Environment

Four ways Africa is already seeing the effects of climate change – and what can be done about it

By Moina Spooner, The Conversation Africa is already being heavily affected by climate change. Between 1991 and 2023, the African continent warmed at a rate of 0.3°C per decade, a rate slightly faster than the global average. This has brought more frequent and severe weather extremes. The cost of adapting to these changes and events is also immense. This was emphasised in a recent report by the World […]

17 September, 2024 29

Africa

Nigerian farmers lack insurance: payouts triggered by weather data offer a solution

By Ifedotun Aina, University of Cape Town and Opeyemi Ayinde, University of Ilorin Agriculture is hugely important to Nigeria. It makes up about a quarter of the country’s economy, and almost half of the population are smallholder farmers. Most farm on less than 10 hectares of land. It can be a tough way to make a living. Smallholder farmers in Nigeria regularly lose crops and livestock to floods […]

17 September, 2024 64

Environment

Fungi to the rescue: South African scientists use innovative approach to protect apple trees

Woolly apple aphids are destructive pests, threatening South Africa’s apple-growing industry. Westend61/Getty Images By Antoinette Paula Malan, Stellenbosch University; Letodi Luki Mathulwe, Stellenbosch University, and Nomakholwa Faith Stokwe, Stellenbosch University Gardeners the world over dread the appearance of aphids on their plants. There are around 4,000 species of these sap-sucking insects and about 250 are pests that can wreak havoc on crops in a garden or orchard. One […]

17 September, 2024 36

Environment

Eight dead after heavy rain and flooding in central Europe

Devastating rains have claimed at least eight lives across central and eastern Europe, as a powerful storm causes widespread flooding and disruption. Pablo Gutierrez reports. Deutsche Welle reports that severe flood warnings have been issued at around 100 locations across the Czech Republic, impacting most regions. Austria, Poland, and Romania are also experiencing significant flooding. DW provides the latest updates. The German government has pledged support to countries […]

16 September, 2024 97

Environment

Drought lowers Fish River Canyon water levels

Namibia Wildlife Resorts will conduct a clean-up at the Fish River Canyon this weekend to mark the end of the hiking season. NWR spokesperson Nelson Ashipala said that drought conditions have lowered water levels, pushing the Ministry of Environment to deploy water marshals to maintain a steady supply.

12 September, 2024 53

Africa

Zimbabwe considers elephant culling for food amid drought

Zimbabwe is considering culling elephants for the first time since 1988 as the country grapples with a devastating drought. Environment Minister Sithembiso Nyoni told lawmakers in Mount Hampden, near Harare, that discussions are underway to cull elephants and distribute the meat to drought-stricken communities in need of protein. This move comes as Zimbabwe faces one of the worst droughts in recent decades, leaving many communities food insecure. According to Bloomberg […]

12 September, 2024 86

Africa

South Sudan floods: the first example of a mass population permanently displaced by climate change?

Abandoned homes in South Sudan. rameesha bilal shah / shutterstock By Liz Stephens, University of Reading and Jacob Levi, Charité – Berlin University of Medicine Enormous floods have once again engulfed much of South Sudan, as record water-levels in Lake Victoria flow downstream through the Nile. More than 700,000 people have been affected. Hundreds of thousands of people there were already forced from their homes by huge floods […]

12 September, 2024 61

Africa

Fire safety tips at home: the risks and how to avoid them

By Rhoda Afriyie Mensah, Luleå University of Technology In many African communities, fire hazards are a concern due to the materials used for building and daily activities such as cooking and heating. The risks are increased by the use of highly flammable materials in homes and the absence of fire prevention measures. A major fire in a Johannesburg building in 2023, for example, claimed dozens of lives […]

12 September, 2024 30

Africa

Nigeria is the world’s 2nd biggest plastic polluter: expert insights into the crisis

By Wale Fatade, The Conversation Plastic pollution is a major problem in Nigeria. Recent research identified the country as a plastic pollution hotspot, second to India. India emits 9.3 million tonnes of plastic into the environment each year – one fifth of the global total. Nigeria emits 3.5 million tonnes annually. Just how big is the issue and what can be done about it? The Conversation Africa […]

12 September, 2024 57