Water Hyacinth, Nile Perch and other Invasive Species driving Global Plant & Animal Extinctions

Scientists have released a damning report warning that environmental chaos sown by invasive species, whose spread around the world has seen economic damages quadruple every decade since 1970. Climate change in form of warmer temperatures are expected to further drive the expansion of invasive species.

The team of 86 researchers from 49 countries released a four-year assessment of the global impacts of some 3,500 harmful invasive species, with a key finding that economic costs now total at least $423 billion every year, with the alien invaders playing a key role in 60% of recorded plant and animal extinctions.

Worse still, ecologist Helen Roy co-chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) report quoted by Reuters says, "We also know this is a problem that is going to get much, much worse,"

In East Africa a mention of invasive species quickly brings to many the grim reality faced by the shared Lake Victoria, as the water hyacinth remains a huge ecological disaster of our times, not to mention the Nile perch introduced in the 1950's, that is now responsible for the sudden population decline of many other fish species and extinction of hundreds of others.

However, all this has been further fueled by human-induced pollution, the uncontrolled urban population sprawl (population estimated to be more than 30 million) and the sporadic effects of climate change in the Lake Victoria region.

JEEP to spearhead dialogues on the 'Transition to Energy Saving Solutions (TESS)' in Uganda September 28-30, 2023

Yesterday (7/8/2023), on behalf of Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development participated in a media briefing on ‘Transition to Energy Saving Solutions (TESS)’, a three-day expo scheduled to take place 28 -30 September 2023. This upcoming event is organised by Joint Energy and Environment Projects (JEEP), who sum it as a ,’convergence for energy talk, moment to experience energy in action, as an occasion to make energy choices for homes and business and an opportunity to advocate for sustainable energy for environmental protection and climate change adaptation’

TESS comes at a time when #Uganda is struggling with an unsustainable #biomass use whose fast growing population, with over 90% demanding fuel wood to cook, is a threaten to landscapes and biodiversity across the country (having lost almost 50% of the forest cover since 1990).

The over-reliance on biomass as a main form of energy for cooking comes with environmental degradation and its concomitant impacts related to health, gender and household expenditure (GIZ, 2014). According to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), 2.6% of Uganda’s #forests are cut down annually for #firewood, #charcoal, #agriculture, and to make way for population growth. If this trend persists, Uganda will lose all its forest cover in less than 25 years (NEMA, 2020).

The recent Executive order that bans logging for commercial charcoal production Northern and North Eastern Uganda, responding to the above threat has brought to the fore a future scenario that Uganda needs to plan for in terms of tangible options and alternatives to charcoal, firewood and other biomass as the main energy sources.

In this media brief, I emphasized the importance of providing choices amidst these challenges, where the price of charcoal has doubled in Kampala as a result of the above ban. I also noted that tried and tested local solutions (for example the 80+ local solutions documented in the Catalogue of Local Sustainable Solutions-East Africa, 2023 that are available online) should be scaled up without further delay, as an immediate response to get people to switch to energy efficient modes, but also alternatives

TESS will therefore be a timely moment for individuals, households, businesses, policy and decision-makers to listen, reflect and act on the future of the country’s energy and energy 'mix' – towards 100%
#renewables and #cleancooking for the majority.

 

Opinion: Uganda Needs to Reverse Harm on Wetlands and Decode The Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Agreement into National Plans

Wetlands ecological services contribute $47.4 trillion annually to human health, happiness, and security according to UNEP. The World Wetlands Day will be commemorated on 2 February 2023 on the theme “It’s Time for Wetlands Restoration,” which highlights the urgent need to prioritize wetland restoration.

At the 14th Conference of Parties to the Ramsar Wetlands Convention, while the importance of people-centric wetland management approaches was agreed, the lack of financial incentives and sustainable business models was identified as a main constraint for community motivation in the wise-use of wetlands. The Secretary General’s report showed low progress in projects that contribute to poverty alleviation, indicating that current wetland conservation programs do not adequately address livelihood development.

In Uganda and in many parts of East Africa, the tension between conservation and development remains as communities, private entities and even Local Governments seek to expand land holdings for housing industry and agriculture.

This year’s World Wetlands Day theme that calls out for wetlands restoration is spot on and is a clarion call for double efforts to reverse the loss of wetlands building on the Kunming-Montreal Agreement adopted by 196 countries under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, committing the world to halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. Specifically, there was an agreement on inclusion of inland waters and coastal ecosystems in the targets on restoration and conservation of 30% of the planet by 2030.

As Uganda and other Parties to the Ramsar Convention translate this landmark agreement into national plans and turn their attention to implementation, and as the global community prepares for the UN Water Summit, scaling up wetland restoration and conservation must take centre stage.

Uganda’s other task now is to protectively guard against any further loss of wetland acreage and to find ways and means of getting communities and people dependent on / living in close proximity to these vital resources to gradually take up alternative options.

