https://big3africa.org/activity/ Activity feed for the entire site. Sun, 26 Apr 2026 07:55:29 +0300 https://buddypress.org/?v= en-US 30 hourly 2 68862462c03ada23596c6d92ac6f31d5 https://big3africa.org/?p=5581 Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:12:32 +0300 El Niño Set to Hit Within Weeks, Says WMO TheContinue Reading

]]> 9572e8e44c6c7cadb33600f2a901cc93 https://big3africa.org/?p=5576 Fri, 24 Apr 2026 07:54:00 +0300 Twin fossil fuel shocks could accelerate global shift to clean energy, report says Agency A new report by global energy think tank, Ember, suggests that recent disruptions in fossil fuel supply could hasten the world’s transition to clean energy, marking a potential turning point in global energy systems. The report, finds that two major crises, the 2022 war in Ukraine and the 2026 closure of the Strait of Hormuz following USA and Israel attacks on Iran on March 28, have triggered shocks to global oil and gas markets more severe than those experienced during the oil crises of the 1970s. According to the analysis, these “twin fossil shocks” could accelerate electrification and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, provided that governments adopt the right policy responses. The report draws parallels with the oil shocks of 1973 and 1979, which reshaped global energy demand. In that period, the first shock slowed oil consumption growth, while the second contributed to a long-term decline in oil use for electricity generation. However, the report notes a key difference between the two eras in that today, alternatives such as solar, wind, battery storage and electric vehicles are not only cleaner but often cheaper and faster to deploy than fossil fuels. “Once installed, they are not exposed to fuel price volatility or import disruption,” the report states, arguing that this makes the current crisis potentially transformative rather than cyclical. The findings suggest that global fossil fuel demand could be closer to an absolute decline than widely assumed. Among the expected trends, the report highlights faster electrification in Asia, growing pressure on liquefied natural gas (LNG) in power generation, and declining oil demand in transport due to rising electric vehicle adoption. To fully leverage the moment, the report outlines four key priorities for governments which are removing fossil fuel subsidies and regulatory barriers, prioritising electrification across sectors, lowering electricity prices to encourage uptake, and building institutions suited to an electric-based energy system. The Ember report warns against reverting to traditional responses such as expanding fossil fuel production or increasing subsidies, arguing that such approaches are outdated in a context where viable clean energy alContinue Reading

]]> 271430236f341aa90c596d2c2554c8e2 https://big3africa.org/?p=5571 Fri, 24 Apr 2026 06:31:29 +0300 Kenya Issues New Guidelines for Accessing Green Climate Fund Financing The National Treasury has released new guidelines outlining how public and private entities can access funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), in a move aimed at strengthening oversight, aligning projects with national priorities, and accelerating climate financing. In Treasury Circular No. 2/2026, the government detailed a structured “No Objection Procedure” that all project proposals must undergo before being submitted to the global fund. The procedure requires applicants to obtain a No Objection Letter (NOL), which is a mandatory endorsement confirming that proposed projects align with Kenya’s climate strategies and development priorities. The circular emphasizes that the NOL is central to ensuring country ownership of climate projects, signaling that the government has reviewed and approved proposals as consistent with national laws, policies, and international commitments. The GCF, headquartered in South Korea, finances projects that help developing countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to climate change. Kenya’s new framework seeks to streamline access to these funds while ensuring accountability and coherence with national plans such as Vision 2030, the Climate Change Act, and the National Climate Change Action Plan. Under the new guidelines, all applicants, including public institutions, private sector actors, and civil society organizations must first submit a concept note to the National Treasury, which serves as Kenya’s National Designated Authority (NDA) to the GCF. The Treasury will then review the proposal for alignment with national priorities and GCF investment criteria. Farmers picking tea leaves in Kenya. | Courtesy FAO A key feature of the process is the involvement of the Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee (IMTC) on Climate Finance, which will assess proposals within one month of submission. Applicants may be invited to present their projects before the committee, which evaluates them based on criteria such as impact, sustainability, innovation, and alignment with climate goals. If a proposal is deemed inconsistent with national priorities, it will be rejected, with applicants given up to two months to revise and resubmit. Successful proposals will receive a No Objection Letter signed by the Principal Secretary to the National Treasury. The guidelines also introduce safeguards to prevent duplication of projects, require stakeholder consultation, and ensure that local communities are involved in planning and implementation. International entities seeking funding must demonstrate added value beyond what local institutions can access and are encouraged to partner with Kenyan organizations. Additionally, the Treasury has set conditions under which a No Objection Letter may become invalid, including failure to develop a full proposal within two years or significant deviation from the original concept note. The framework includes a formal grievance mechanism, allowing applicants to appeal rejected proposals within two months, provided they address the reasons for rejection and propose corrective actions. Officials say the new procedure will enhance transparency, improve coordination among stakeholders, and position Kenya to better leverage international climate finance. The Treasury noted that it will periodically disseminate information on the procedure through media briefings and stakeholder engagements, and will review the guidelines every four years to ensure continued relevance. The move comes as Kenya intensifies efforts to mobilize climate finance to support adaptation and mitigation initiatives amid growing climate risks, including droughts, floods, aContinue Reading

]]> 3751fca2b49dccc033a7cd586da0b52e https://big3africa.org/?p=5560 Thu, 23 Apr 2026 04:45:29 +0300 Africa Faces Growing Lung Disease Crisis from Air Pollution In a ward at Heideveld Community Day Clinic in Cape Town, South Africa, 78-year-old Evelyn Samaai pauses between sentences to take a deep breath, as she struggles to speak. For more than a decade, she has lived with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a progressive illness that has slowly tightened its grip on her lungs. “I get tired so quickly, and breathing, which to some may seem normal, is an uphill task,” she says. Years of smoking, she admits, played a role, a habit she wishes she had never picked up. Evelyn Samaai speaks during the interview at Heideveld Community Day Clinic in Cape Town, South Africa. | Courtesy But her story is no longer unusual. In Africa, COPD is emerging not just as a smoker’s disease, but as a complex public health crisis shaped by lack of access to clean energy and weaker emissions standards. Globally, chronic respiratory diseases are responsible for around 4.2 million deaths each year, making COPD the third leading cause of death worldwide after heart disease and stroke. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), COPD affects hundreds of millions of people, yet remains largely overlooked in global health priorities. “People are dying, and it’s like the leaves from the trees that fall every autumn, and nobody stops to see why the leaves are falling,” says José Luis Castro, the WHO Director-General’s Special Envoy on chronic respiratory diseases. Despite causing more deaths than infectious diseases like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria combined, chronic respiratory diseases have historically received less funding and attention. Castro argues that this imbalance reflects a deeper issue of how global health systems tend to react to crises that are immediate and visible, rather than slow-moving epidemics like COPD. “Public health does not move at the speed of science. It moves at the speed of political will, and political will moves at the speed of public understanding.” While smoking remains a major risk factor, Africa’s COPD burden is driven by a wider set of exposures. Across the continent, millions of households rely on biomass fuels, including firewood, charcoal, and crop waste, for daily cooking. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), nearly 900 million people in Africa still depend on such fuels. In Limuru, in Kenya’s highlands, Valia Njeri’s family lives this reality daily. Each morning, she lights a firewood stove in her small kitchen. Over time, the smoke has become part of life, with the sting in her eyes, the coughs from her children and the soot clinging to walls being a testament to their reality. José Luis Castro, the WHO Director-General’s Special Envoy on chronic respiratory diseases, during a presentation in Cape Town. | Courtesy Professor Richard van Zyl-Smit, a pulmonologist at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, explains that indoor air pollution is a major contributor to chronic lung disease in Africa: “There is no such thing as safe pollution, because everything in the air has the potential to damage the lungs.” He points to the dual threat of particulate matter and toxic gases: “Air pollution is a mix of fine particles and chemicals like nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide, many of which are linked to cancer and chronic lung disease.” These particles, especially fine particulate matter known as PM2.5, can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing long-term damage and inflammation. In rapidly growing African cities, transport is another major contributor. Old, poorly maintained vehicles, often imported second-hand, emit high levels of pollutants. “Vehicles producing heavy smoke are a major contributor to air pollution,” van Zyl-Smit says. The paradox, experts say, is that increased mobility, often seen as a sign of development, comes with rising exposure to pollution. Older vehicles from high-income countries are frequently exported to Africa, where weaker emissions standards allow them to remain in use. This creates a dangerous mix in which urban residents inhale polluted air outdoors, then return home to homes filled with indoor smoke. Over time, the cumulative exposure significantly increases the risk of developing chronic respiratory diseases. Another challenge is that distinguishing between Asthma and COPD is not always straightforward. “Patients themselves usually cannot tell the difference. “It takes time, careful history taking, and lung function testing,” van Zyl-Smit explains. Asthma often begins in childhood, with symptoms that come and go, including wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. COPD, by contrast, develops slowly and progressively. Professor Richard van Zyl-Smit, a pulmonologist at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital | Courtesy “COPD is insidious. People just feel increasingly breathless and unable to keep up with daily life,” he says. In many African health systems, however, diagnosis is delayed. Primary care facilities often lack spirometers, which are essential tools for measuring lung function, and healthcare workers may not receive adequate training in chronic respiratory diseases. This gap means many patients are diagnosed late, when the disease is already advanced and harder to manage. For Castro, poverty is the root cause of COPD in Africa. “Poverty underpins many of these diseases, from dirty fuels to limited access to healthcare and nutrition.” In many households, cleaner energy sources such as electricity or liquefied petroleum gas remain unaffordable or inaccessible. As a result, families continue to rely on biomass fuels despite the health risks. Women and children are particularly vulnerable. “They are the most exposed because they spend more time around indoor cooking smoke,” van Zyl-Smit notes. At the same time, limited access to healthcare means that even when symptoms appear, treatment may be delayed or unavailable. Inhalers, essential for managing both asthma and COPD, are included on the WHO’s essential medicines list, yet remain out of reach for many patients. “Inaccessible medicines are not acts of nature. They are policy choices,” Castro says. Against this backdrop, experts agree that tackling COPD in Africa requires a multi-layered approach. At the policy level, van Zyl-Smit says, stricter vehicle emissions standards, investment in cleaner energy, and improved urban planning can help reduce exposure to pollution. “At the household level, simple interventions, such as improved ventilation, cooking outdoors, or installing chimneys, can significantly reduce indoor smoke,” he adds. But perhaps most importantly, Castro insists, there is a need to strengthen primary healthcare systems. Early diagnosis and treatment can slow disease progression, improve quality of life, and reduce the economic burden on families and heaContinue Reading

]]> 648295e771ec4a9de97b601a1ca5b3e3 https://big3africa.org/?p=5553 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:43:49 +0300 Escobar Hippos Face Culling as Colombia Battles Ecological Threat By Agencies Colombia has authorized the culling of up to 80 hippos descended from animals illegally imported decades ago by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar. Officials say the move is necessary to protect ecosystems and human life, but animal welfare groups have criticized it. The decision marks the latest chapter in a bizarre and growing environmental dilemma rooted in Escobar’s private zoo. In the 1980s, Escobar smuggled several exotic animals, including hippos, into his sprawling estate, Hacienda Nápoles. After he died in 1993, many of the animals were relocated. Still, the hippos, well adapted to Colombia’s warm climate and lacking natural predators, were left behind, and over the decades, their population has exploded. The hippos have multiplied into a herd estimated at more than 150 animals, roaming freely along the Magdalena River basin. Colombian environmental authorities warn that without intervention, the number could exceed 1,000 within the next decade. Officials say the animals pose increasing risks to nearby communities. Hippos are highly territorial and can be aggressive, especially when humans encroach on waterways where they graze and breed. Beyond human safety, scientists warn of deep ecological disruption, explaining that the hippos are altering river systems by depositing large amounts of waste, which can change water chemistry, reduce oxygen levels, and threaten native fish and plant species. Authorities argue that culling is the only practical way to quickly reduce the population. Previous attempts to control the herd through sterilization have proven slow, expensive, and logistically difficult as each procedure requires capturing and anesthetizing massive animals that can weigh over 1,500 kilograms. Relocation has also been explored, including proposals to send hippos to sanctuaries abroad, but costs and limited capacity have made such options unfeasible at scale. Faced with mounting risks and limited alternatives, the government approved a controlled culling program targeting up to 80 animals as an initial step. The decision has sparked strong opposition from animal rights organizations both in Colombia and internationally. Activists argue that the hippos are not to blame for their presence and should not be killed for a problem created by human actions. They have called instead for expanded sterilization programs, international relocation efforts, or the establishment of protected reserves. Colombian authorities say the culling will be carefully managed and combined with other measures, including sterilization, to control long-term population growth. However, legal challenges and public protests could slow or reshape the plan as animal welfare groups are already exploring court action to block the killings, setting the stage for a protracted battle between conservation prioContinue Reading

]]> 19a5b2905fafb39b986171af34dc35ef https://big3africa.org/?p=5544 Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:01:47 +0300 Africa Must Lead Its Own Fossil Fuel Phaseout ByContinue Reading

