The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) joined the rest of the world in commemorating the World Wildlife Day (WWD). On the 20th of December 2013, the United Nations General Assembly at its 68th session declared March 3 as UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. This WWD…
As prevalent debates concerning the implementation of carbon neutral sources continue to make headlines, also increasingly rife, is the energy industry’s endeavour to explore a broader array of renewable energy sources including biomass. Great strides have been made in Africa’s development in biomass. Interestingly, Africa has the highest portion of bioenergy, at 45% of the total energy mix,…
By NJ Ayuk Pressure is building to phase out fossil fuels in Africa to fight climate change. Organizations ranging from the World Bank to the European Investment Bank (EIB) have dropped support for African fossil fuel production in hopes of encouraging a transition from oil, gas and coal to sustainable energy sources like wind and…
Population growth, rapid urbanisation, and energy insecurity, are causing a soaring demand for wood fuel across Sub-Saharan Africa. It is estimated that wood fuel is the main source of energy for cooking for over 60% of households in the region, contributing to the food security and nutritional needs of millions of people. But due to…
A seven-member delegation of Executive Directors of the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) visited Zimbabwe on a week-long fact-finding mission where they held meetings with a number of officials including President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. The delegation also met officials from various ministries, civil society, private sector and multilateral financial institutions, during which they were briefed on…
Noting that Africa has made considerable progress in education, health and other social outcomes, Amina J. Mohammed, the United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General has said the pace of poverty reduction is slow on the continent while inclusive growth still remains elusive. Mohammed made the remarks during a Special Session of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for…
By Rael Ombuor As the Earth heats up, weather and climate patterns are changing dramatically around the globe. Africa felt the effects of those changes in 2019, experiencing cyclones, droughts and unstoppable rains that jeopardised livelihoods. Sixty-two-year-old David Kemboi sorts out dry maize stalks on his 21-hectare farm in Kenya’s Trans Nzoia County. He turns…
By Anyway Yotamu The rains which have been experienced in recent weeks are expected to continue with the Meteorological Services Department confirming that several parts of the country will receive rainfall this coming weekend. According to latest predictions by the Meteorological Service Department, the rains being experienced in various parts of the country are likely…
Tatenda Mqetu The Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA) perceives Zimbabwe energy problems are due to the lack of the will to prioritise, invest and transparently administer the sector as currently the state relies on intensive models to generate grid electricity for both the industrial and household sector. Zimbabwe has 43% of…
By Joyce Mukucha and Anyway Yotamu In an effort to support the agricultural sector and eradicate hunger and poverty in Zimbabwe, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has handed over a substantial donation to the Horticulture Development Council (HDC), a parastatal which operates under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture,Water,Rural Resettlement. The…
Global Renaissance Investments have earmarked an international Infrastructure Summit and Expo involving South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe that will take place in the resort town of Victoria Falls from 4 to 7 March 2020 at the famous Kingdom Hotel. Addressing journalists at the five-star Meikles Hotel in Harare today, Mr. Ngoni Dzirutwe, the Chief Executive…
The Environmental Management Agency, Birdlife Zimbabwe, NetOne, and Haka Game Park, among other stakeholders have joined hands in commemorating the belated World Wetlands Day under the theme, “Wetlands and Biodiversity.” This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar, therefore the…
Mr. William Kojo Agyemang-Bonsu, the Manager of the Mitigation and Transparency Support (Mitigation, Data and Analysis) unit of the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat has commended Zimbabwe stakeholder collaboration towards coming up with quality greenhouse gases inventory reports. “As per our assessment, the work that has been carried out is fair in the sense…
Mr. Alois Tsiga, the Project Coordinator for the Fourth National Communications and First Biennial Update under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for Zimbabwe has said there are low hanging fruits for the country in complying with such requirements. Speaking to Spiked Online Media in Harare today, Mr. Tsiga revealed that national…
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has described the recent invasion of deserts locust in the East African region as “the worst experience in the past 25 years.” The invasion has presented a major threat to food security and impacted negatively on farming and pastoral communities in the region. The destructive desert locust has…