 

Above all, full implementation of the decision to cancel illegal land titles located in critical urban wetlands is overdue

The 2021 Global Talks Should NOT ‘Curve’ Adaptation Finance out of Climate Finance

UNEP’s Adaptation Gap Report (2020) defines Adaptation as reducing countries’ and communities’ vulnerability to climate change by increasing their ability to absorb impacts and remain resilient – is a key pillar of the Paris Agreement. The Agreement requires all of its signatories to plan and implement adaptation measures through national adaptation plans, studies, monitoring of climate change effects and investment in a green future.

Taking the (current) definition by UNFCCC, climate finance refers to local, national or transnational financing—drawn from public, private and alternative sources of financing—that seeks to support mitigation and adaptation actions that will address climate change.

In accordance with the principle of “common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities” set out in the UNFCCC, developed country Parties are to provide financial resources to assist developing country Parties in implementing the objectives of the UNFCCC. The Paris Agreement reaffirms the obligations of developed countries, while for the first time also encouraging voluntary contributions by other Parties. Developed country Parties should also continue to take the lead in mobilizing climate finance from a wide variety of sources, instruments and channels, noting the significant role of public funds, through a variety of actions, including supporting country-driven strategies, and taking into account the needs and priorities of developing country Parties. Such mobilization of climate finance should represent a progression beyond previous efforts.

In 2009, rich and developed countries committed to setting aside US$100 billion a year to support developing countries to protect themselves against climate change. Initiatives that track this money show that developed countries have since set aside much less than that. But without sufficient finance to developing countries, particularly those suffering the worst impacts of the climate crisis, it is simply impossible to develop a spirit of global cooperation.

Just as we are still grappling with a universal definition of climate finance (it is hard to estimate the actual size of this because money that does not address climate change sometimes gets reported as being part), there seems to be a discourse to prop up adaptation finance as the focus of COP26. As one senior COP26 organizer has recently been quoted as saying, ‘Adaptation financing will need good clarification from the regions fronting it. It must be in the SMART format, how measurable it is,..’

This to me seems to be an attempt to simplify a long-standing and complicated issue that begs global attention, but treated as a piecemeal political score at COP26. Without the broader consideration of climate finance, the broader need of climate action by developing countries is ‘orphaned’. This is because, while SMART adaptation financing is laudable, it could undermine the long-term approach needed to address climate change, conceals discussions on historical responsibility to climate change (including climate justice and reparations) and might zero down to a closed system with linear logic that is neither people-centred nor feasible to counter the current global climate change challenge.

In my view it is climate finance that should be the focus at COP26, with candid discussions on:

• Securing a clear delivery plan for the promised (belated) adaptation and mitigation commitments (USD 100 billion per year) via the UNFCCC mandated channels (Adaptation Fund, GCF, GEF) and other sources. 
• More options for direct climate finance access via GCF and other sources, to small-scale climate adaptation and mitigation projects for communities on the ground (local solutions) where it is needed the most. 
• Increasing share of climate finance to address gender equality objectives to ensure that it reaches women that are suffering the worst impacts of the climate crisis. 
• Improving transparency on what is being provided and reaching developing countries, as well as better predictability and accessibility of this finance is vital. In particular, pledged mitigation and adaptation funds must reach all developing countries. 
• Addressing structural barriers to accessibility and responsiveness to the needs and rights of women, children and young people, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups. 
• Operationalization of an inclusive and transparent Santiago Network on Loss and Damage (SNLD), which must be driven by Parties, and centred upon the needs of the vulnerable developing countries and communities.

Africa Climate Week 2021: Some Key Issues for the Region Ahead of the UNFCCC COP26

Africa Climate Week 2021 (ACW2021) is underway from 26 to 29 September, 2021. It has been postponed a number of times due the COVID19 pandemic threat.

However, 2021 is a historic year for global climate action at COP26. This is the year we either lose sight of the Paris targets, or it is the year we start implementing the Paris Agreement. It is our opportunity to increase global climate ambition in COVID-19 recovery and kick-start a decade of action.

ACW2021 happens against the backdrop of the above, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. This has already warned that the world still has a narrow path to limit average global warming to 1.5 degrees C necessary for avoiding the worst effects of climate change. But this will require rapid, transformational change this decade.

But what then should we expect out of the Africa Climate Week 2021 ahead of the UNFCCC COP26 in Glasgow - November 2021?

According to the UNFCCC, the ACW2021 sessions focus on priorities identified earlier in the year at the Virtual Regional Round tables and the outcomes will be carried forward to the Ministerial Sessions later this year. This is an opportunity for regional stakeholders to have their voice heard and contribute to COP 26.