]]> 2e8fff87377879352130d4533be88f58 https://big3africa.org/?p=5535 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 03:05:55 +0300 Rising Lake Turkana Reshapes Traditional Livelihoods By Christopher Clark At sunrise on Komote Island, 36-year-old James Lekubo walks his two children down a rocky hillside to the water’s edge. They climb into a small fishing boat alongside a couple of dozen other passengers, setting off across a stretch of water that did not exist a few years ago. On the far side lie the school and the nearest clinics, which were once within walking distance before the lake rose and swallowed the land between them. Lekubo belongs to the El Molo, one of Kenya’s smallest and most marginalised communities, who have lived for generations along the eastern shores of Lake Turkana. For centuries, the lake has sustained them, shaping their culture, diet, and identity. But in recent years, the world’s largest desert lake has begun to transform in ways that threaten not only their livelihoods, but their very existence as a distinct people. Over the past decade, Lake Turkana’s water levels have risen dramatically, driven largely by heavier rainfall in the Ethiopian highlands that feed the lake through the Omo River. According to a 2021 report by Kenya’s environment ministry, over the preceding decade, Turkana’s water levels rose by several meters, expanding the lake’s total surface area by around 10%. Since then, the lake has continued to grow, submerging up to 1,000 square feet of the surrounding landscape, including roads, grazing land, ancient burial sites, and even entire villages. Komote is one of the places most visibly altered. As the lake expanded, it gradually cut the area off from the mainland, turning it into an island. Lekubo watched helplessly: “Most people left as the water came up. Even my family has been separated. I have cousins and uncles who are now on that side,” he says, gesturing at the new shoreline about 600 meters away. “I don’t really see them anymore.” Lekubo, his wife, and children are among the few dozen El Molo households that have so far refused to leave the newly formed island, despite additional obstacles and repeated calls from the government of Marsabit County for them to relocate to mainland villages. “This is my home,” Lekubo says. “It is what I know.” But it may only be a matter of time. Rising water levels have altered nearshore ecosystems, flooding fish breeding grounds and changing migration patterns. For communities like the El Molo, whose lives revolve around fishing, the consequences are immediate and severe. Primary school children getting off the boat that now ferries them to school. | Christopher Clark [Mongabay]. Lekubo has fished these waters since he was a teenager. Today, he says his monthly catch has dropped by more than half. “It’s not enough,” he admits. Across the lake, similar stories echo. On the opposite shore, Lucy Lenapir runs a small roadside kiosk selling chapati and chai to fishermen and traders. She has watched the changes unfold over time. “The men still go out to fish because there is no other option,” she says. “But there are no more fish.” The pressure on the lake’s fisheries extends far beyond the El Molo. Over the past two decades, fishing on Lake Turkana has expanded rapidly, transforming from a relatively small-scale activity into a critical economic lifeline for hundreds of thousands of people. Much of this shift has been driven by climate stress elsewhere. Prolonged drought across northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia has devastated pastoralist communities, killing livestock and pushing herders toward fishing as an alternative source of income. At the same time, improved infrastructure and growing urban demand have made it easier to transport fish to distant markets, drawing more people into the sector. A comparison of recent estimates from a 2024 World Food Programme (WFP) report and historical government fisheries data suggests the total number of fishers on the Kenyan side of Lake Turkana has more than doubled, from around 7,000 to more than 14,000, in the last 15 years. “More people are coming to fish every day,” says Stephen Ekuwom, a community fisheries leader in Kalokol. “They are coming from all over.” As competition intensifies, fishing practices have also evolved. Traditional wooden boats and handwoven nets are increasingly being replaced or supplemented by motorized vessels and larger, more efficient gear capable of reaching deeper waters. While this has temporarily boosted catches, it has also accelerated the depletion of key fish species. Researchers studying the lake have observed a notable shift in fish populations. Larger, commercially valuable species such as tilapia and Nile perch are becoming harder to find, replaced by smaller fish that reproduce quickly but fetch lower prices. This ecological shift is reflected in production trends. While total fish output rose significantly over the past decade, recent figures suggest a decline, attributed in part to rising water levels that have made traditional fishing grounds less accessible. Kenya Fisheries Service statistics show fish production on Lake Turkana rising from 6,430 metric tons in 2010 to 17,251 metric tons in 2022, before falling to around 15,600 metric tons in 2023, the most recent year for which full data are available. The WFP report attributes this decline to rising water levels restricting access to fishing grounds. The consequences are not just economic as they are increasingly becoming social and political. As fishermen travel farther in search of dwindling stocks, tensions have escalated in contested areas, particularly along the Kenya–Ethiopia border. James Lekubo fishes in the early evening on Lake Turkana. | Christopher Clark [Mongabay]. In recent years, clashes between Turkana and Dassanech fishers have intensified, sometimes turning deadly. In 2025, more than 20 fishermen were killed in an attack near Todonyang, underscoring the growing volatility around the lake. For individuals like 32-year-old Kute Hero, the lake represents both survival and risk. Once a pastoralist, Hero lost nearly all his livestock to drought and turned to fishing as a last resort. “I had about 1,000 animals,” he says. “All of them died except for two goats and a sheep.” The transition has been difficult, not only economically, but culturally. Among his community, fishing was once seen as a lesser occupation. Now, it is a necessity. “Fishing is very difficult,” he says. Hero has also witnessed the rising violence firsthand. Not long ago, his boat came under fire while fishing near the border. A close friend was killed in the attack. “Now my family is crying every time I go back onto the lake,” he says. To reduce the risk, he and others have begun fishing closer to shore. But this has further reduced their catches, compounding the hardship. These overlapping pressures of rising waters, declining fish stocks, population influx, and conflict are converging at a time when climate forecasts suggest the situation may worsen. Scientists warn that increased rainfall in the lake’s catchment could drive further expansion in the coming decades, deepening the disruption already unfolding. Lake Turkana has always been shaped by environmental variability. But what is happening now is different in both scale and speed. Multiple forces, climatic and human, are shifting simultaneously, creating a system that is increasingly difficult to predict. Back on Komote Island, as the day draws to a close, Lekubo prepares for another night on the water. The wind softens, and the lake’s surface settles into a muted calm. He paddles out on a traditional log raft, casting his net into the deepening expanse. “We depend on this lake. It is our daily bread,” he says. A few miles away, at the Desert Museum near Loiyangalani, artefacts tell the story of that enduring relationship with hand-carved harpoons, woven nets and tools fashioned from fish, reminding of a culture shaped by water. Yet even here, the signs of erosion are evident. The El Molo population has dwindled, their language has disappeared, and many traditions have faded through intermarriage and modernization. “Many of our traditions have slowly disappeared,” said Lucas Lemoto, a caretaker at the museum. “Our language was already extinct when I was growing up.” Across the Rift Valley, Lake Turkana is not alone. Other lakes, including Baringo, Bogoria, Naivasha, and Nakuru, have also expanded in recent years, submerging settlements and farmland, displacing communities, and redrawing landscapes. Together, they point to a broader environmental shift whose full consequences are only beginning to unfold. This article has been republished from Mongabay: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/in-northern-kenya-a-shifting-lake-turkana-reshapes-traditional-Continue Reading

]]> 6605c81aea6202cd38133aa976f92ff4 https://big3africa.org/?p=5528 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:50:01 +0300 How Youth Are Reviving Dunga Wetland and Protecting Lake Victoria By Achieng’ Otieno On a quiet morning at Dunga Beach in Kisumu County on the shores of Lake Victoria, a small group of bird-watchers follows a narrow wooden boardwalk into a dense fringe of papyrus. Their guide, Victor Ochieng’ Didi, pauses, scanning the reeds for movement. The visitors have travelled far for a glimpse of the papyrus gonolek, a near-threatened bird whose survival depends almost entirely on wetlands like this one. The sightings of these birds are a result of nearly two decades of work by a local community group, the Dunga Ecotourism and Environmental Association (DECTTA), whose efforts have helped restore a fragile ecosystem once on the brink of collapse. Dunga Wetland, a designated Key Biodiversity Area, supports a range of species, including the papyrus gonolek and the papyrus yellow warbler, both dependent on intact swamp habitats. It is also home to the elusive sitatunga antelope, whose population in Kenya remains critically low. Beyond biodiversity, the wetland acts as a carbon sink and a natural filtration system for Lake Victoria, often described by scientists as the lake’s “lungs.” Two decades ago, the picture was different. “In the early 2000s, this place was choking,” Didi says. Plastic waste clogged the shoreline, while papyrus reeds, vital for fish breeding and bird habitats, were harvested unsustainably. As fish stocks declined, many residents turned to crafting furniture and household items from the reeds, accelerating their depletion. Bird-watching guide Victor Ochieng’ Didi. | Achieng’ Otieno [Mongabay]. DECTTA emerged in 2002 out of this crisis. Initially formed by members of the Dunga Beach Cooperative, the group sought to tackle both environmental degradation and economic hardship by promoting ecotourism. Youths were mobilized to clean up waste, guide visitors, and operate boats along the lake. For a time, the model worked with cleaner beaches and renewed biodiversity, attracting tourists, but the momentum proved fragile. By 2006, conservation gains began to unravel. Fishers encroached on breeding zones, while demand for papyrus products surged. “Everyone became an artisan,” Didi recalls. “The reeds were being harvested faster than they could regenerate.” DECTTA itself weakened as community interest shifted back to short-term income. The turning point came in 2008 as economic and political instability in Kenya drove many young people back to the village, creating an opportunity to rebuild. DECTTA was revived, this time with a sharper focus on linking conservation directly to livelihoods. Today, that approach defines the group’s work. Visitors pay modest fees for guided tours through the wetland, generating income that supports conservation activities and community welfare programmes. The group operates boats for excursions and has introduced small-scale attractions such as zip-lining to diversify revenue. Proceeds help fund school programmes and food support for elderly residents. “At the end of the day, people want to earn a living,” Didi says. “When conservation brings income, it becomes easier to protect the wetland.” Faith Adhiambo, DECTTA’s treasurer, says this model has gradually shifted attitudes. “People now see the wetland as an asset worth protecting, not just a resource to exploit,” she says. The boardwalk at Dunga Beach, Lake Victoria. | Achieng’ Otieno [Mongabay]. DECTTA has also moved beyond tourism into advocacy and restoration. The group is working with partners, including the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Kisumu County authorities, to pilot a “wetland garden”, which is a small-scale recreation of the ecosystem designed to attract wildlife and demonstrate the value of conservation. At the same time, members conduct community outreach, urging residents to avoid encroaching on wetland areas and to adopt sustainable practices. These efforts are supported by collaborations with youth groups under the Dunga Swamp Site Support Group. Yet, despite these gains, major challenges remain. many of which are beyond the community’s control. One of the biggest obstacles is the lack of formal legal protection. Although Kenya has multiple policies touching on wetlands, there is no single, unified framework governing their management. As a result, enforcement is often weak and fragmented. “Currently, less than 10% of wetlands are under legal protection through gazettement,” says environmental scientist Faith Omole. Without such designation, wetlands like Dunga remain vulnerable to encroachment and development. Tom Togo, a former county environment official, says community dynamics complicate matters. According to him, much of the wetland overlaps with privately owned land, making it difficult for authorities to impose restrictions. “You cannot dictate how people use their land,” he says. “That is why degradation continues.” DECTTA members say this legal gap undermines their work. Didi points to the expansion of lakeside hotels and other infrastructure, which often involves clearing papyrus and disrupting habitats. “We rarely win these battles,” he says. “Our efforts are not backed by law.” There have been some signs of progress. In late 2025, Kenya’s Environment and Lands Court ordered the demolition of structures built illegally on riparian land around Lake Victoria, in a case that had dragged on for more than a decade. Conservationists see the ruling as a precedent that could strengthen future protection efforts, even as the path to formal gazettement of Dunga wetland remains uncertain. A little egret (Egretta garzetta) at Dunga Beach. | Achieng’ Otieno [Mongabay]. Another critical challenge is data. Didi, who holds a degree in environmental science, says the lack of comprehensive mapping and monitoring weakens the case for protection. “We don’t even know the exact size of the wetland,” he says. “Without data, it is hard to argue for its boundaries or measure the extent of degradation.” Regional research underscores the urgency. A 2025 study commissioned by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission found rising contamination in nearshore waters, driven by untreated wastewater, agricultural runoff and solid waste. Experts warn that without healthy wetlands to filter pollutants, the lake’s ecosystem could face severe decline. “Wetlands are the final filter,” says Christopher Aura of the Kenya Marine Fisheries and Research Institute. “If we lose them, the lake will suffer.” Against this backdrop, DECTTA’s work represents a grassroots response to a complex environmental crisis that links conservation, livelihoods and governance. The group is now saving to acquire a fibreglass boat to expand its ecotourism operations, with proceeds earmarked for conservation projects, including the wetland garden. It also continues to lobby for the gazettement of Dunga and other wetlands in the region. For Didi, the goal is securing both ecological and economic sustainability. “If we can show that conservation works for the community,” he says, “then it becomes much harder to destroy what we have built.” This article has been republished from Mongabay: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/04/on-the-shores-of-lake-victoria-a-youth-led-campaign-toContinue Reading

]]> c9bd763fd3579f9873083827258605a2 https://big3africa.org/?p=5522 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:03:51 +0300 COP31 Türkiye Leads Global Climate Action TürkiyeContinue Reading

]]> 78ef567388a00e2baae5a908edf42b21 https://big3africa.org/?p=5514 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:13:44 +0300 BP Faces Landmark Environmental Lawsuit in Isiolo, Marsabit By Waweru Wairimu A court in Isiolo has allowed a class action lawsuit to proceed against multinational oil giant BP, in a case that could expose decades of alleged environmental damage in northern Kenya. In a ruling delivered on April 16, the court gave the green light for 299 petitioners to pursue claims that toxic waste from oil exploration activities contaminated groundwater in parts of Isiolo and Marsabit counties, leaving behind a legacy of illness, death, and ecological harm. The suit, filed in February at the Environment and Land Court in Isiolo, traces the origins of the dispute to the 1980s, when Amoco Corporation conducted exploratory drilling in the remote settlements of Kargi and Kalacha, on the edge of the Chalbi Desert. Although the wells did not yield commercially viable oil, the petitioners argue that the operations left behind hazardous waste generated during drilling, which was improperly disposed of by either being dumped in unlined pits or left exposed, allowing toxic substances to seep into underground water sources used by local communities. The petitioners claim that the contamination included dangerous materials such as radium isotopes, arsenic, lead, and nitrates, which are associated with serious long-term health effects. They allege that more than 500 residents living near the former drilling sites have died from cancers and other illnesses linked to the consumption of polluted water, while livestock losses have further undermined livelihoods in the already fragile region. “During operations at the sites, hazardous and toxic contaminants were improperly disposed, discharged, and released into the environment,” the court filings state. The case also widens the net of responsibility beyond BP. Several Kenyan government ministries and regulatory agencies responsible for the environment, water, mining, and public health have been named in the suit, accused of failing to act despite what the petitioners describe as longstanding evidence of contamination. The court’s decision marks a significant moment for environmental litigation in Kenya, where large-scale class action cases against multinational corporations remain relatively rare. Legal observers say the outcome could set an important precedent for how historical environmental damage, particularly from legacy extractive industries, is addressed. BP, which acquired Amoco Corporation in 1998, has not issued a public response to the allegations. The matter is scheduled to return to court in May, when proceedings are expected to move into a more detailed examination of the evidence, including environmental assessments and medicContinue Reading