Cellulant Corporation (www.Cellulant.com) – the pan-African technology company – has empowered Africa’s agriculture sector with the hosting of its inaugural partners’ summit in Lagos, Nigeria and the assurance to leverage on technology to help block inefficiency and wastages in Africa’s Agric value chain courtesy of its improved payment and marketplace solutions, Tingg and Agrikore. Tingg,…
Zimbabwe is working on improving the quality of data and bridging gaps therein to enable the Country to report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) under the National Communications (NCs) and the Biennial Update Reports (BURs). This emerged during the ongoing Quality Assurance of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory System and GHG…
In countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and elsewhere in Africa, inspiring climate solutions are tackling the climate crisis with practical action Some of Africa’s most promising climate and clean energy innovators have been named in the 2020 Ashden Awards long-list. The list reveals outstanding work across Africa to electrify rural areas, boost sustainable…
As Zimbabwe is preparing to join the rest of the world in commemorating the World Wetlands Day, a Government official has urged the citizens to conserve wetlands explaining that they provide livelihoods for more than one billion people and help feed the world. Briefing the stakeholders in Harare on the 29th of January 2020 the…
By Joyce Mukucha In the quest to meet the global set goals in the Paris Agreement (2015) of accelerating measures by developing low carbon development pathways in industries, waste and agriculture among other sectors, the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry in partnership with ACT Alliance is taking strides to reduce vulnerability to…
Sarah Ferguson Brand Contributor, UNICEF USA For children caught in humanitarian emergencies, a UNICEF tent can be a beacon of hope, a pop-up school and a safe place to play. It’s where kids can get back to learning and regain a sense of normalcy when their lives have been turned upside-down by conflict or natural disasters….
For the first time, the world’s elites meeting this year at Davos have listed environmental issues as their top concerns about the next decade. The WEF’s annual Global Risks Report raises the alarm on increased extreme weather events, manmade environmental damage – including oil spills and contamination, major biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and failure of…
By Ross Geller A roofing system is the most exposed part of a home’s exterior.UV radiation, rain, snow, hail all put a toll on the roofing system’s performance. Early identification and subsequent repair of a roof is an ultimate solution to a long-lasting roof. Often, while preparing for winters, people forget the most critical part…
Climate Correspondent Hwange received 139mm of rain in 3 hours. Usually the town receives 50 mm or less per year. This resulted in the drainage system being overwhelmed by flash floods resulting in damaged homes and properties including a stockpile of coal at Hwange Power Station, the country’s largest thermal power facility. At least 70…
Tatenda Mqetu Zimbabwe Youth Biodiversity Network (ZYBN) is encouraging youths to appraise the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework which aims to safeguard all life on earth which was developed from Youth Consultation meetings across the universe. ZYBN National Chapter Coordinator Prisca Daka stimulated members which include outreach officers, forum hosts, speakers, journalists, videographers, photographers, ambassadors…
A record 45 million people – mostly women and children – in the 16-nation Southern African Development Community are gravely food insecure following repeated drought, widespread flooding and economic disarray. As the crisis deepens, the world must step up now to save lives and enable communities to adapt to climate change, the United Nations World…
The European Union has mobilised an additional 16.8 million EUR (approx. 18.7 million USD) to help address emergency food needs and support vulnerable people in Zimbabwe. The funding comes as large parts of the country and the wider region of Southern Africa are in the grip of the harshest drought in decades, which is compounded…
By Joyce Mukucha and Anyway Yotamu The newly appointed United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator to Zimbabwe Ms Mario Rebeiro has paid a courtesy call to the Vice President Kembo Mohadi at his Munhumutapa Offices in Harare to discuss issues concerning food security in Zimbabwe. Speaking to the press on the 10th of January 2020,VP Mohadi…
By Joyce Mukucha and Anyway Yotamu Oil Castor Zimbabwe has promised to eliminate the fuel crisis currently prevailing in the nation through producing and supplying bio motor oil extracted from castor bean plant. The company, through its chemistry and engineering department revealed plans to set up a fully-fledged market in Zimbabwe by releasing 20W40 Bio-motor oil and…
By Joyce Mukucha As climate change adverse effects persist around the globe, most women and young girls residing in urban-distant communities are becoming more affected as they bear the brunt of the negative impacts. Due to negative impacts posed by climate change, marginalised women and girls encounter violence, financial instability and child marriage among other…