But as a result of this crucial meeting, I think Africa needs to flag out some important issues including the following:

• Major emitters should step up with more ambitious plans to reduce their emissions by 2030, given that this year, all countries are expected to submit updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement
• Africa needs to send a strong signal to rich countries to step up with new climate finance and other types of development assistance for developing countries. By COP26, developed countries ought to show how they will meet and build upon their over-due commitment to jointly mobilize $100 billion a year in climate finance for developing nations. Addressing the climate finance gap is vital to COP26's success and to restoring trust with Africa and other developing nations.
• Adaptation and resilience building in Africa: Closely related to availability of climate finance, for increased support to Africa's most vulnerable communities to increase their resilience to sudden-onset disasters and slow-onset events due to climate change. Such efforts should include promotion of local solutions that can enable communities at the front line of climate change to adjust as much as possible, so as to reduce loss of lives and property
• A common Africa voice on the future of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement: According to the UN’s initial NDC synthesis report, published in February, 65% of countries party to the Paris agreement intend to use at least one of Article 6’s scopes of use, while a further 23% consider it a possibility. But Article 6 rules remain undecided - though an agreement on it is increasingly urgent

 

 

Heavy dependence on biomass energy is still a challenge for Africa (photo: JEEP)

 

The fast disappearing forest cover to meet fuel wood needs and agricultural expansion means Africa has to invest in alternative cleaner energy options and promote agroecology (Photo: UCSD)

Wetlands Day 2021: Human and Nature-Induced Wetland stresses Call for Appropriate and Timely Actions

World Wetlands Day is celebrated on 2 February every year to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and our planet. The 2021 theme: Wetlands and Water, shines a spotlight on wetlands as a source of freshwater and encourages actions to restore them and stop their loss. Water and wetlands are connected in an inseparable co-existence that is vital to life, our well-being and the health of our planet.

According to the Global Water Partnership, 'We are facing a growing freshwater crisis that threatens people and our planet. We use more freshwater than nature can replenish, and we are destroying the ecosystem that water and all life depend on most – wetlands'.

Indeed, in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15, United Nations member states are urged to “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, …reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss”. Wetland management is therefore essential because of the role it plays as a promoter of conservation and wise use of all wetlands through diverse local approaches and international cooperation to achieve sustainable development throughout the world. This role has long been recognized by the 1971 Ramsar Convention ratified by 170 member states.

The tension between development and the environment (develop first and address sustainability issues
later philosophy) remains rampant despite the global reiteration at the Rio+20 Summit that sustainable development goals require an integrated approach that simultaneously addresses economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability in a balanced way. 

In Uganda, for instance, unknown developers have descended on Kinawataka wetland near Lake Victoria, and are clearing it to pave the way for industrial development. Kinawataka wetland runs along the boundary between Nakawa division (Kampala district) and Kira Town Council (Wakiso district) and it is drained by five rivers. Despite its importance, the wetland could be no more within days if urgent measures are not taken to stop the encroachment.

Furthermore, from mid 2019 into 2020, Lake Victoria experienced rising water levels due the positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) that has resulted in significant flooding impacts on Lake shoreline communities in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as well as downstream communities near Lake Kyoga and Lake Albert. This event has exacerbated the pressure on wetlands - as water recedes, communities whose farmlands and property was submerged, have descended on the wetlands with vengeance, especially after the covid19 lock down that had further limited their livelihood sources.

This combination of human and nature-induced stresses on wetlands in East Africa needs a range of rapid response measures. These include appropriate alternative  and timely options for large populations communities that rely heavily on wetlands; enforcement / upholding of existing laws and policies; and scaling up local innovations to strengthen resilience of adjacent communities and the pristine wetland ecosystems on which they depend (for water, farming, fishing and a range of indirect benefits among others).

 

Time to Promote Electric Cooking in East Africa?

The International Forum for Sustainable Energy (INFORSE East Africa) through its Coordinators (TaTEDO, SusWatch Kenya and Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development) organized a virtual meeting attended by more than 30 participants from East Africa and beyond. Guided by the topic:’ Electric Cooking as a Clean Cooking Option for East Africa: A ‘Silver Bullet’ to Reduce Dependence on Solid Fuels and Associated Indoor Air Pollution or is it Just ‘Chasing the Wind’?, the webinar sought to cross-examine Electric Cooking (eCook) as a viable clean cooking option for East Africa based on viewpoints from practitioners across the region and beyond.

Dr Jon Leary, MECS, Loughborough University- Overview of the Modern Energy Cooking Services MECS Programme in East Africa, while Mr. Estomih N. Sawe Tatedo, Centre for Sustainable Energy Service, shared the Tanzanian experience. Agnes Mwikali Kalyonge,Kisambara Ventures Ltd shared the Kenyan (behavioural change) experience in promoting the use of ecooking, while Gunnar B Olesen, INFORSE / INFORSE-Europe provided view points from a global perspective especially with regards to the importance of eCooking towards achieving the 100% Renewable Energy target.

Dr. Leary noted that eCooking is starting to enter urban East African markets, adding that ‘Many East Africans now have access to electricity but don’t use it for cooking. For example, O% Kenyans primarily cook with electricity, yet 73% are now connected’. He expressed optimism that emerging technologies & business models are likely to make eCooking accessible to many more people in East Africa. He concluded that eCooking is neither a ‘silver bullet’ for tackling biomass cooking in East Africa nor just ‘chasing the wind’. Mr Sawe (TaTEDO) highlighted Government efforts to promote clean cooking, barriers to scaling up clean cooking and policy recommendations for clean cooking in Tanzania especially for the smooth promotion of this innovation.

Agnes Mwikali noted that working in partnership with media (for example Citizen TV), Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) combined with use of social media to encourage the Kenyan public to polish their culinary skills on their favorite dishes, using the eCooking innovation.

Get more information about this Ecooking webinar presentations and discussion from here