]]> 80bd5dc48d8a4452e8f8136499606c05 https://big3africa.org/?p=5504 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 03:03:26 +0300 The Hidden Cost of What Schools Feed Children AsContinue Reading

]]> 670501f851e12385c449cf0a2fc49f1d https://big3africa.org/?p=5496 Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:25:10 +0300 Kenya Falls Short on Balanced Diet, Producing Just 3 of 7 Food Groups Kenya can meet only part of its population’s dietary needs from domestic production, highlighting the country’s continued dependence on imports to achieve a balanced diet  A study by Nature Food finds that Kenya produces enough food to cover three out of seven essential food groups. The study covers key categories of food, including starchy staples, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, fish, and legumes, offering a more complete picture of national food independence. Even major agricultural producers like the United States and China still depend on imports for at least one of these groups. Guyana is the only country in the world that produces enough of all seven essential food groups to meet domestic demand. China and Vietnam come close, each covering six out of seven groups. Across the region, Kenya shares this position with several of its East African neighbors, including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi, all of which also meet roughly three food groups through domestic production. Analysts say this reflects a common structural pattern across East Africa, where countries are able to produce staple crops such as cereals but fall short in other categories like dairy, protein, or fruits and vegetables. “Most countries are not failing to produce food, but rather they are failing to produce a balanced diet,” the report notes, pointing to gaps in nutritional diversity rather than absolute food shortages. In Kenya, agriculture remains a key pillar of the economy, employing a significant share of the population. However, recurring droughts, changing rainfall patterns, and limited irrigation infrastructure continue to constrain output, particularly in high-value and nutrition-sensitive sectors. Regionally, South Sudan emerges as the best performer among the countries analysed, producing enough to cover four out of seven food groups. While this places it ahead of its neighbors on paper, experts caution that conflict and weak infrastructure continue to limit actual food access for much of its population. Ethiopia, despite having one of the largest agricultural sectors in Africa, falls below regional peers, meeting just two food groups. Analysts point to limited diversification and climate shocks as key constraints. At the other end of the spectrum, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia rank among the poorest performers, each meeting only one out of seven food groups domestically. The report attributes this to a combination of prolonged instability, underdeveloped agricultural systems, and heavy reliance on food imports and aid. While Kenya has built a relatively strong agricultural base, experts say greater investment in irrigation, value chains, and climate-resilient farming will be critical to improving dietary diversity and reducingContinue Reading

]]> b6e32e0dfb90d29e36a2691a08d36b52 https://big3africa.org/?p=5488 Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:59:28 +0300 Inside Kenya’s Growing Trade in Live Ants AContinue Reading

]]> b5a13d0e6adf481e1abdc4d62c53ab64 https://big3africa.org/?p=5483 Thu, 16 Apr 2026 04:32:35 +0300 High Fuel Prices Spur Kenya Clean Energy Shift KeContinue Reading

]]> 2fdc1a458bee9a7f112093e7d519d6d4 https://big3africa.org/?p=5479 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:32:55 +0300 Southern Africa Countries Unite on Carbon Markets in Major Push By Faith Rutendo In a significant step toward strengthening Africa’s position in global climate finance, eight Southern African countries have launched a new regional cooperation platform aimed at unlocking opportunities in carbon markets under the Paris Agreement. This follows a move by Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe to establish the Southern Africa Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance (SAACMCF), marking one of the region’s most coordinated efforts yet to align national carbon strategies and improve access to emerging international carbon trading systems. The Alliance is designed to help member states coordinate carbon market policies, strengthen regulatory systems, and build the technical and institutional capacity needed to participate effectively in global carbon trading under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. At its core, the Alliance seeks to address fragmentation, which is one of Africa’s longstanding challenges in climate finance. While many countries in the region have begun developing carbon credit frameworks, differences in regulatory standards, verification systems, and institutional readiness have limited their collective bargaining power in international markets. By creating a shared platform, the Alliance aims to harmonize carbon market regulations and improve the credibility of African carbon credits in global systems. It will also promote knowledge exchange between member states, particularly in project design, emissions accounting, and benefit-sharing mechanisms for communities involved in carbon reduction initiatives. Officials say the initiative will actively collaborate with private sector actors, development partners, and other African regional blocs to ensure interoperability between emerging carbon frameworks across the continent. This cooperative approach is expected to strengthen Africa’s negotiating position in global carbon markets, where demand for high-integrity credits is rising, particularly from compliance systems such as international aviation schemes. The launch comes at a time when Africa is rapidly positioning itself as a key supplier of nature-based and community-driven carbon credits. Several countries have begun developing national frameworks to regulate carbon trading and attract investment in clean energy, forestry, and sustainable land use projects. Among the early movers is Malawi, which has taken notable steps toward operationalizing its carbon credit system. In November 2025, the country began issuing carbon credits aligned with international compliance standards, particularly those recognized under aviation-linked carbon reduction mechanisms. The Malawi project approved under Gold Standard certification is part of a growing category of carbon initiatives focused on clean cooking technologies. These projects distribute locally manufactured, energy-efficient cookstoves to rural households, replacing traditional biomass-burning methods that contribute to deforestation and high carbon emissions. Beyond emissions reductions, the initiative is also delivering measurable social and economic benefits as households using the improved cookstoves report lower indoor air pollution, which is directly linked to reduced respiratory illnesses. The time saved in fuel collection has also been significant, particularly for women and children, enabling increased participation in education, income-generating activities, and community life. Such co-benefits are increasingly important in global carbon markets, where buyers are placing higher value on projects that demonstrate both environmental integrity and social impact. The Southern Africa Alliance’s focus on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement reflects a broader shift in global climate policy toward structured international carbon trading. Article 6 allows countries to voluntarily cooperate in achieving their climate targets by transferring emission reductions across borders. By pooling expertise and aligning standards, the Alliance aims to ensure that Southern African countries can engage more effectively in these mechanisms, attract higher-quality investments, and retain greater value from their natural and renewable resources. Experts suggest that regional cooperation could also help reduce risks associated with double-counting, inconsistent verification, and weak governance issues that have previously undermined confidence in some voluntary carbon markets. A key feature of the Alliance is its commitment to working closely with private sector developers, investors, and carbon project implementers. This is expected to accelerate the development of bankable projects across sectors such as renewable energy, forestry restoration, sustainable agriculture, and waste management. Development partners are also expected to play a central role in supporting capacity building and financing early-stage regulatory infrastructure. Many member states still face gaps in emissions data systems, carbon registry platforms, and verifContinue Reading

]]> e735578d45736bb414a25c1d401e67f8 https://big3africa.org/?p=5475 Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:52:41 +0300 Ethiopia Launches Carbon Credit Framework to Tap Global Climate Markets Ethiopia has moved to formalise its entry into global carbon markets, unveiling a directive that establishes ownership, trading rights and regulatory oversight for carbon credits. The move positions the country among a growing number of African nations building legal frameworks for climate finance. The framework lays out how carbon credits generated from forests and land-based projects can be owned, registered and sold. Officials say the directive gives legal recognition to carbon as a tradable asset, allowing individuals, communities, and investors who protect or develop forests to claim ownership and transact credits in regulated markets. The policy establishes that carbon credits must be certified under international standards and registered through designated national institutions, with oversight from agencies such as the Ethiopian Forestry Development. It also introduces obligations for project owners, including maintaining forest integrity and preventing activities that reduce carbon stock. The move is part of a broader push by Ethiopia to operationalise its carbon market ambitions. The country is simultaneously developing a national carbon market strategy (2025–2035) and a comprehensive legal framework aimed at enabling participation in both voluntary and compliance carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Courtesy Government officials have indicated that the country is working toward full carbon market legislation and could issue millions of credits tied to emissions reductions and forest conservation projects. The new directive also outlines benefit-sharing arrangements, allowing local communities living near carbon projects to receive a portion of revenues, while federal and regional governments retain a stake in proceeds from carbon transactions. Experts say the framework is designed to unlock climate finance and attract private investment into sectors such as forestry, renewable energy, and land restoration, helping Ethiopia meet its long-term emissions reduction targets and transition to a low-carbon economy. Ethiopia’s move reflects a wider trend across Africa, where governments are racing to regulate carbon markets amid rising global demand for offsets. Kenya has introduced carbon market regulations under climate change laws, including systems for project approval, benefit sharing, and national registries. On its part, Ghana has developed institutional frameworks aligned with Article 6 to govern carbon credit transactions and ensure environmental integrity, while Nigeria has also signaled plans to establish a national carbon registry and regulatory structure, with South Africa operating one of the continent’s most advanced carbon pricing systems through its carbon tax regime, complemented by offset mechanisms. Rwanda and Uganda are developing guidelines to attract investment into nature-based carbon projects, particularly in forestry and conservation. Analysts say the emergence of these frameworks marks a turning point for Africa’s role in global carbon markets, with countries seeking to balance investor confidence, environmental integriContinue Reading

]]> 01b06b08477daf1a804c32877d9dedbc https://big3africa.org/?p=5467 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:13:22 +0300 Understanding Why Heat is Now a Public Health Priority As cities around the world grapple with rising temperatures, extreme heat is now increasingly becoming a major public health threat. This growing risk was brought into focus at the just-concluded 2026 Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Big3Africa spoke with Dan Kass, an expert in environmental health and disease prevention, and Senior Vice President of Environmental, Climate, and Urban Health at Vital Strategies. Why now? Why has heat become a priority area for Healthy Cities initiatives? In recent years, attention has turned toward climate change, not just as an environmental issue alone, but as a driver of non-communicable diseases. Globally, excess heat is now recognised as the leading cause of death from climate-related disasters. It is important to understand that heat does not simply kill due to high temperatures. It exacerbates existing conditions like cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, particularly among vulnerable populations. This growing understanding, combined with the realisation that cities are often significantly hotter than surrounding areas, led to the inclusion of heat as a key area of intervention.  Is there data or evidence supporting this shift in focus? The decision is strongly grounded in data. Globally, an estimated 500,000 people die prematurely each year due to excess heat. Even more concerning are future projections that the number of dangerously hot days is expected to rise sharply, particularly in equatorial regions. Additionally, the world is not on track to meet temperature-limiting goals, and climate models now show that harm is increasingly driven by extreme events.  Dan Kass, an expert in environmental health and disease prevention and the Senior Vice President of Environmental, Climate, and Urban Health at Vital Strategies. | Courtesy How does extreme heat compare to other major health threats? To understand heat’s impact, it helps to compare it with other known health risks. Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of preventable death globally, and environmental factors play a major role in triggering these outcomes. Air pollution, for example, is well-studied and known to both cause and worsen heart disease. Heat operates in a strikingly similar way. It places additional stress on the body, increasing the likelihood of death among individuals with pre-existing conditions. In fact, among environmental contributors to heart disease, heat ranks alongside major risks such as air pollution, tobacco smoke, and lead exposure. While it may receive less attention, its impact is substantial and growing, making it one of the most important but under-addressed health threats. Which populations are most vulnerable to extreme heat? Vulnerability varies by context, but several groups are consistently at higher risk. For instance, people with chronic illnesses, such as heart, lung, or kidney disease, are particularly susceptible, as their bodies struggle to adapt to temperature extremes. The elderly and infants are also vulnerable due to reduced ability to regulate body temperature. Outdoor workers, including those in construction, sanitation, and markets, face prolonged exposure to heat without adequate opportunities to cool down. Lack of access to clean drinking water further increases risk. Socially isolated individuals, especially those with severe mental illness, are another high-risk group. They may be less aware of the dangers, less able to seek help, and more affected by medications that impair temperature regulation. What challenges do cities face in addressing extreme heat? One of the biggest challenges is prioritisation. Cities are dealing with multiple urgent issues, and public health prevention often receives limited funding. Without clear evidence of impact, heat may struggle to gain attention. Another challenge is coordination. Effective heat response requires collaboration across multiple sectors such as healthcare, transportation, education, labor, and more. Many cities lack the systems needed for this kind of integrated planning. Data limitations also pose a barrier. Some cities are still developing the infrastructure needed to collect, analyse, and share health and environmental data, which is essential for informed decision-making. Against this backdrop, what strategies are cities being encouraged to adopt? Cities are being guided to focus on three key areas, which are understanding the problem, preparing for emergencies, and reducing heat exposure. First, cities must improve data collection. This includes measuring temperature variations across neighborhoods and estimating the true health impact of heat. Official records often underreport heat-related deaths, as many are attributed to heart attacks or strokes rather than heat itself. Second, cities need to prepare for heat emergencies. This involves developing coordinated response plans based on weather forecasts and local thresholds. Actions may include issuing public warnings, equipping hospitals, opening cooling centers, adjusting outdoor work schedules, and conducting wellness checks on vulnerable individuals. Finally, cities can invest in long-term mitigation strategies. For instance, urban areas tend to trap heat due to concrete surfaces and limited greenery. Solutions include increasing green spaces, planting trees, using reflective building materials, incorporating water features, and improving access to cooling systems. Are these interventions financially feasible for cities, especially in developing countries? While addressing heat can be resource-intensive, the approach taken is not to fully fund interventions but to catalyze action. Support is provided in targeted ways, such as funding temperature sensors, hiring technical experts, or piloting cooling solutions. These initial investments help cities generate evidence and build momentum for larger-scale funding. Many effective interventions are low-cost. Public alerts during heatwaves, outreach to vulnerable individuals, and simple preparedness measures can significantly reduce risk without major financial burdens. At the same time, demonstrating the economic cost of heat-related illness, through healthcare expenses and lost productivity, can strengthen the case for long-term investment. How can cities sustain these efforts despite funding uncertainties? One key strategy is helping cities quantify the economic burden of heat-related illness. When cities understand the scale of healthcare costs and productivity losses, it becomes easier to justify investment in prevention. Programs like policy accelerators also support cities in developing long-term solutions that embed heat response into governance structures. At the same time, emphasising low-cost, high-impact interventions ensures that progress does not depend entirely on large budgets. Simple measures like early warnings and targeted outreach can save lives and build resilience even in resContinue Reading

