Climate Politics

This edition of the Perspective brings with it a wealth of facts on renewable energy, green economies, climate change and reflects on the challenges different African nations and entities are faced with, in their quest for a self-sufficient and sustainable green society. It is a rich compilation of expert commentaries and contributions coming from different parts of Africa, telling African stories.

Fossil resources like coal, oil and gas are responsible for 63 percent of carbon emissions in the atmosphere by only 90 entities – the “Carbon Majors”. This discussion paper outlines the case for the Carbon Majors to provide funding via the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage for poor communities all over the world.

The impacts and costs of climate change must, be addressed through coherent and effective climate change governance. However, available evidence suggests that environmental and climate change relevant policy in Kenya remains mostly incoherent and not integrated with longterm national development plans and policies.

The idea of growth as the way to end poverty and escape economic and financial crisis remains largely undisputed and is currently reflected in the concept of the green economy. But not everything that is “green” and efficient is also environmentally sustainable and socially equitable. This essay outlines a policy of less, of wealth in moderation, to enable the Earth’s resources to make a life of dignity and without need possible for all.

The policy brief discusses the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM’s) role in the UNFCCC climate governance architecture, and highlights the evolution of the mechanism. On Kenya it assesses institutions, actors, and the CDM’s implementation in the currently most important energy and forestry sectors, and the broader domestic project pipeline, considering public policy and governance dimensions.

Pastoralism is essential for the sustainable management and ecological health of dry lands, but also highly sensitive to increasing environmental degradation and global warming. It is threatened by several factors like the sedentarisation policies, intensive agriculture, ecological degradation and low social status accorded to pastoralists among many others.

The study seeks to assess the unusual mortality of some of the perennial plants such as Acacia tortilis, Balanites orbicularis, Suaeda fruticosa and Zizyphus hamur in some coastal areas of Somaliland. The local communities, particularly pastoralists whose livelihoods are heavily dependent on rangeland conditions, have given different explanations on this disturbing trend, which surfaced in the early 1990’s.

Buug-yarahani waa tarjumaddii cilmi-baadhis lagu diyaariyay AfIngiriisi oo ku suntan “The impact of climate change and adoption of strategic coping mechanisms by agro-pastoralists in Gabiley region, Somaliland”. Waana mid ka mid ah saddex (3) daraasadood oo labada kalena kala yihiin: • Perennial Plants Mortality in the Guban Areas of Somaliland, • “the Impact of Climate Change on Pastoral Communities in Balli-Gubadle and Salahley Districts, in Somaliland”.

In Somaliland, adverse impacts of climate change include recurrent droughts, increased biodiversity loss, species migration and encroachment of invasive plants, increased rural urban migration, changes in the vegetation types, soil fertility loss, and increased infestation of crop by pests and diseases and increased health risks.

While Africa has contributed the least to historic greenhouse gas emissions globally, it stands to be the hardest hit by the effects of climate change. Africa will require substantial financial resources in order to adapt to the unavoidable consequences of climate change. At this year’s Climate Change Conference in Durban, climate finance is expected to feature prominently.