Escalating hunger needs in sub-Saharan Africa dominate a World Food Programme (WFP) analysis of global hunger hotspots in the first half of 2020 with millions of people requiring life-saving food assistance in Zimbabwe, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central Sahel region in the coming months. The sheer scale and complexity of…
… as we commemorate the International Year of Plant Health 2020 By Mathew Abang In Africa, transboundary plant pests and diseases are costly to combat because control efforts are usually undertaken after huge crop losses have already occurred. Improving national capacities to sustainably monitor, prevent and reduce crop losses will have multiple advantages, but…
By Byron Mutingwende The Ruwa Local Board has set a target of planting over 1 million trees in five years, Benam Nyawo, the local authority’s environmental health officer has said. Nyawo revealed the plan at the belated commemoration of the National Tree Planting Day at the Chiremba Recreational Grounds in Ruwa. “Our…
The Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association (ZPHCA) is building grass-root women and the community’s resilience to climate change, it has been established. With support from Huairou Commission, ZPHCA is undertaking efforts to reduce potential impacts of this natural catastrophe by embarking on awareness campaigns, workshops as well as providing peer education and information reading…
By Joyce Mukucha The Financial Securities Exchange (FINSEC), an Alternative Trading Platform has launched the Pfuma MSME Exchange Listing and Funding Platform which aims at revolutionising the capital markets and the access to finance and listing for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). It has been learnt that MSMEs have several challenges which continue to…
Dealing with transboundary pests is tricky at the best of times. Standards, practices, capacity levels and engagement vary across countries and regions, and responses are often ad hoc and ineffective. However, matters become even more complex when the pest in question flies over borders, threatens the food security and livelihoods of millions, and causes severe…
The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has joined forces with 11 other international organisations to assist developing countries to build resilience against the impact of natural disasters caused by extreme weather. Following a series of deadly weather events that have caused widespread destruction, especially in Africa, the institutions came together at the COP 25 climate change…
At the occasion of COP25 held in Madrid, Spain on 02 – 13 December 2019, the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) joined by the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), Africa Group of Negotiators (AGN) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophone (APF) convened non-PAP Parliamentarians from across…
Leaders and development partners rally around climate change goals There was standing room only as ministers, diplomats, activists and journalists gathered at the IFEMA conference centre in Madrid to mark Africa Day at the COP 25 climate meeting. Speakers called for a united front to tackle the challenges of climate change in Africa. In the…
By Lenin Tinashe Chisaira in Madrid , Spain (Environmental Legal Correspondent) Ten simple things to make anyone in Africa more conversant with the ongoing UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Madrid, Spain without getting overwhelmed Madrid, Spain is the latest frontier in the desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and probably save Earth…
By Anyway Yotamu Converged state-owned mobile telecommunications giant, NetOne has partnered with City of Harare, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, Environmental Management Agency, Forestry Commission, Caps United Football Club and NADIPE Trust among other stakeholders in a clean-up campaign at Sally Mugabe Hospital formerly Harare Hospital. The stakeholders also joined hands in remembering one of the days…
…As drought and economic hardship plunge millions into hunger The World Food Programme (WFP) is rapidly expanding an already sizeable emergency operation in Zimbabwe where drought, flooding and macro-economic meltdown have plunged 7.7 million people – half the population – into severe hunger. Funds are required immediately if WFP is to meet the growing needs of…
By Joyce Mukucha and Anyway Yotamu The Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) is spearheading the Wetland Assessment and Monitoring Platform for Transboundary River Basins in Southern Africa (WeMAST) project and has partnered various stakeholders in an effort to design, develop and operationalise an integrated Earth Observation(EO) based…
By Byron Mutingwende The company that has sustained agricultural and economic development in Africa, Seed Co, has bemoaned the late onset of the rains and encouraged farmers to plant seeds this December. Addressing journalists at a luncheon held at the company’s Stapleford factory, Mr. Denias Zaranyika, the Seed Co Regional Managing Director encouraged…
By Anyway Yotamu In an exciting development, the Africa Risk Capacity (ARC) has been reported to have intention to sign a Drought Response Cost Insurance Policy Agreement with Zimbabwe. This was said by Senator Monica Mutswangwa who is the government spokesperson on Tuesday the 3rd of December 2019 during a post cabinet briefing in Harare….