]]> 71c3c377d9049f2013b86c8219f77e36 https://big3africa.org/?p=5462 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:30:58 +0300 Middle East Crisis Drives IRENA Call for Renewable Energy The ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted oil and gas flows through critical routes including the Strait of Hormuz, is accelerating calls for countries to fast-track the global transition away from fossil fuel dependence. A new advisory by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) warns that sustained attacks on energy infrastructure and the selective closure of key shipping corridors have destabilised global oil and gas markets, triggering sharp and unpredictable price spikes. The effects, IRENA notes, are already cascading beyond energy markets into transport systems, food supply chains, and broader economic activity, amplifying inflation and deepening risks for vulnerable economies. Against this backdrop, IRENA argues that the crisis should be treated as a turning point for global energy policy, reinforcing the urgency of reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels and accelerating investment in renewable energy systems. IRENA frames the current Middle East crisis as a clear demonstration of how fossil fuel dependency amplifies global instability, noting that countries with higher shares of renewables have been less exposed to price shocks, while those heavily reliant on imported gas and oil have experienced sharper economic stress. The agency argues that the growing competitiveness of renewables, combined with falling storage costs, presents a practical pathway to strengthen energy security while insulating economies from geopolitical shocks. IRENA conference that happened earlier this year, 2026, in Dubai, where high-level conversations on renewable energy took place. | Courtesy Price volatility in oil and gas markets has quickly translated into higher transport costs, rising food prices, and increased pressure on electricity systems that remain dependent on gas-fired generation. According to the advisory, these shocks are disproportionately affecting developing economies with limited fiscal space to absorb sudden increases in import costs. The agency warns that the current crisis is symptomatic of a broader vulnerability in fossil-fuel-based energy systems, where geopolitical instability can rapidly translate into global economic disruption. IRENA’s advisory argues that the renewable energy transition is no longer only a climate objective but a core national security and economic stability strategy. The agency notes that in many regions, renewable-plus-storage systems are already cost-competitive with fossil fuel generation, making them not only cleaner but economically more stable in the face of fuel price shocks. The advisory sets out a series of urgent policy measures that governments are encouraged to adopt in response to the crisis, starting with short-term interventions designed to reduce exposure to fuel volatility. In the immediate term, IRENA recommends rapid deployment of distributed renewable energy systems to support essential services such as healthcare, agriculture, sanitation, and food supply chains. It also calls for accelerated rollout of solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery hybrid mini-grids in off-grid and weak-grid regions to reduce reliance on diesel imports. Looking beyond immediate crisis response, IRENA calls for governments to fast-track renewable energy and grid infrastructure projects and ensure they remain funded despite inflationary pressures and supply chain constraints. In its longer-term recommendations, IRENA urges countries to embed renewable energy and electrification into national development and industrial strategies, rather than treating them as parallel policy tracks. Importantly, it recommends linking fossil fuel subsidies to measurable progress in renewable energy deployment, a step aimed at accelerating structural change in eContinue Reading

]]> fbff2f9fdc8bfea3937706aa1e493852 https://big3africa.org/?p=5456 Mon, 13 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0300 Africa’s First Tri-National Climate Camera Launches to Space Africa has taken a significant step into space-based climate monitoring following the successful launch of the ClimCam (Climate Camera) mission, a joint initiative by Kenya, Egypt, and Uganda. The mission lifted off on April 11, 2026, aboard the Cygnus NG-24 resupply spacecraft, which was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft is currently en route to the International Space Station (ISS), where the climate-monitoring payload will be installed. Officials involved in the project described the mission as a historic first for the continent, marking the first major tri-national space collaboration between the three African countries. The initiative brings together expertise from the Kenya Space Agency, the Egyptian Space Agency, and Ugandan partners in a coordinated effort to address climate challenges using space technology. According to project stakeholders, the ClimCam payload is designed to deliver high-resolution imagery and data focused on environmental changes across Africa. Once operational aboard the ISS, the camera will monitor floods, droughts, and other climate-related hazards that continue to affect vulnerable communities across East and North Africa. Scientists say the data generated by the mission will play a critical role in improving early warning systems and predicting extreme weather events. The information is also expected to support disaster preparedness efforts and strengthen food security planning in regions increasingly exposed to climate variability. The launch underscores the growing technical capacity of African space agencies and highlights the importance of regional cooperation in tackling shared environmental challenges. Analysts note that locally driven space missions such as ClimCam could help bridge critical data gaps that have historically limited climate response strategies on the continent. The Cygnus spacecraft is expected to dock with the ISS in the coming days. Once installation is complete, African engineers and scientists will begin receiving and analyzing the first images transmitted from the climate camera, offering a new, continent-focused perspective on Africa’s rapidly cContinue Reading

]]> f58805e9015ff1fd5b247a303bb4b881 https://big3africa.org/?p=5451 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:11:18 +0300 White Rhinos Return to Kidepo After 40-Year Absence White rhinos have been reintroduced to Kidepo Valley National Park for the first time in more than four decades, marking a major milestone in Uganda’s wildlife restoration efforts. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) said the reintroduction follows years of planning aimed at rebuilding the country’s rhino population and restoring ecological balance in protected areas. The initial group of southern white rhinos was translocated from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary with support from Global Conservation and the Uganda Conservation Foundation. Officials described the move as a critical step toward re-establishing a sustainable rhino population in the wild. Rhinos disappeared from Uganda in the 1970s and early 1980s during a period of political instability that saw widespread poaching and a breakdown in wildlife protection. The last known wild rhino in Kidepo was killed in 1983, according to conservation records. Rangers prepare a rhinoceros for transport from the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to Kidepo Valley National Park in north-eastern Uganda, | Courtesy Africanews UWA said the absence of rhinos has had long-term ecological impacts, noting that the species plays a key role in maintaining grassland ecosystems through grazing. To secure the reintroduced animals, authorities have established a protected sanctuary within Kidepo equipped with perimeter fencing, surveillance systems, and dedicated ranger units providing round-the-clock monitoring. Conservationists say these measures are intended to prevent a repeat of past poaching that led to the species’ local extinction. UWA also said community engagement is central to the success of the programme, with residents being involved through conservation outreach initiatives and economic opportunities linked to tourism. The agency noted that the reintroduction is part of a broader national strategy to expand rhino populations beyond sanctuaries and into multiple protected areas. Officials expressed optimism that the return of rhinos to Kidepo will strengthen biodiversity, boost tourism, and support long-term conservation goals in UgContinue Reading

]]> 3121776d00586cf27f8b5bf572afb030 https://big3africa.org/?p=5448 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:48:01 +0300 Study finds livestock pushing lions away from shared rangeland in Kenya By Charles Mpaka Lions in Kenya are increasingly avoiding areas used by livestock, even after herders have moved on, according to a new study by the Mara Predator Conservation Program. Researchers say the findings challenge long-held assumptions about how wildlife and livestock share space in the country’s rangelands. The study, led by biologist Niels Mogensen, surveyed seven community conservancies in the Maasai Mara ecosystem between 2015 and 2023. Covering nearly 69,000 kilometers, the research tracked the presence of lions alongside wild and domestic herbivores. The results showed that lions avoided not only active grazing areas but also places where cattle had previously been. “Lions continued to avoid areas with a history of high cattle use even when cattle were not present,” Mogensen said. In Kenya, most wildlife lives outside protected areas, often on community-owned land, where pastoralists graze livestock. Conservancies typically allow herders to move across large areas, based on the assumption that wildlife returns once livestock leave. The new findings suggest that may not always happen. Livestock play a central role in Maasai livelihoods, making any restrictions on grazing a sensitive issue. Mogensen said solutions should involve communities and could include zoning land for different uses, seasonal grazing plans and clearer sharing of conservation benefits. Herders say current systems already work. Peter Kilani, speaking from Mosiro Conservancy in Kajiado County, said most communities manage grazing across shared land rather than setting aside exclusive wildlife zones. “We have done this since time immemorial,” he said. Data from government aerial surveys shows broader changes in the rangelands. Populations of large wild herbivores, excluding elephants, have declined by about 70% since the late 1970s. While cattle numbers have slightly decreased, sheep and goats have increased sharply. Daniel Sopia of the Mara Wildlife Conservancy Association said most conservancies use rotational grazing, where wildlife often follows livestock to feed on shorter grass. He said communities have not observed lions avoiding areas long after grazing. “We have not heard conservancies complain about the lack of lions due to cattle presence,” Sopia said. Nakedi Maputla of the African Wildlife Foundation said managing grazing access must be handled carefully to avoid conflict with communities. The study adds new evidence that livestock grazing may be influencing predator behavior, raising questions about how Kenya’s conservancies will manage land use in the future. The article has been republished from Mongabay: https://news.moContinue Reading

]]> b051f45ea458a0433583b73925c76550 https://big3africa.org/?p=5444 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:39:51 +0300 Africa Missing Out on Clean Energy Boom AfricaContinue Reading

]]> 0c5ba47984b0a994ff96651422948bcb https://big3africa.org/?p=5435 Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:04:37 +0300 Climate Exodus Kenya's Displaced ProlongedContinue Reading

]]> b10e34d99a958c94001f7a6be15abd9c https://big3africa.org/?p=5412 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0300 Africa’s Sea Levels Rising Faster Than Global Average Recent research from early 2026 reveals an alarming acceleration in sea level rise across Africa. This phenomenon is now occurring at a rate significantly higher than the global average in most regions, posing a critical threat to coastal communities and ecosystems. New data by nature.com, indicates that African sea levels have risen by an average of 11.26 cm since 1993. Since 2010, the rate of rise has surged to 4.34 mm/year, more than four times the rate observed in the 1990s. This rapid increase highlights a critical shift in climate patterns affecting the continent. The 2023–2024 period witnessed the largest sea level spike ever recorded in African waters. This unprecedented surge was driven by a rare convergence of El Niño with record-positive phases of the Indian Ocean Dipole and Atlantic Niño. Such complex climatic interactions are intensifying the impact on coastal areas. During this recent spike, thermal expansion, where water swells as it heats, accounted for over 70% of the rise. This effectively caused the ocean to experience a “fever,” indicating a direct link between rising global temperatures and the accelerating sea levels around Africa. The impact of sea level rise is unevenly distributed across the continent’s Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs). The Red Sea and Guinea Current regions exhibit the highest overall trends, with the Red Sea reaching rates of 3.91 mm/year due to its confined geography and high heat retention. Waters around Mozambique and Madagascar in the Western Indian Ocean are experiencing the sharpest acceleration. Surges of up to 3.87 cm were recorded in a single year during the recent El Niño, demonstrating the vulnerability of these coastal areas to extreme weather events. Hout Bay in Cape Town, South Africa | Courtesy Uniquely, the Mediterranean Sea has shown a slower trend of 2.70 mm/year. This is because increased salinity has made the water denser, partially counteracting the rise from thermal expansion. This regional variation highlights the complex interplay of factors influencing sea levels. By 2030, an estimated 108–116 million people in Africa will reside in low-elevation coastal zones, less than 10 meters above sea level. This demographic concentration in vulnerable areas underscores the urgent need for adaptation strategies and infrastructure development. Coastal megacities like Lagos, Nigeria, face a “triple threat” of river, rainfall, and coastal flooding. Land subsidence, often due to groundwater extraction, is magnifying the relative sea level rise significantly, with rates of 8–12 mm/year. Alexandria, Egypt, is also at high risk, with projections suggesting that a 0.5-meter rise could displace over 2 million people and cause $35 billion in property damage by 2050. These figures highlight the immense economic and social costs associated with rising sea levels. Saint-Louis, Senegal, is frequently cited as a primary example of a historic city actively “disappearing” under the rising Atlantic. The erosion and inundation experienced here serve as a stark warning for other vulnerable coastal settlements. The economic and human impacts extend to vital sectors such as fisheries. Rising and warming seas are disrupting fish populations, threatening a 30% contraction of Africa’s $25 billion marine fisheries sector by 2050. This will have severe consequences for food security and livelihoods. Infrastructure and public health are also severely affected. Rising groundwater is transforming some urban areas into wetlands, leading to backflowing sewers and contaminated aquifers. In Lagos, 50% of hospitalizations are already linked to water-borne diseases exacerbated by these conditions. Planners are increasingly advocating for “nature-based solutions” as more cost-effective and resilient defenses than traditional sea walls. Restoring mangroves in Mozambique and Senegal, for instance, offers a sustainable approach to coastal protection and ecosystem presContinue Reading

