insert_link Africa Southern African project builds toolkit to guide reforestation with indigenous trees Camel Thorn tree (Photo: Wikipedia) A regional initiative is developing a digital toolkit to help policymakers, farmers, and urban planners choose the right tree species for climate resilience across Southern Africa. The Southern African Trees for Climate Adaptation and Resilience project, in partnership with Stellenbosch University, is creating an open-access bioinformatics platform designed to guide reforestation and urban greening in the SADC region. Guy Midgley, a leading climate scientist at […] today4 September, 2025
insert_link Environment ClimSA Forum Highlights Climate Services for Africa’s Resilience The Second ClimSA Forum is underway in Windhoek under the theme "Accelerating Access to Climate and Weather Services for Resilient African Economies and Communities." The gathering aims to showcase the impact of the ClimSA programme on climate policy, risk management, and informed decision-making across Africa. Moses Vilakati is the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, the Blue Economy, and Environmental Sustainability at the African Union Commission. today24 June, 2025
insert_link Business / Economics INTERVIEW: Business and Economics Researcher Josef Kefas Sheehama on Green Bonds In a recent discussion, Business and Economics researcher Josef Kefas Sheehama highlighted the importance of Green Bonds as a crucial financial tool for promoting sustainability in Namibia. Sheehama echoed the sentiments of the Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, who emphasized the need for private sector engagement in combating climate change. Since 2005, many banks in Namibia have begun issuing Green Bonds to raise funds for sustainable initiatives. According to […] today22 October, 2024
insert_link Environment Climate change is a challenge for small-scale farmers – how a mix of old and new techniques produced a superior maize harvest in a dry part of South Africa By Abeeb Babatunde Omotoso, North-West University and Abiodun Olusola Omotayo, North-West University New research into rural small-scale farms in South Africa’s North West province has found that climate-smart farming techniques lead to a better maize yield, a more regular supply of food for the farmers, and a wider variety of crops. Small-scale farmers often produce primarily for their own consumption, but many also sell produce in local […] today20 August, 2024
insert_link Environment Urban greening in Africa will help to build climate resilience – planners and governments need to work with nature By Sintayehu W. Dejene, CGIAR System Organization and Razak Kiribou, Haramaya University Nature-based solutions are actions that use nature to solve environmental problems. Examples in cities would be setting up a wetland near a group of buildings to absorb floodwater, or building permeable pavements. The world’s developed countries have been implementing nature-based solutions since 2015 but Africa has fallen behind. We are part of […] today26 July, 2024
insert_link Opinion Pieces Namibia’s uncharted blue economy has a lot of potential Opinion By Josef Kefas Sheehama Given the potential for the blue economy to generate a significant number of direct and indirect jobs, Namibia has a great chance for long-term economic growth and development. The NDP 5 interventions can also be utilized to realize Namibia's Vision 2030 aspirations of eradicating poverty, decreasing inequality, and fostering an inclusive economy. Namibia must revive, implement robust climate change mitigation strategies, […] today24 July, 2024
insert_link World Fasting is a key part of Ramadan, but for many Muslims, climate change is making food scarce all year By Nasya Bahfen, La Trobe University Every Ramadan, volunteers at Westall Mosque and OneSpace in Melbourne hold free weekly iftars (communal dinners to break the fast in Ramadan). This year, volunteers say numbers are up. To cut down on the resulting landfill, attendees are asked to bring their own reusable food containers and water bottles. In dedicated bins, bottles and cans are collected and recycled under the […] today2 April, 2024
insert_link Environment Africa’s savannah elephants: small ‘fortress’ parks aren’t the answer – they need room to roam By Celesté Maré, Aarhus University and Robert A.R. Guldemond, University of Pretoria Africa is home to about 410,000 savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana), most of them living in southern Africa. Over 290,000 elephants (70%) are spread across 103 protected areas which vary in size, connectivity and protection. In a recent research paper we explored how elephant populations across southern Africa performed under different conservation approaches. This work formed part of […] today26 January, 2024
