaten mankind, the world depends in part on forests to diminish its devastating effects.
“Forests cover 30% of the world’s land surface and are also one of the world’s best methods of storing carbon, absorbing 2.4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide each year and storing billions more” said Dr. Wallace Anacho, an environmentalist.
According to scientists, deforestation rates have increased significantly in Africa in the last decades jeopardizing the efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change. One initiative to stop deforestation is Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and (forest) Degradation commonly referred to as REDD+. About 29 African countries are involved in the REDD+ project.
“The basic idea of REDD+ is that, you pay countries and indigenous populations to plant and protect forests” said Dr. Yetibitu Moges of the Ethiopian Ministry of environment, forest and climate change.
The payment usually comes in form of credits referred to as carbon credits and it is expected to provide an alternative way of life to indigenous populations that hitherto relied on forest products to survive.
That is what is supposed to happen but experts are now worried that since the initiation of REDD+ by the United Nations, rights of some local communities have been abused.
“The future is not as bright as expected. In many countries we are seeing rights abuses. Here, we are talking about right to land, right to forests, right to take things out of the forest not just timber but vegetable food, non-timber forest products that people rely on for survival” said Dr. Adeniyi adding that bans on forest exploitation have in many cases proved detrimental to local communities.
“In enforcing these bans we see the use of military force, police and rangers often going into the forest with sophisticated ammunition to harass and terrorize communities. We have seen these in many African countries sometimes resulting in the loss of lives”.
The theory that you exclude indigenous communities from using the forest and then give them alternative means to survive has in many cases not materialized on the field, Dr. Adeniyi said.
“The carbon credit is often shared between consultants, sometimes foreign consultants and governments and a little bit offered to communities. So what is given to communities, if at all anything is given to them from REDD+ benefits is nothing compared to what they are losing. These benefits cannot sustain livelihoods that indigenous people have developed over time”
In spite of the shortcomings, there is a common agreement that REDD+ remains one of the most effective ways of protecting forests. At the Addis Ababa talks, experts were unanimous that there needs to be checks and balances from journalists, researchers and civil society actors on the field to follow up and report malpractices.
“We also have to recognize that REDD+ is not going anywhere if we do not address issues of social justice alongside issues of environmental conservation. The two have to go hand in hand. So you can’t keep the forests at the expense of peoples’ livelihoods and right to survival” Dr. Adeniyi added.
Essentially, fresh procedures should be introduced to get local communities of their own volition, realize that they own the forests and must protect them by themselves if they must survive, the experts suggested.
