Africa Africa: Money and Ageing – South African Study Shows Cash Grants Help People Live Longer and Have Better Memory Function [ad_1] Nearly half of South Africa's 60 million people receive social grants, ranging from child support to pensions. The grants are designed to provide financial assistance to people living in poverty. The largest components of the South African social grant system were introduced, or expanded to include the full population, in the 1990s. Since then, the system has evolved into one of the most comprehensive in the global south. In addition to their direct financial benefits, the grants have been […] todayFebruary 7, 2024 2
Africa Africa: Road to COP29 – Highest Climate Ambitions Needed to Decarbonize World [ad_1] Nairobi — The road to COP29 has begun in earnest in the backdrop of a global climate report indicating that not only was 2023 the warmest year in a 174-year climate record, it was the warmest by far. Record-breaking temperatures, combined with El Niño, pushed vulnerable and poor nations in the Global South to the frontlines of extreme and severe weather events. It was a climatic carnage in Africa with fatal floods in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, […] todayFebruary 7, 2024 2
Africa Africa: Landlocked Developing Countries Conference to Address Development [ad_1] United Nations — Landlocked developing countries need greater support from the international community so that they are no longer left behind when it comes to progressing with the SDGs, says the UN High Representative of the Least Developed Countries. The Third UN Conference of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) is set to be hosted in Kigali, Rwanda, in June. A preparatory committee for the conference has been established and convened its first meeting on Monday. The overarching theme of the […] todayFebruary 7, 2024 2
Africa Africa: Food Cheapest in Nigeria Despite Complaints – Governors [ad_1] Amidst the cost of living crisis caused by persistent increase in the prices of goods and services, the chairman of Nigeria Governors' Forum and governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has declared that food in Nigeria remains the most affordable in West Africa. The governor said that despite challenges, Nigeria maintains a competitive edge in food affordability compared to its neighbouring countries. This is as residents of Minna, the Niger State capital, took to the streets yesterday to protest […] todayFebruary 6, 2024 2
Africa Africa Can’t Afford Another Lost Decade – – What Has Gone Wrong? [ad_1] Not long ago, the continent was the poster child for fast-growing emerging markets, with The Economist declaring in 2011 'Africa Rising' on its cover. The opulent Palazzo Madama in Rome plays host this week to more than 70 African heads of state, senior government officials and representatives of the African Union and European Union to discuss something of shared importance for the two continents on either side of the Mediterranean: the future of Africa. While easily derided as yet […] todayFebruary 3, 2024 2
Africa Africa: Oil Firms Forced to Consider Full Climate Effects of New Drilling, Following Landmark Norwegian Court Ruling [ad_1] Norway's district court in Oslo recently made a decision on fossil fuels that deserves the attention of every person concerned about climate change. This ruling, which compels energy firms to account for the industry's entire carbon footprint, could change the way oil and gas licenses are awarded in Norway - and inspire similar legal challenges to fossil fuel production in other countries. The court ruled that three petroleum production licenses, held by energy companies including Equinor and Aker BP, […] todayFebruary 2, 2024 1
Africa Africa: Prospects for Commonwealth Countries, Addressing Gaps and Shaping Expectations for COP29 [ad_1] By Unnikrishnan Divakaran Nair and Nirupama Vinayan LONDON, Jan 31 2024 (IPS) - The 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) marked a pivotal moment in the global efforts to combat climate change. Held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the participation of delegates from around the world, COP28 showcased a commitment to drive genuine strides in climate action, bringing optimism and progress to the forefront. Here we explore the […] todayFebruary 2, 2024 2
Africa Africa: Onerous Debt Making Poorest Poorer [ad_1] Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Contractionary economic trends since 2008 and 'geopolitical' conflicts subverting international cooperation have worsened world conditions, especially in the poorest countries, mainly in Africa, leaving their poor worse off. Conditions and prospects are so bad that two well-known globalisation cheerleaders have appealed to rich nations for urgent action. Former IMF Deputy Managing Director and World Bank Senior Vice-President, Professor Anne Krueger and influential Financial Times columnist Martin Wolf warn ominously of the dire consequences of inaction. […] todayFebruary 2, 2024 1
Africa Africa: ‘We’re Drowning in Plastic – We Need More Plastics Treaties’ [ad_1] From January 23 to 25, South Africa hosted the first in-person meeting of international Plastics Pacts with twelve (of the fourteen) national and regional Plastics Pacts meeting. The Plastic Pacts are an example of a Public-Private Partnership (often called a Voluntary Agreement) which have been adopted by many nations ahead of the United Nations Global Treaty to end plastic pollution. Pact members include major fast moving consumer goods brands, packaging companies, producers, traders, processors, academia, trade associations, NGOs, and […] todayFebruary 2, 2024 2