]]> 7f6594bd90d34d1e61cfea1a9654b3a5 https://big3africa.org/?p=5406 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:00:00 +0300 KCB Secures KSh12.5B Green Climate Fund Deal to Boost Green Financing in Kenya A major new financing deal could make it easier for Kenyan businesses and farmers to go green. This is after KCB Bank secured Sh12.5 billion ($96.9 million) in funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), in what is being seen as a significant boost to Kenya’s growing climate economy. The money is expected to flow directly to small businesses and farmers, groups that often struggle to access affordable financing, helping them invest in practical solutions like solar power, clean cooking, irrigation systems, and better waste management. The funding is structured as a mix of low-interest financing, guarantees, and grants, an approach meant to reduce the risk for banks and lower borrowing costs for customers, opening the door for more people to adopt climate-friendly technologies. For many small businesses, that could be transformative. A shop owner who wants to install solar panels, for example, often faces high upfront costs and expensive loans. Under this programme, financing becomes more accessible, making it easier to cut electricity bills and reduce reliance on unreliable power supply. For farmers, it could mean access to irrigation systems, drought-resistant seeds, or water-saving technologies. KCB says about 60 percent of the funds will go toward helping communities adapt to climate change, especially in agriculture and water management. The remaining 40 percent will support efforts to reduce emissions, including renewable energy and energy efficiency. The bank’s chief executive, Paul Russo, described the deal as a step toward bringing climate finance to sectors that have long been left out, particularly small enterprises and rural communities. Kenya’s financial sector is rapidly shifting toward green lending as banks increasingly finance projects that not only generate returns but also address environmental risks. In recent years, KCB alone has significantly expanded its green loan portfolio, reflecting a broader trend where sustainability is becoming part of mainstream banking. More than 80 percent of the country is classified as arid or semi-arid, and climate shocks regularly disrupt livelihoods and cost the economy billions. That is why green finance is increasingly being seen not just as an environmental tool, but as an economic one. Lower energy costs, more reliable production, and improved resilience to climate shocks can all translate into stronger, more competitive businesses. In agriculture, which supports the majority of rural livelihoods, the impact could be especially significant. The KCB deal also reflects a deeper shift in how climate action is funded. Rather than relying solely on donor-driven projects, Kenya is moving toward market-based solutions where banks, businesses, and investors playContinue Reading

]]> 98b0ab82c5444f8eac83871e718d41fd https://big3africa.org/?p=5400 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:02:56 +0300 Extreme Heat Declared Major Public Health Threat as Cities Act For the first time, extreme heat has been formally recognised alongside long-standing public health challenges such as non-communicable diseases (NCDs).  The announcement was made as more than 55 cities and more than 250 representatives convened last week in Rio de Janeiro for the 2026 Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit. For nearly a decade, urban health leaders convening under the Partnership for Healthy Cities have focused on major risk factors, including tobacco use, road safety, air pollution, and unhealthy diets. Together, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), these risks contribute to NCDs and injuries that account for more than 80 percent of global deaths.  This year, however, the agenda expanded to include heat, an increasingly severe threat that experts say has long been overlooked despite its rapid intensification. “Heat is currently responsible for an estimated half a million deaths globally each year, and that number is rising. Against this backdrop, cities are on the front lines,” said Dan Kass, an expert in environmental health and disease prevention and a Senior Vice President of Environmental, Climate and Urban Health at Vital Strategies. The Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Thursday, April 2, 2026. | Courtesy Bloomberg Philanthropies Despite its growing toll, heat has long remained underrepresented in global health discussions. Unlike infectious diseases or acute disasters, its effects are often indirect, cumulative, and poorly classified. “National health systems record heat-related deaths only when conditions like heatstroke are explicitly diagnosed,” added Kass. However, experts emphasise that this captures only a fraction of the true burden. “Heat exacerbates underlying illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, and kidney disorders, transforming manageable conditions into fatal ones,” Kass said. According to Kass, for every death officially recorded, many more likely go uncounted due to attribution gaps. This underreporting has delayed policy attention, but the data is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. The State of the Global Climate 2025, released by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) on March 30, highlights extreme heat as one of the deadliest climate-related hazards. The report documents rising heatwave frequency and intensity, linking them to increased mortality, overstretched health systems, disrupted livelihoods, and growing mental health pressures. And according to experts, urban cities continue to bear the brunt. “Urban areas are disproportionately affected due to the “urban heat island’ effect. Dense materials such as concrete, asphalt, and steel absorb and retain heat, driving temperatures significantly higher than in surrounding rural areas,” explained Kass.  A 2022 UN-Habitat research shows that daytime urban temperatures can be up to 3°C higher, while nighttime differences can reach as much as 10–12°C. This nighttime heat retention, experts say, is particularly dangerous because it removes the body’s opportunity to recover from daytime exposure, creating continuous physiological stress.  Kampala City under the heat | Courtesy “Even small temperature increases can significantly elevate mortality risk, especially among vulnerable populations,” explained Kass. Inequality further amplifies this risk, as low-income communities often lack access to cooling, green spaces, and adequate housing, making them disproportionately exposed. According to the UN-Habitat, over 1 billion people globally live in informal settlements, many of which are highly heat-exposed due to poor infrastructure and limited services. And nowhere are these vulnerabilities more acute than in rapidly urbanising regions of Africa. The World Bank estimates that Africa’s urban population will double by 2050, adding pressure to already strained infrastructure and increasing exposure to climate hazards. In Accra, heat-related illness is already becoming visible in routine health data. According to city health officials, heat stroke cases are now among the leading outpatient conditions, alongside respiratory illnesses exacerbated by air pollution.  “Heat is something we are seeing in our health data every day,” said Florence Sumala-an Kuukyi, a public health engineer at Accra Metropolitan Assembly in Ghana. And climate change is a key driver of this trend. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that Africa has warmed at a rate slightly above the global average, with temperatures increasing by approximately 0.3°C per decade since 1991. This warming is intensifying heat extremes while compounding existing vulnerabilities. In Nairobi, historically known for its temperate highland climate, heat exposure is rising in less obvious but increasingly dangerous ways. While temperatures rarely exceed formal heatwave thresholds (around 32°C), the frequency and persistence of warm days are increasing. According to a Climate Central report, in 2024, more than 14 million Kenyans experienced at least 60 days of high-risk heat, defined as temperatures exceeding 90 percent of the historical baseline.  Nigeria under the relentless heatwaves, with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) warnings of the heat affecting most. | Courtesy On the other hand, the Kenya Meteorological Department reports a steady rise in average temperatures across the country, with an increase of about 1.0–1.5°C since the mid-20th century. Additionally, urban expansion is intensifying localised heating, with satellite analyses like the Landsat-based studies, 2010–2023, showing that land surface temperatures in densely built areas of Nairobi can be 4–7°C higher than nearby vegetated zones. Against this backdrop, informal settlements face the greatest risks. “Limited ventilation, high building density, and restricted access to water and shade significantly increase heat exposure, particularly for children, older adults, and people with pre-existing conditions,” explains Dr Joyce Kimutai, an Attribution Scientist at the Kenya Meteorological Department. In the meantime, the growing recognition of heat as a public health crisis is driving a shift in how cities respond. “Governments are now redefining heat not just by meteorological thresholds, but by its health impacts, linking temperature data with hospital records to estimate excess mortality,” added Kass. Cities like Accra are already implementing comprehensive strategies, including heat mapping, identification of high-risk zones such as markets and transport hubs, and interventions like cooling centers and urban greening.  “Tree-planting initiatives and reflective infrastructure are also being scaled up to reduce ambient temperatures,” adds Kuukyi. According to Kass, this reflects a broader transition from awareness to action. “Cities are adopting multi-layered approaches, including improving data systems, developing heat action plans, targeting vulnerable populations, and investing in physical cooling solutions such as expanded green spaces and reflective materials.” On the other hand, some cities are also deploying low-cost temperature sensors to produce hyper-local heat maps, revealing sharp temperature differences within neighborhoods and enabling more targeted interventions. At the same time, Kass said, communication strategies are evolving to emphasize that apart from being an environmental issue, heat is a seContinue Reading

]]> 73486a6ce009574c43fc3a87d4fffdda https://big3africa.org/?p=5395 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0300 Kenya to Receive Rare Mountain Bongos from Europe in Conservation Boost By Lynet Otieno The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC) is set to receive four male mountain bongos from European zoos, in a renewed push to restore one of Africa’s most endangered antelopes. The planned transfer, led by experts from Chester Zoo in collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums, marks the first time mountain bongos will be moved from European conservation programs back to Kenya. In a statement, Chester Zoo said its team spent more than 11 years coordinating a breeding program across European zoos to prepare for such a moment. The move builds on earlier reintroduction efforts that saw antelopes repatriated from the United States in two major repatriation efforts, first in 2004, with 18 mountain bongos flown from various zoos in North America to Kenya to begin a breeding and rewilding program. A second batch of 17 mountain bongos was repatriated from the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF) in Florida, USA, arriving in Kenya in February 2025.  These bongos are descendants of individuals taken from Kenya to the USA in the 1960s and 1970s to create a captive population, and they are being returned to bolster the critically endangered wild population in Kenya. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), mountain bongos were listed as critically endangered in 2016, with just 70–80 adults remaining in the wild, all in Kenya. Although numbers briefly rebounded to about 150 individuals by 2021, Kenya’s latest wildlife census shows a sharp decline to just 66 animals by 2025. Conservationists attribute the drop to continued habitat loss and poaching pressures, even as gains are made in controlled environments. Captive populations have steadily increased from 54 in 2021 to 93 by 2025, bolstered in part by the earlier U.S. repatriation. Once the four European males complete rigorous health checks and quarantine procedures, they will be flown to Kenya and closely monitored before being integrated into MKWC’s breeding program. “These males are a critical component of our rewilding program,” said Robert Aruho, head of conservancy at MKWC. With more than 100 animals now under captive management, he said the focus is on sustained population growth, with a long-term national goal of reaching at least 750 individuals by 2050. Technology is also playing an increasingly central role. Chester Zoo said it has partnered with Liverpool John Moores University to develop what it describes as the world’s first AI-powered detection system for mountain bongos with camera networks capable of tracking behavior, movement and health in real time without disturbing the animals. Such advances, combined with international collaboration and lessons from earlier relocations like those from the United States, could help reverse the species’ decline. “These efforts will change the tide for mountain bongos,” said Stuart Nixon, senior manager for Africa field programs at Chester Zoo. The article has been republished from Mongabay: https://news.mongabay.coContinue Reading

]]> c6685697d9146286e55a89d4428d971b https://big3africa.org/?p=5389 Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:38:20 +0300 Makueni County Signs MoU to Advance Clean Cooking in Public Institutions Global energy nonprofit organization CLASP has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Makueni County Government to accelerate the adoption of clean cooking solutions in public institutions.  The agreement, signed during the Kenyan International Investment Conference in Nairobi, will directly benefit more than 4,500 people across 63 vocational training centers in the county. The partnership coincides with the launch of Kenya’s first Institutional Clean Cooking Sector Pack, which highlights a Sh72 billion ($559 million) investment opportunity to transition over 100,000 institutions, serving 12.6 million people, to modern, clean cooking solutions. Over the next five years, CLASP and Makueni County will collaborate with a growing network of Kenya-based clean-cooking suppliers to identify and prioritise institutions and communities for clean-energy transitions. Speaking during the event, Nyamolo Abagi, Director of Clean Energy Access at CLASP and Programme Lead for the Modern Energy Cooking Services, emphasised the human impact of the initiative: “This partnership is about restoring dignity to cooks working in institutional kitchens, who face daily exposure to heat stress and harmful indoor air pollution. Through MECS, we have spent years building the evidence and market systems needed to make clean cooking an accessible and affordable reality.” Global energy nonprofit organization CLASP has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Makueni County Government | Courtesy While global efforts have largely focused on household cooking, institutional kitchens remain underserved. Estimates suggest that across sub-Saharan Africa, over 600,000 schools and nearly 100,000 healthcare facilities rely on firewood and charcoal. Pilot projects in vocational training centers will leverage innovations from local companies such as Ecobora and Feion Green Venture to scale affordable, high-quality clean cooking technologies. Speaking at the event, Makueni County Governor, Mutula Kilonzo Junior, highlighted the county’s commitment: “Makueni is open for investment, and clean cooking represents one of the most compelling opportunities available. We have already invested Sh157 million in solar energy, launched our County Energy Plan (2023–2032), and piloted clean cooking initiatives. This partnership with CLASP and MECS is about scaling impact, reducing fuel costs, and creating jobs for our youth in the clean energy sector.” Despite Kenya’s significant progress in expanding electricity access, clean cooking remains a major challenge. Many households and institutions still rely on traditional fuels that drive deforestation, increase indoor air pollution, and lead to inefficient spending on energy. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), around 2.3 billion people globally still lack access to clean cooking, with the majority in sub-Saharan Africa relying on biomass fuels such as firewood and charcoal. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that household air pollution from these fuels contributes to approximately 3.2 million premature deaths each year, while the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) links unsustainable fuelwood harvesting to forest degradation and deforestation across many regions. The partnership aligns with Kenya’s National Cooking Transition Strategy (2024–2028), which targets universal acContinue Reading

