insert_link Environment ‘Cape of Storms’ – climate researchers explain Cape Town’s recent extreme weather By Sabina Abba Omar, University of Cape Town and Stefaan Conradie, University of Cape Town A severe storm hit South Africa’s Western Cape province between 6 and 9 April 2024, with extreme winds gusting at up to 135km/h. The storm left a trail of destruction across Cape Town and surrounding areas – at least 1,500 people were left homeless after the high winds fanned fires […] todayJune 3, 2024 18
Africa Africa’s green bond market is booming – report By Bonface Orucho, bird story agency Green bonds are experiencing robust growth in Africa as governments, corporations, and financial institutions recognize their potential to fund sustainable projects. A new report shows green bond issuances in Africa jumped 125% last year, hitting US$1.4 billion from US$600 million in 2022. The report, ‘Emerging Market Green Bonds’ by the International Finance Corporation and Amundi, a European asset manager […] todayJune 3, 2024 22
insert_link Africa Tanzania’s dams: flood risk depends on how they’re planned and operated By Barnaby Joseph Dye, University of York The Rufiji River, which drains into Tanzania’s south-east coast, experienced a major wave of flooding in April 2024. The flooding caused tragic loss of life and affected at least 88,000 individuals. More than 28,000 hectares of crops were damaged. There has been much debate in Tanzania on the causes of this disaster, particularly the presumed role of the new […] todayMay 30, 2024 28
insert_link Environment Heat waves can be deadly for older adults: An aging global population and rising temperatures mean millions are at risk Older adults face health risks from high heat for many reasons, including medications. AP Photo/Manu Fernandez By Deborah Carr, Boston University; Enrica De Cian, Ca' Foscari University of Venice; Giacomo Falchetta, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and Ian Sue Wing, Boston University A deadly heat wave gripped large regions of Asia for weeks in April and May 2024. As temperatures climbed past 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) […] todayMay 23, 2024 36
insert_link Environment Are some routes more prone to air turbulence? Will climate change make it worse? Your questions answered Trinity Moss/Unsplash By Doug Drury, CQUniversity Australia A little bit of turbulence is a common experience for air travellers. Severe incidents are rare – but when they occur they can be deadly. The recent Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 from London to Singapore shows the danger. An encounter with extreme turbulence during normal flight left one person dead from a presumed heart attack and several others badly injured. […] todayMay 23, 2024 47
insert_link Africa Sweet sorghum is a hardy, nutritious, biofuel crop that offers solutions in drought-hit southern Africa Sweet sorghum ripening in Rwanda. Ari Beser/Getty Images By Hamond Motsi, Stellenbosch University The southern African region is battling with drought at present. This is the result of El Niño, a natural climate cycle characterised by changes in Pacific Ocean temperatures. It has effects on global weather patterns, particularly rainfall and temperature. The drought has hit the region’s agricultural productivity hard. Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe have […] todayMay 23, 2024 24
insert_link Africa Seychelles: floating baby corals can help save damaged reefs – new study By April J Burt, University of Oxford and Noam Vogt-Vincent, University of Hawaii The Seychelles archipelago of 115 islands stretches across a vast area of the western Indian Ocean. Each island is fringed by coral reefs. Coral reefs are formed by colonies of invertebrate animals that build hard skeletons and grow in a myriad of forms. These complex tropical reefs support a third of all […] todayMay 21, 2024 13
insert_link Africa Mapping malaria in Africa: climate change study predicts where mosquitoes will breed in future Water bodies such as the Nile River, pictured here running through Juba in South Sudan, are included in the new model. Frontpage By Mark Smith, University of Leeds and Chris Thomas, University of Lincoln The relationship between climate and malaria transmission is complex and has been the subject of intense study for some three decades. Mosquito vector populations sufficient to maintain malaria transmission occur within a […] todayMay 20, 2024 21
insert_link Environment Agriculture Minister attends Clean Cooking Summit in Paris The Minister of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, Minister Calle Schlettwein attended the Clean Cooking in Africa Summit in Paris, where they held talks about "Catalysing Multi-stakeholder Partnerships" during a plenary session. The International Energy Agency, which is a co-host of the summit, said a lack of progress in clean cooking, with nearly four in five Africans still using polluting fuels and traditional stoves remains a concern. Here is Minister […] todayMay 15, 2024 36