Africa: Equator Africa Gets $5m From IFC for African Climate Tech Startups

[ad_1] TLDR Equator Africa, a VC firm supporting early-stage climate tech startups in sub-Saharan Africa, receives $5 million from IFC for innovation in the African climate sector. Initial close of $40 million in April aims to address funding gap for seed and Series A-stage startups in the region. Korea Green Resilient and Innovative Development Programme adds $1.5 million guarantee, scaling Equator Africa's fund to $54 million. Equator Africa, a venture capital firm focused on supporting early-stage climate tech startups in […]

October 8, 2024

Africa

Africa: Loaded for Bear – Africa Oil Week Begins in Shadow of Green Energy Scramble

[ad_1] Africa Oil Week begins in Cape Town on 8 October. But the real scramble in Africa these days is for the green metals required for the energy transition. A decade or so ago, Africa Oil Week took place against the backdrop of a scramble for oil and gas in Africa. Recent discoveries at that time included Ghana's offshore Jubilee oil field in 2007 and Uganda's Albertine Graben oil deposit. Africa was seen as the growth area for oil and […]

October 8, 2024 2

Africa

Africa: Hundreds of Local Malawians Quietly Leave World Bank Climate Project

[ad_1] Experts warn that payment problems and a lack of local ownership could undermine the effectiveness of a nationwide adaptation project. Local participants working on a World Bank funded climate change adaptation project in Malawi say they have not been paid for up to a year, leading many to drop out. This has contributed to experts' fears that adaptation programmes that are mismanaged and lack community ownership will lead to poor outcomes, leaving people vulnerable to climate impacts. The $128 […]

October 8, 2024 1

Africa

Africa: COP29 – States Must Press Azerbaijani Authorities to End Assault On Civil Society

[ad_1] In the leadup to next month's COP29 climate summit in Baku, states must exert pressure on the Azerbaijani authorities to reverse their clampdown on civil society, release those detained solely for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression, and ensure participants including activists and journalists can engage freely and fully in the event, Amnesty International said today. Since Azerbaijan was announced as the host of COP29 last December, the authorities have intensified their crackdown on the rights to […]

October 8, 2024 2

Africa

Africa: Are We Losing Tree Species Before We Even Find Them?

[ad_1] Nairobi, Kenya — For more than 17 years, Alice Muchugi has led the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) program on tree genetic resources. The organization is concerned with ensuring tree genetic resources are used sustainably and conserved, and even reaching out to those who aren't yet aware of how they should be utilized, or ensuring that we know their diversity before it is lost. Muchugi places great attention on the vital role of germplasm in […]

October 4, 2024 2

Africa

Africa: Why Africa Should Embrace Territorial Markets to Withstand Climate Shocks and Crises

[ad_1] Harare — African policymakers, local leaders and the private sector have been asked to create an enabling environment that will help African traders and farmer folks build reliable systems for food security and resilience through territorial markets. During a week-long 2024 Africa Agroecological Entrepreneurship and Seed Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe, experts observed that persistent crises have shown the importance of resilient close-to-home 'territorial' markets that feed billions of people every day--from public markets and street vendors to cooperatives, from […]

October 4, 2024 2

Entertainment

Zimbabwe: Chiwenga Calls for Urgent Climate Action At Development Conference

[ad_1] Vice President Dr. Constantino Chiwenga has urged Zimbabweans to intensify their efforts in combating climate change, emphasizing the multifaceted threat it poses to the nation's health, economy, and social fabric. Speaking at the Second Climate Change and Development Conference in Harare, held under the theme "Building Resilience, Securing the Future," the Vice President outlined the urgent need for climate action and strategic planning to safeguard the country's future. "We must acknowledge the severity of the climate crisis we face.Climate […]

October 4, 2024 2

News

Africa’s Famous Serengeti and Maasai Mara Are Being Hit By Climate Change – a Major Threat to Wildlife and Tourism

[ad_1] The Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, which includes Kenya's Maasai Mara and Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, is one of the most famous and wildlife-rich areas in Africa. Every year, millions of animals move across the land in search of fresh grass and water, creating an incredible spectacle known as the Great Migration. This migration sustains hundreds of predators and scavengers like vultures. The wildlife is also important for local governments and communities that rely on funds from tourism and conservation efforts. All […]

October 3, 2024 2

Africa

Africa: Is Crop Diversity Our Lifeline Against The Climate Crisis?

[ad_1] Nairobi, Kenya — Crop diversity presents an opportunity to address some of the most pressing issues Africa faces today, such as climate impacts, biodiversity loss, and land degradation. Should the climate crisis persist on its current course, the continent of Africa will face devastating food security issues. The planet is warming at an alarming rate and experts predict significant warming beyond the targets set by the Paris Agreement. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that temperatures have already increased by […]

October 3, 2024 4

Climate