]]> e707d47166c899c515750af6a6673a29 https://big3africa.org/?p=5384 Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:11:01 +0300 Kenya Off Track on Clean Cooking Goal as 37 Million Rely on Polluting Fuels Kenya is off track to achieve universal access to clean cooking by 2030, with millions of households still dependent on polluting fuels, a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows. The report, Tracking Clean Cooking in 100 Countries (2026), finds that only about 30–32 percent of Kenya’s population currently has access to clean cooking solutions, leaving nearly 70 percent, or roughly 37 million people, reliant on firewood, charcoal and other traditional fuels. While Kenya has recorded gradual gains in recent years, the pace of progress remains insufficient to meet the 2030 target, the report indicates. Despite ambitious government targets and a flurry of international initiatives, projections indicate Kenya will achieve only 57 percent clean cooking access by the end of the decade, far short of the Sustainable Development Goal 7 target of universal coverage. The shortfall carries an estimated annual economic cost of $39 billion (KES 5 trillion), encompassing healthcare expenses, lost productivity, and environmental degradation. According to the report, continued reliance on wood, charcoal, and dung for cooking exacts a devastating toll across the country. Indoor air pollution from inefficient combustion of solid fuels contributes to nearly 700,000 premature deaths annually across Africa, with women and young children bearing the disproportionate burden of respiratory illnesses. The time-consuming task of fuel collection, primarily undertaken by women and girls, perpetuates cycles of poverty and educational disadvantage, reducing school attendance and reinforcing time poverty. In rural areas, where biomass reliance is at 90 percent, the daily chore of gathering firewood consumes hours that could otherwise be spent on income generation or education. Environmental consequences are equally severe. Burning solid fuels releases carbon dioxide, methane, and black carbon, a pollutant accounting for 10-15 percent of global warming that accelerates glacial melting and disrupts weather patterns. Cooking-related greenhouse gas emissions represent approximately 2 percent of global CO2 output. The report highlights a stark urban–rural divide underpinning the country’s clean cooking challenge. Access in urban areas has risen to over 60 percent, driven largely by the expansion of LPG and alternative fuels. In contrast, rural access remains critically low at just over 11 percent, with most households continuing to depend on biomass. A woman in Kenya rural area still using firewood as fuel as Kenya looks at transitioning to clean energy. | Courtesy IRENA describes this pattern as a “two-speed transition,” where urban populations benefit from expanding energy markets while rural communities are left behind. Recent events have exposed the fragility of Kenya’s clean cooking transition. In January 2026, Koko Networks, a bioethanol fuel distributor serving over 1.5 million Kenyan homes, abruptly shut down its operations after failing to secure government authorization for carbon credit sales and import permits. The closure left more than 3,000 supply points idle and forced low-income households to choose between returning to smoky charcoal or purchasing more expensive LPG . “The clean cooking situation in Kenya, and across Africa, is a serious crisis,” said Amos Wemanya, a senior analyst at Power Shift Africa. “This is not just about emissions or climate targets. It is about development, health, dignity and household survival”. The challenges facing Kenya reflect a broader continental emergency. Across sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 900 million people lack access to clean cooking solutions, and population growth continues to outpace gains in access, widening the deficit by an estimated 14 million people annually. Globally, 2.1 billion people remain dependent on polluting cooking fuels. IRENA has identified clean cooking as a defining challenge for Africa’s prosperity, estimating that closing the global access gap requires more than $2 billion annually. However, current financing flows remain dramatically insufficient, with a significant gap between available funds and the capacity of target recipients to absorb them due to a lack of bankable projects, high interest rates, and stringent requirements. In response to the widening gap, a coalition of international organizations launched the Clean Cooking Accelerator Initiative at the IEA’s 2026 Ministerial in Paris. The partnership, involving The Rockefeller Foundation, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, Clean Cooking Alliance, and Energy Corps aims to strengthen supply chains, invest in infrastructure, and develop bankable project pipelines across approximately half a dozen African countries. The initiative will deploy Clean Cooking Fellows to build institutional capacity and will align with Mission 300, a World Bank and African Development Bank-led effort to provide 300 million Africans with electricity by 2030. A second Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa is scheduled for July 9-10, 2026, in Nairobi, co-chaired by Kenya, Norway, the United States, and the IEA. However, experts caution that without fundamental shifts in financing mechanisms and policy frameworks, these efforts may prove insufficient. IRENA’s analysis emphasizes that scaling up clean cooking solutions requires annual investment of approximately $8 billion by 2030, alongside strategies to modernize transitional fuels like charcoal rather than ignoring them entirely. “Sustainable energy solutions are not just about protecting the environment; they are about improving lives and securing our future,” said Lorraine Kirigia of Lowaki Eco-Solutions Limited, a KenyanContinue Reading

]]> 9938ccd419eb0fbc5cae82e48fca2543 https://big3africa.org/?p=5379 Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:54:29 +0300 Nairobi Chosen to Host Green Climate Fund Africa Office as Financing Tops $20B Kenya has secured a major diplomatic and economic win after the Green Climate Fund (GCF) selected Nairobi as the host city for its Eastern and Southern Africa regional office. The move positions the country at the centre of a rapidly expanding global climate finance architecture now exceeding $20 billion. The decision was announced at the Fund’s 44th Board meeting in Songdo, South Korea, where members also approved $960.3 million in new climate financing for developing countries, pushing the GCF’s total portfolio beyond $20 billion across 354 projects worldwide. The establishment of the Nairobi office marks the first time the GCF will maintain a physical presence closer to developing countries, a move aimed at accelerating the delivery of climate finance and strengthening coordination with national governments and implementing partners. Kenyan officials say the office will serve as a regional hub for climate finance access, project development, and technical support, effectively placing Nairobi at the heart of funding flows into some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable economies. Nairobi City, Kenya | Courtesy “The Nairobi regional hub will expand access to climate finance, strengthen partnerships across the continent and enhance the delivery of climate programmes, further positioning Kenya at the forefront of global climate action,” Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said. The selection followed a highly competitive global process that attracted bids from 47 developing countries, including 17 from Africa. Analysts say by hosting the regional office, Kenya stands to gain in several key areas including direct access to funding pipelines as it shortens approval timelines for Kenyan and regional projects, improving access to grants, concessional financing, and blended finance instruments. It is also expected to increase investment inflows as it will attract financiers, development partners, and project developers into Kenya’s climate ecosystem. Hosting the office also strengthens Kenya’s voice in shaping how climate finance is structured, prioritised, and deployed across Africa, particularly in adaptation, renewable energy, and resilience-building initiatives. The office is further expected to catalyse demand for local expertise in climate finance, policy, monitoring, and project implementation. The Nairobi announcement comes amid a notable shift in global climate finance flows toward Africa. At the same Board meeting, 46 per cent of newly approved funding, amounting to approximately $441 million, was directed to African projects. Among the flagship approvals is a $250 million programme with the World Bank to expand climate-resilient energy access across 21 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. The GCF, established under the UN climate framework, is the world’s largest dedicated climate fund for developing countries, financing mitigation and adaptation projects ranging from renewable energy and resilient agriculture to urban infrastructure and ecosystem restoration. GCF leadership said the creation of regional offices, including Nairobi and Abidjan is intended to address longstanding criticisms that global climate finance has been slow, centralised, and difficult for developing countries to access. By decentralising operations, the Fund aims to improve project preparation, align funding with country priorities, and strengthen moniContinue Reading

]]> 841216fc6f19b6ebabe7e1d82851215f https://big3africa.org/?p=5373 Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:37:47 +0300 Kenya Climate Report Warns of Rising Food, Health and Economic Risks Kenya is entering a more unstable and unpredictable climate era as rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and intensifying extreme weather steadily reshape livelihoods, strain public health systems and undermine economic stability, a new report by the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) warns. The State of the Climate in Kenya 2025 report presents an assessment of a country already living through the impacts of climate change. It shows that the foundations of Kenya’s economy – agriculture, water resources, health and infrastructure – are increasingly getting exposed to climate shocks that are becoming both more frequent and more severe. According to the report, Kenya is getting hotter with average temperatures rising by about 0.88°C since 1960, with the pace of warming accelerating in recent decades. In 2025, temperatures remained above the long-term average across most parts of the country, with central, northern and eastern regions experiencing particularly strong warming. This warming is manifesting in more intense heat conditions, increasing water demand and placing growing stress on crops and livestock. Globally, the past decade, 2015 to 2025, was warmest on record, with 2025 temperatures reaching 1.42°C above pre-industrial levels. The report further shows that rainfall is becoming increasingly unreliable, stating that in 2025, rainfall was poorly distributed both in time and space, with some regions experiencing heavy downpours while others endured prolonged dry spells. Western and central highlands received near to above-average rainfall, but much of the country, especially arid, semi-arid regions and the coast, recorded below-average precipitation. “Even where rains occurred, they were often mistimed, arriving too early, too late, or in short, intense bursts that offered little benefit to farmers,” the report shows. This growing variability is making it increasingly difficult to plan agricultural activities, manage water resources or anticipate risks, leaving communities more exposed to shocks. The report documents that 2025 was marked by unusual weather events including heatwaves, floods, strong winds and localized cold spells, each bringing its own set of disruptions. In early 2025, temperatures soared above 41°C in parts of Wajir, while Nyahururu experienced unusually low temperatures dropping to around 4°C. Heavy rainfall events triggered floods that displaced households and caused fatalities in counties such as Kilifi and Makueni, while strong winds damaged homes and infrastructure and high waves capsized boats along the coast. At the same time, drought conditions deepened across northern Kenya, pushing several counties into alert and alarm phases as water and pasture became scarce. Nowhere are these impacts felt more acutely than in agriculture. Although national maize production reached about 4 million tonnes, slightly above the five-year average, the gains were uneven and masked severe losses in marginal areas. In arid and semi-arid regions, crop yields fell significantly below long-term averages, with some areas experiencing complete crop failure, particularly during the short rains season. Household food stocks declined sharply, lasting just one to three months in some regions instead of the usual four to five, forcing families to rely more heavily on markets at a time of rising prices. By mid-2025, about 1.8 million people were facing high levels of acute food insecurity. Livestock systems also came under pressure as drought reduced pasture availability, increased trekking distances and triggered disease outbreaks, weakening animals and reducing productivity. The health sector is also feeling the strain of a changing climate. Flooding during the long rains season contributed to cholera outbreaks, with hundreds of suspected cases and multiple deaths reported. Meanwhile, prolonged heat and dry conditions in northern Kenya fueled outbreaks of visceral leishmaniasis, a potentially fatal disease transmitted by sandflies. These health risks, the report states, are compounded by displacement, poor sanitation and limited access to clean water, all of which tend to worsen during climate extremes. Beyond weather events, the report highlights deteriorating air quality. In Nairobi, monitoring shows that while pollution levels remain within national limits, all measured sites exceed World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The highest pollution levels were recorded in densely populated areas of Dandora and Kariobangi, driven by traffic emissions, waste burning, industrial activity and household fuel use. This exposes urban residents to increased risks of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, linking climate and public health challenges in new and complex ways. Meanwhile, the country’s coastal and marine systems are also changing. Sea surface temperatures in the Western Indian Ocean remained above average throughout much of 2025, reflecting a broader warming trend. These conditions are influencing weather patterns and marine ecosystems while raising concerns about sea-level rise and coastal flooding. Elevated tidal levels and stronger wave activity pose risks to infrastructure, fisheries and communities along the coast. Underlying many of these changes are large-scale climate drivers. The report identifies a strong negative Indian Ocean Dipole as a key factor behind the poor performance of the short rains.  Weak La Niña conditions and intra-seasonal systems such as the Madden-Julian Oscillation further contributed to rainfall variability and extreme events. Taken together, these interacting forces are producing a climate that is not only warmer but far less predictable. The report concludes that climate change is a present and escalating crisis, calling for greater investment in early warning systems, climate-resilient agriculture, ecosystem protection and improved access to climate finance to strengthen the country’s ability to copeContinue Reading

]]> 185e541eb5b3260db77cd0d870f7798f https://big3africa.org/?p=5367 Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:03:12 +0300 Nairobi’s Vanishing Forests Spark Battle for the City’s Last Wild Spaces A fresh conservation battle is unfolding in Nairobi National Park after reports of large-scale forest clearing linked to a parking complex of Bomas International Convention Centre. At the centre of the storm are reports of ongoing clearing of nearly 100 acres of upland forest, allegedly to pave the way for the relocation of the Nairobi Animal Orphanage and the construction of a 1,300-vehicle parking facility linked to the Bomas project. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has defended the project, framing it as a necessary modernization effort. In its statements, the agency maintains that the relocation of the animal orphanage is intended to improve animal welfare standards and decongest its current site, while associated infrastructure will support tourism and national development goals. But critics argue the explanation sidesteps a more troubling reality as the contested area falls within a designated Low Use Zone under the park’s management plan. This land is meant to remain largely undisturbed as it is particularly sensitive, as it provides refuge for species including rhinos, Maasai giraffes, and predators that rely on relatively undisturbed terrain. Fragmenting this space with roads and parking infrastructure could alter movement patterns and increase human-wildlife conflict. Environmentalists say any encroachment here sets a dangerous precedent, effectively redrawing the boundaries of what “protected” means. “This is not just about an orphanage or a parking lot,” Friends of Nairobi National Park (FoNNaP) warn. “It is about whether we are willing to sacrifice critical habitats for convenience.” What is happening inside Nairobi National Park is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader pattern that conservationists say is tightening around Nairobi’s remaining green spaces. Nairobi National Park at the Capital of Kenya. | Courtesy In recent months, sections of Karura Forest have come under scrutiny over proposed developments and infrastructure expansions. Public outcry has repeatedly forced reviews and reversals, but the pressure has not eased. Similarly, Ngong Forest has faced controversy over plans for the construction of recreational facilities and other projects that critics say risk fragmenting one of the city’s key water catchments. “We are witnessing a gradual normalization of intrusion into protected forests,” said a representative from Friends of Karura Forest, who has now joined FoNNaP in opposing the developments inside the national park. “Each project is justified on its own terms, but cumulatively, they are eroding Nairobi’s ecological backbone.” Nairobi’s forests of Karura, Ngong, and the wooded stretches within Nairobi National Park function as vital carbon sinks, temperature regulators, and water catchments in a city already grappling with rising heat, erratic rainfall, and air pollution. Losing even sections of upland forest, experts warn, could disrupt habitat connectivity, reduce biodiversity resilience, and weaken the city’s natural defenses against climate change. FoNNaP has launched the SAVE NNP campaign, calling for an immediate halt to all ongoing works and a full public disclosure of project approvals, insisting that Kenya’s protected areas must not be incrementally converted into commercial extensions of the city. “National parks are not parking lots,” the group says in its petition, urging citizens to intervene before irreversible damage is done. The campaign is gaining traction online and within Nairobi’s growing environmental movement, drawing support from civil society groups, conservationists, and ordinary residents who see the park as part of the city’s identity. The controversy is a test of Kenya’s environmental governance at a time when global attention on conservation and climate action is intensifying. If development proceeds within legally protected zones, critics argue, it could weaken public trust in conservation frameworks and embolden simContinue Reading

