West Africa’s plastic waste could be fueling the economy instead of polluting the ocean: experts

A beach littered with plastic and other waste in the fishing village of Kayar, north of Dakar, Senegal. Bara Deme, Author provided Elhadj Bara Dème, University of Portsmouth and Pierre Failler, University of Portsmouth Plastic pollution is an urgent environmental issue, globally. Every year, about eight million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans. Most of the 17 west African countries have a problem managing plastic waste. Eight of […]

November 15, 2023 8

Africa

New study pushes for protection of one of Africa’s ‘least understood treasures’

by Ryan Truscott on Mongabay Aerial view of the NGOWP team’s mekoro along the Cuando River. Image by Kostadin Luchansky/National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project. A new study reveals the extent of a tropical water tower in Angola, which performs the same role as snow-capped mountains in the Northern Hemisphere. The Angolan Highlands Water Tower contains peatlands and freshwater lakes that supply major rivers in the region, and the wildlife-rich Okavango Delta […]

November 15, 2023 12

Africa

bird’s TEN X SERIES: Top 10 Tallest buildings in Africa

Africa’s city ecosystem is attracting billions of dollars in new projects, making them home to some of the world’s glitziest and tallest buildings. 1. The Iconic Tower, Egypt With its towering height of 385m (1266ft), the Iconic Tower is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture. Its sleek, modern design incorporates cutting-edge engineering, symbolising Egypt’s innovative approach to high-rise construction and design aesthetics. 2. Great Mosque of Algiers Tower, Algeria Standing tall […]

November 15, 2023 10

Africa

African nations are increasingly favouring green bonds over emissions trading to power their transition to green energy.

By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency African countries are now favouring raising funds for projects that have positive climate and sustainability outcomes over emissions trading as green bond issuances soar across the continent. While legislative plans to regulate the sale of carbon credits are proliferating the continent, this race has been beset by controversies, with critics claiming it allows companies to continue polluting without reducing their emissions. Green bonds are becoming […]

November 15, 2023 8

Africa

Projects funded by the World Bank Group’s private sector arm fuel armed conflict – it’s time to reform the system

Brian Ganson, Stellenbosch University; Anne Spencer Jamison, Copenhagen Business School, and Witold Jerzy Henisz, University of Pennsylvania To what extent does private investment help developing countries to reduce conflict and violence and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals? This is a hotly debated issue. Most international institutions such as the World Bank Group take the stance that the problem is not enough private investment. So they mobilise public resources to […]

November 14, 2023 9

Africa

India to Africa to the UK: Diasporas don’t influence politics in predictable ways

Former UK home secretary Suella Braverman (left) with prime minister Rishi Sunak. Both are of Indian-African descent. WPA Pool/Pool Melissa Tandiwe Myambo, University of the Witwatersrand Leading politicians in the UK, including the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, are of African Indian descent. Other high profile examples include the country’s two most recent home secretaries – Priti Patel, who served from 2019 to 2022, and her successor Suella Braverman, whose tenure […]

November 14, 2023 1

Africa

Growing African vegetables on buildings can save space and feed cities – new study

The Eco Green Wall is an example of a sustainable living wall system. Karen Botes Karen Botes, University of Pretoria As cities grow, more people need food. However, space for farming is limited in cities. Building facades can offer a solution for growing food. We asked landscape architect Karen Botes to tell us about her research – cultivating traditional African vegetables on walls. What are ‘living wall systems’ and why […]

November 6, 2023 5

Africa

Africa’s Fashion Sector Primed for Global Leadership

By Bonface Orucho via BirdAfricaNoFilter Africa’s young, innovative, and growing population, a rising middle class, rapid urbanization, and increased government support are some of the factors fueling the African fashion sector, according to a new UNESCO report. The report, 'The Fashion Sector in Africa: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities for Growth,' unveiled on October 26 during the 13th edition of the Lagos Fashion Week, shows that “the continent holds all the cards […]

November 2, 2023 17

Africa

Guyana Deserves to Develop its Oil and Gas, and so does Africa

At a time when both African and Caribbean nations are making great strides towards developing recently discovered oil and gas reserves, countries whose development was driven by hydrocarbons are accelerating efforts to transition to a renewable energy future. This transition has seen wealthy nations establish a ‘green agenda,’ one which does not take into consideration Africa’s economic needs. The African Energy Chamber (www.EnergyChamber.org), therefore, strongly calls for an end to […]

November 2, 2023 6

Africa