]]> 07e38f6bc952b9271342c0eea02bf1a4 https://big3africa.org/?p=5362 Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:02:19 +0300 Scientists Turn Cow Dung into Low-Cost Carbon Capture Material A new scientific breakthrough is transforming one of agriculture’s most overlooked waste products, cow dung, into a promising tool for tackling greenhouse gas emissions, offering a low-cost and sustainable pathway for carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture. This is after researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) developed a method of converting cow dung into a highly porous carbon material capable of trapping CO₂ before it enters the atmosphere, marking a significant innovation in the fight against climate change. Carbon capture technologies, collectively known as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), are increasingly seen as critical in reducing emissions from fossil fuels and industrial processes. However, existing methods often rely on expensive materials, energy-intensive processes, and chemicals that can themselves pose environmental risks. The new approach sidesteps many of these challenges by using cow dung, an abundant agricultural waste, to create porous carbon adsorbent materials with microscopic pores that can trap CO₂ on their surface. Scientists say the material demonstrates strong performance, while also being cheaper and more environmentally friendly to produce. Traditional carbon capture materials often involve toxic chemicals and generate wastewater during production. In contrast, the cow dung-based alternative minimizes chemical use and reduces environmental pollution during manufacturing. The process is also described as scalable and stable over repeated use, raising the possibility of deployment in industrial settings where emissions are hardest to abate. Livestock farming is typically associated with greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane and nitrous oxide. But this research highlights a shift in thinking by seeing agricultural by-products not just as pollutants, but as part of the solution. Already, cow manure is used in biogas systems to produce renewable energy, capturing methane that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere. The development comes amid a broader global push to find new ways to capture and remove greenhouse gases, from ocean-based carbon removal to advanced materials and bio-based solutions. While still in early stages, the cow dung-derived carbon material represents a shift toward nature-based and waste-driven climate technology solutions that are not only effective but also accessiContinue Reading

]]> e7bb0fadddbf3677a1c86313dfa70f63 https://big3africa.org/?p=5354 Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:27:20 +0300 Kenya’s Renewed Oil Push Faces a Tainted Environmental Legacy By Christopher Clark At first glance, there is little to suggest that Kapese, a dusty settlement of traditional manyattas and free-roaming livestock scattered across the parched landscape of northern Kenya’s Turkana region, is the epicenter of the country’s oil ambitions. Beyond a couple of boreholes and a small primary school bearing the logo of Tullow Oil, the Anglo-Irish company that first discovered significant crude deposits here near the town of Lokichar in 2010, little of the development once promised to residents has materialized. Since Tullow halted operations in 2020 after more than a decade of setbacks and spiraling debt, much of the extractive infrastructure that punctuated the surrounding scrubland has also been dismantled. Locals have stripped gates and fencing from the well pads for scrap metal. Heavy plastic liners, once used to store drilling waste, now stretch across the roofs of many nearby manyattas. Yet, as one approaches the Twiga oil well, where several waste pits sit in long rows like burial sites behind a chain-link fence topped with coils of razor wire, a faint, acrid smell of petroleum still hangs in the air. “That smell — you used to be able to smell it from 500 meters away,” said Enock Paule, a local community leader from Kapese, squinting into the harsh midday sun. “You couldn’t even go near this fence.” He recalled bringing a team of Kenyan journalists here some years ago, and several of them vomiting from the stench. Today, Paule and other residents point to these pits as evidence of the toxic legacy of early oil exploration in Turkana. As Nairobi-based Gulf Energy seeks to revive the dormant project it acquired from Tullow in September 2025, they say the environmental damage and governance failures of those years remain unresolved. While Gulf has reiterated Tullow’s past promises that the project will bring new economic opportunities to Turkana, the company has not publicly addressed these concerns. But for Muturi wa Kamau, national network coordinator at the Kenya Oil and Gas Working Group, such issues will not simply disappear with a change in operator. “This is going to keep following them,” he said. “What happened during Tullow’s operations will continue to shape the present and the future of this project.” Back on the ground in Kapese, Paule and his community say they are determined to set a new precedent: this time, people will be held to account. Elkanah Elimlin was among those who believed Tullow’s initial pledge that oil would help transform Turkana, bringing much-needed jobs, public services and infrastructure to Kenya’s poorest county. “We really thought that we would benefit from this investment,” he said. “We were very happy about it.” For a time, Elimlin, who lives in Lokichar but keeps livestock with relatives in Kapese, benefited directly from Tullow’s presence. Some of his children attended the new school in Kapese. In 2019, he got a job as a seismic field assistant, helping to collect data that would be sent back to Tullow’s London headquarters to help map underground oil reserves. But after a year, that work ceased along with Tullow’s operations in 2020. Today, with the local economy having since slowed to a standstill, Elimlin is jobless. Like many people in this part of Turkana, he has spent the last six years living in a state of protracted limbo. Over that time, he has also become increasingly concerned about the safety of the area around the Kapese well pads. In March 2024, Elimlin was one of 73 residents who filed a petition at the Environment and Land Court in Lodwar against Tullow, the Turkana County government, and Kenya’s National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), for what the filing described as “environmental violence.” The case alleges that hazardous exploration activities and poor waste management damaged the local environment and pastoral livelihoods. Among the examples cited is the reported death of dozens of livestock that locals say died after drinking from a contaminated water source near the Kapese well pads. The petition seeks compensation and asks the court to require Tullow to post an environmental bond of 284 billion shillings ($2.2 billion) to fund land restoration and prevent further harm. Enock Paule surveys the old waste pits in Kapese. | Christopher Clark for Mongabay. After several delays, hearings finally began in February this year and are currently ongoing. Beyond the allegations set out in the court filing, residents point to a broader catalog of accidents they say highlight inadequate safeguards around oil infrastructure. In 2016, a 14-year-old boy drowned in a water-filled quarry that had not been properly decommissioned. In 2022, a senior police officer was killed while attempting to detonate unexploded ordnance left at Tullow drilling sites. But for Elimlin, in an area currently facing a crippling drought, the possible contamination of critical water sources remains the greatest concern. “We believe that hazardous waste has seeped into our community,” he told Mongabay. “It’s not just the animals that are dying. You look at the trees around the well pads, and many of them have died off. This environment can no longer support our pastoral activities.” Such concerns do not only apply to Kapese. Kamau of the Kenyan Oil and Gas Working Group said that during a 2019 assessment of nine well pads across the South Lokichar Basin, waste containment had “clearly been compromised” at a site known as Akuwa-1, roughly 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Kapese, with waste seeping into surrounding soils. Meanwhile, just meters away from the waste pits, a group of Turkana women was digging a shallow well to extract water. “Once that seepage actually reaches the water table, in a water-scarce area like this, there’s a high likelihood that those women are going to be drinking water that has been contaminated,” Kamau said. This thesis is supported by a 2022 study by a team of researchers at Kenyatta University in Nairobi. The study found that eight of 11 groundwater samples collected near oil well pads in the Lokichar Basin were “highly contaminated,” with levels of heavy metals and salts that far exceeded set drinking water standards. The researchers also warned that increased groundwater abstraction had contributed to declining borehole levels, a trend likely to worsen when oil activity resumes. Meanwhile, Faith Nelima, a reproductive health and oncology nurse who previously worked at the Lokichar Health Centre and is now a school nurse at Lokichar Girls Secondary School, told Mongabay that she and her colleagues had observed unusually high rates of respiratory infections among residents of Kapese and other villages near oil extraction sites. She added that there was an unusual number of women presenting with breast lumps from the same communities. Several community members also said that miscarriages have become more common. However, Nelima said this is difficult to verify because many women from pastoral communities do not seek treatment at formal health facilities. Such information gaps have complicated efforts to assess the true impact of oil exploration in Turkana, where a broader lack of baseline data has fueled uncertainty among local communities. For Elimlin, this has taken on an acutely personal aspect: when his 7-year-old daughter was born with severe developmental challenges that doctors struggled to diagnose, he found himself wondering if it somehow stemmed from the drilling. “It was the first time I’d ever seen anything like this,” he said. “You can’t help but ask yourself such questions.” As Gulf Energy and the national government seek to resuscitate Kenya’s oil ambitions, residents’ concerns about water safety, unexplained illnesses, and the lack of clear environmental monitoring around past oil operations have repeatedly resurfaced at a recent series of public forums held across Turkana. Critics say these gaps reflect long-standing weaknesses in regulatory oversight. Francis Emanikor, NEMA’s county environment officer for Turkana, conceded that communities have repeatedly complained about improper management of solid waste, but said that his department’s actions are restricted by a lack of resources. “In terms of enforcement, there are just two of us, plus a driver,” he told Mongabay. “With such a lean team, we cannot ensure that there is full compliance with all the environmental regulations.” With commercial production slated to begin in December this year, community leaders and local MPs also noted that key environmental assessments have not yet been completed, deepening anxieties about the project’s impact on water, land and livelihoods. “Considering the new timeline, these conversations should have happened a long time ago,” Kamau said. The lack of transparency and accountability has been exacerbated by the void created when Tullow closed its Turkana field offices in 2020. For more than five years, as local communities waited in uncertainty, there were no longer any clear channels to raise their grievances. “There was no way for them to actually escalate some of these issues that they were facing because they did not know who to approach,” Kamau told Mongabay. “Hence the reason why they pursued litigation as a last resort.” Elimlin echoed this sentiment: “When incidents happen, they never come back and explain to us,” he said. “We don’t get any results out of the things we raise with the government or with the investor. And that’s why we went to court.” Similar frustrations have also spilled into a separate legal dispute over oil revenues and land governance. In 2024, community leaders in Lokichar filed a petition challenging the county government’s handling of 258 million shillings ($2 million) in oil-related revenue earmarked for local development, arguing the funds were disbursed without adequate consultation or transparency. “We are still trying to follow that money,” said Veronica Lowoyan, chair of Lokichar’s Community Land Management Committee. “Nobody from the county government has ever come to speak to us or offer any support.” Analysts say such disputes are likely to become more common as communities grow more aware of their rights. Elisabeth Schubiger, a researcher at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, who studies natural resource governance and pastoral livelihoods in northern Kenya, said civil society groups have played a key role in this regard. “They have taught people how to engage with government representatives and companies,” she said. “People are very much more empowered now, and they will demand more.” But even when communities seek accountability through the courts, the process can drag on for decades. In neighboring Marsabit county, residents are still pursuing legal action over the alleged dumping of toxic waste during oil exploration in the 1980s, which has been linked to unusually high cancer rates. Back in Kapese, Paule said the experience of the past 15 years has fundamentally reshaped how people in Turkana perceive the county’s extractive promise. “At first, people believed this project would remove poverty and make their lives better,” he said. “Now we are asking questions.” The article has been republished from Mongabay: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/03/kenyas-renewed-oil-push-Continue Reading

]]> 7be7c01cf859408806e582fdd73371e7 https://big3africa.org/?p=5345 Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:48:43 +0300 Turkana Genetic Adaptation Reveals Climate Survival Edge and Emerging Health Risks A new genetic study finds that the Turkana people of northern Kenya have evolved unique biological traits that enable them to survive prolonged dehydration, offering critical insights into human adaptation to extreme climates, even as rapid environmental and lifestyle changes pose new health risks. The research analysed hundreds of genomes from Turkana communities and identified genetic variations that help the body conserve water and protect kidney function under conditions of chronic heat and scarcity. Scientists say the findings highlight how long-term exposure to harsh, arid environments has shaped human biology, turning the Turkana into one of the clearest modern examples of climate-driven evolution. The Turkana inhabit one of Kenya’s driest regions, where temperatures frequently exceed 35°C and access to water is limited. For generations, they have relied on pastoralism, consuming protein-rich diets and often going long periods without adequate hydration. According to the study, specific genes linked to kidney function, particularly those regulating salt and water balance, have evolved to enable the body to retain fluids more efficiently. This allows many Turkana individuals to withstand dehydration levels that would typically lead to kidney injury in other populations. Researchers noted that despite widespread signs of dehydration, cases of related complications such as kidney damage or gout remain relatively low within traditional Turkana communities. The study traces these adaptations back thousands of years, to periods of increasing aridity across East Africa. As rainfall declined and landscapes dried, natural selection favoured individuals better suited to heat stress and water scarcity. Over time, these traits became embedded in the population’s genetic makeup. Scientists say this process underscores the long-term relationship between climate and human evolution, demonstrating how environmental pressures can directly shape physiological functions. However, the same research warns that these adaptations may now be turning into a liability as climate change intensify droughts across northern Kenya, undermining pastoral livelihoods and pushing more Turkana families to migrate to urban areas such as Lodwar, Eldoret, Kitae and Nairobi. In urban settings, access to water improves, diets shift toward processed foods, and physical activity declines, creating a sharp break from traditional lifestyles. Researchers say this rapid transition is exposing Turkana populations to rising rates of non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and kidney disorders. The shift reflects what scientists describe as an “evolutionary mismatch,” where traits that evolved for survival in one environment become harmful in another. The findings come as global temperatures continue to rise, increasing the number of people exposed to heat stress and water insecurity. Experts say understanding how the Turkana body manages dehydration could inform the development of new treatments for kidney disease and improve responses to heat-related illnesses worldwide. At the same time, the study highlights the broader health risks associated with climate-driven displacement and lifestyle change, particularly for communities with deeply rooted environmental adaptations. For Kenya, the research underscores the growing intersection between climate change, public health, and social transformation. As droughts intensify and migration accelerates, policymakers face the challenge of supporting vulnerable communities throughContinue Reading

]]> 66dd32dc4632730cada5218571896e25 https://big3africa.org/?p=5340 Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:00:00 +0300 El Niño Threat Looms Over Kenya as Global Forecasts Point to Possible 2026 Return Meteorologists are warning that a possible return of the El Niño weather phenomenon later this year could reshape rainfall patterns in Kenya and trigger extreme weather across the globe, even as uncertainty remains over its exact timing and strength. Forecasts from major climate centres, including the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), indicate a growing likelihood of El Niño forming by mid to late 2026, with some models suggesting it could strengthen toward the end of the year. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) says the current La Niña conditions in the Pacific Ocean are fading, with the climate system expected to shift into a neutral phase in the coming months. Forecast models show about a 60–70 per cent likelihood of neutral conditions between March and June 2026. However, beyond mid-year, the probability of El Niño formation begins to rise. WMO projections indicate the likelihood increasing to around 40 per cent between May and July, while other global models suggest the chances could exceed 50 per cent later in the year. Scientists say this transition is part of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, a natural climate pattern that periodically warms the equatorial Pacific Ocean and disrupts weather systems worldwide. A family uses a boat after fleeing floodwaters that wreaked havoc in the Githurai area of Nairobi, Kenya, April 24, 2024. | Courtesy AP Photo/Patrick Ngugi, In Kenya, early signals already point to a complex year ahead. Seasonal forecasts indicate near-normal rainfall for the March–May “long rains,” but with higher-than-normal temperatures likely to stress already vulnerable communities. Local meteorological assessments suggest that if El Niño develops later in the year, it could enhance rainfall, particularly during the short rains season, raising the risk of floods. Previous El Niño events have had devastating consequences in the country. The 2023–2024 episode triggered widespread flooding, infrastructure damage, and displacement across several counties. Experts caution that even before El Niño fully forms, the transition period can bring erratic weather. Reports indicate a possible delay in early-season rains followed by heavier precipitation later in the year if warming intensifies in the Pacific. Globally, scientists warn that a new El Niño could amplify already rising temperatures driven by climate change. Some projections suggest the phenomenon could push global temperatures toward record highs in the next two years. El Niño typically redistributes heat and moisture across the planet, bringing floods to parts of East Africa and South America, while causing droughts in regions such as Australia and Southeast Asia. For Kenya, this means preparing for multiple scenarios, from modest rains that fail to ease drought conditions to intense downpours that could trigger flooding. Climate experts say the rising probability of El Niño underscores the need for early planning in agriculture, water management, and disaster response. The WMO notes that its seasonal forecasts are designed to help governments anticipate risks such aContinue Reading

]]> 0a0059778e126dbf6b184c1a72255734 https://big3africa.org/?p=5333 Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:54:49 +0300 Climate Whiplash Delays Planting in Many Parts of Kenya For Douglas King’ori and Pius Wanyoike, the sudden heavy rainfall that began in February arrived not as relief but as disruption. The two maize farmers in Ntulele, Narok County, had barely prepared their land after weeks of hot, dry conditions when the skies opened. What followed were intense downpours that soaked their fields before a single seed could go into the ground. “The rains came earlier than the usual planting time. I rushed to plant, but some farms were too waterlogged for tractors to enter. I have yet to plant some fields. I am thinking of planting wheat when they ease because maize may not do well with delayed planting,” says Wanyoike. King’ori shares the same frustration: “Farming is becoming very tricky, mainly because of the unpredictable weather. Timing for planting is no longer as straightforward as before. Rains are coming too early or too late, and when they come, they are either very heavy or too low,” he says. For years, Lerionka Kuntikala has been the steady hand behind leased farms in Ntulele, managing vast stretches of land on behalf of farmers like Alex Kagiri and Steve Irungu, whose holdings span tens of acres. This season, says Kuntikala, rainfall caught even the experienced hands off guard: “I have never seen this. The rains came as a surprise, and I rushed to plant as fast as I could, but they were too intense. After three days I had to abandon the planting. Many farms were waterlogged for tractors,” he says. Women under taking the planning in the past. | Courtesy What is happening in Ntulele is unfolding across much of Kenya. From the Rift Valley to parts of Central and Western regions, farmers are grappling with the same sudden shift, from extreme heat to pounding rains. In some areas, seeds planted early have been washed away. In other fields remain too wet to work. Roads have become impassable, and in low-lying zones, floods have crept into homes, forcing families to move. Just weeks ago, the concern was drought. Now, there is too much water. Scientists say this is part of a growing global pattern where weather swings sharply between extremes. They call it “climate whiplash”, a rapid flip from dry to wet conditions that leaves little time to adjust. In practical terms, it means farmers like King’ori and Wanyoike are forced to make decisions without certainty: Do they wait and risk missing the season entirely? Do they switch crops? Or do they plant and hope the rains stabilise? According to the Global Water Monitor 2025 report, rainfall patterns are shifting sharply, with heavy downpours becoming more frequent and more intense across many regions. At the same time, prolonged dry periods are deepening, creating what scientists describe as a more volatile and less predictable water system. Researchers say the changes are being driven by rising global temperatures, which are accelerating the movement of water through the atmosphere. This is resulting in stronger storms, higher evaporation rates and more rapid swings between wet and dry conditions. The report highlights a growing trend of “climate whiplash,” where regions experience rapid transitions between extreme rainfall and severe drought within short periods. These shifts are leaving communities with little time to recover between disasters. Planting during the time. | Courtesy Data in the report also shows an increase in “flash droughts,” which develop within weeks due to a combination of heat and lack of rainfall. Scientists warn that these fast-onset droughts are particularly difficult to manage, as they can quickly deplete soil moisture and water supplies before mitigation measures are in place. At the same time, the number of extremely hot days, above 35 degrees Celsius, is rising, placing additional stress on water availability, agriculture, and public health systems. The report notes that extreme rainfall events are now affecting larger populations, increasing the risk of floods and landslides. In some regions, infrastructure is failing to cope with the intensity of rainfall, leading to widespread damage and displacement. In Africa, the findings point to increasing drought risk in the Horn of Africa, alongside heightened flood threats in parts of the Sahel and southern Africa. Scientists warn that this combination is likely to intensify food insecurity and strain already limited water resources. The report also indicates that water-related hazards are expanding into new regions, with some areas experiencing extreme events that were previously rare or unknown. Globally, the past three years have been among the hottest on record, a trend the report links directly to the intensification of the water cycle. Warmer air holds more moisture, increasing the likelihood of heavier rainfall, while higher temperatures also accelerate drying during rain-free periods. Researchers say the combined effect is a water system that is becoming harder to predict and manage, with significant implications for agriculture, infrastructure, and human health. Back in Ntulele, the uncertainty lingers. With fields still too wet to till, Wanyoike is weighing his options, while King’ori watches the skies, unsure whether the rains will persist or disappear as suddenly as they came. For now, the promise of rain, once a symbol of hope, has becoContinue Reading

]]> a524b73e1cf4dde97158e34623b524f7 https://big3africa.org/?p=5318 Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:06:58 +0300 How Cape Town’s Air Pollution Fight Offer Lessons for African Cities African cities are experiencing some of the fastest urbanisation rates globally, with the United Nations estimating that the continent’s urban population will grow from about 43 per cent of the total population in 2020 to nearly 60 per cent by 2050. Against this backdrop, the air is becoming increasingly hazardous. From congested highways to smoky cooking fuels and industrial emissions, pollution is emerging as one of the continent’s most overlooked public health crises. Globally, pollution is responsible for an estimated nine million deaths every year, according to research published in The Lancet Planetary Health. It shows pollution-related deaths increasing steadily, driven by industrial processes, urbanisation and fossil fuel emissions. In this study, several African countries feature prominently among those hardest hit, including Chad, the Central African Republic, Niger, Somalia, South Africa, Lesotho and Burkina Faso. For cities expanding at breakneck speed, the statistics raise a difficult question of whether African urban centres can grow without choking on their own pollution. “Pollution remains one of the major challenges continuing to affect cities across the continent,” said Etienne Krug, Director of the Department of Social Determinants of Health at the World Health Organisation WHO. Cape Town, South Africa’s second-largest city, offers an important case study which highlights both progress and gaps in tackling urban air pollution. South Africa’s air quality management has undergone a major overhaul over the past two decades. For nearly 40 years, the country relied on the Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act of 1965, legislation largely focused on controlling emissions at industrial sites rather than protecting communities exposed to polluted air. Air pollution in Cape Town South Africa | Courtesy That changed in 2004 when the government introduced the National Environmental Management Air Quality Act, shifting the country toward a more comprehensive environmental management approach. Under the law, national authorities set standards while provincial and municipal governments are responsible for implementing and enforcing them. “Currently, cities such as Cape Town are empowered to develop their own by-laws, issue pollution licences to industries and create air quality management plans. Also, the legislation now requires authorities to have air quality management plans, regulate emissions and develop by-laws to manage pollution locally,” explains Ian Gildenhuys, Head of Specialised Environmental Health Air Quality, City Health, City of Cape Town. Cape Town developed its first air quality management plan in 2005, guided by scientific research that mapped pollution sources across the city. “The city operates a network of fixed monitoring stations that track pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone and particulate matter, tiny particles known as PM10 and PM2.5 that can penetrate deep into the lungs.” Data from these stations is fed into the South African Air Quality Information System, a digital platform that allows residents to monitor pollution levels in real time through a mobile application. “The system uses a simple colour-coded index to indicate whether air quality is good, moderate or hazardous.” But monitoring infrastructure is expensive. “Establishing a full air quality monitoring station costs more than three million South African Rand (about $160,000), with annual maintenance costs adding further financial strain,” explains Gildenhuys. This means that many municipalities in South Africa, like the rest of the continent, don’t have the proper capacity to undertake such kind of monitoring. Also, while regulatory improvements continue, cities still face persistent challenges, beyond the high cost of establishing full air-quality monitoring stations, with transport identified as a major source of pollution. Recent research in Cape Town shows that vehicle emissions remain a major contributor to particulate pollution, with a 2024 source-apportionment study identifying traffic as one of the dominant PM2.5 sources, alongside other combustion-related sources, while a 2024 Western Cape State of Environment report also highlights transport emissions as a key driver of air pollution in the region. Smog cover over Cape Town | Courtesy According to Gildenhuys, the challenge is partly technological. “South Africa’s vehicle fleet largely operates under older Euro 2 emission standards, far behind the Euro 6 standards used in Europe.” On the other hand, cleaner fuel standards, known as Clean Fuels 2, are expected to be introduced in 2027 after years of delays linked to the high cost of upgrading oil refineries. “Without cleaner fuels, importing newer, low-emission vehicles remains difficult,” explains Gildenhuys. Electric vehicles are widely seen as a solution to urban air pollution. “Electric vehicles present environmental benefits with reduced emissions and noise pollution in urban areas,” says Andrew Amadi, an energy professional and chemical engineer. But electric vehicle adoption in Africa remains slow, with the continent having only about 30,000 EVs in total and less than 1% of new car sales, far below the global average of over 20%. “In South Africa, the uptake of electric vehicles has not been as strong as we would have hoped. High import taxes, limited charging infrastructure and concerns about electricity reliability have slowed the transition,” adds Gildenhuys, saying that these challenges also have had a ripple effect on the cost of these vehicles. But experts also argue that electric vehicles alone cannot solve Africa’s pollution crisis. While traffic dominates urban air pollution, another major source often remains hidden inside homes. Across the continent, millions of households still rely on biomass fuels for daily cooking and heating. According to the African Energy Commission (AFREC, 2023), millions of households across Africa still rely on biomass fuels for daily cooking and heating, with around 85% of household energy use coming from biomass, mainly due to a lack of access to clean cooking technologies. In this context, public health experts warn that indoor smoke remains one of the most dangerous and underestimated pollution risks in developing countries. “Burning biomass fuels such as wood and charcoal for cooking releases a range of harmful pollutants, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds,” explains Sammy Simiyu, a public health specialist in Nairobi. Against this backdrop, experts argue that more is needed on the continent to tackle air pollution. “For rapidly growing cities, air pollution must be tackled across multiple sectors. Air pollution is a transversal issue. Many sectors influence it, including transport, industry, land-use planning and energy, which require coordinated action,”Continue Reading

]]> 5bce3d1872a92f65243c7350bfc14995 https://big3africa.org/?p=5326 Mon, 23 Mar 2026 20:32:24 +0300 Global Warming Tightens Grip on Human Health as Heat and Disease Risks Surge Human health is increasingly under threat as global warming reshapes disease patterns, intensifies heat stress, and exposes millions to new risks, according to the State of the Global Climate 2025 report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). “On a day-to-day basis, our weather has become more extreme,” WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said when releasing the report on March 23. “In 2025, heatwaves, wildfires, drought, tropical cyclones, storms and flooding caused thousands of deaths, impacted millions of people and caused billions in economic losses.” According to the report, rising temperatures, erratic rainfall and more frequent extreme weather events are altering when and where diseases spread, how severe they become and which populations are most vulnerable. Extreme heat has emerged as one of the deadliest threats. The WMO notes that heatwaves are already driving higher mortality, straining health systems and disrupting livelihoods, while also worsening mental health pressures. Heat is further amplifying the spread of infectious diseases and undermining ecosystems that communities depend on. Among the most alarming trends is the rapid global expansion of dengue fever. The report highlights dengue as the world’s fastest-growing mosquito-borne viral disease, now putting roughly half of the global population at risk, with up to 400 million infections recorded annually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Scientists say rising temperatures are accelerating mosquito breeding cycles, increasing biting rates and shortening virus incubation periods, making transmission faster and more widespread. Changing rainfall patterns are also creating new breeding grounds, pushing the disease into previously unaffected regions and extending transmission seasons in endemic areas. At the same time, heat stress is taking a heavy toll on workers. More than one-third of the global workforce, an estimated 1.2 billion people, now faces heat-related risks each year, particularly in sectors such as agriculture and construction. The report links rising temperatures to increased fatigue, injuries, dehydration and long-term health complications, alongside declining productivity and income losses. The WMO and WHO are calling for urgent action, urging governments and employers to introduce heat-sensitive workplace policies, adjust working hours, and ensure access to shade, cooling and safe drinking water. They also emphasize the need to integrate weather and climate data into occupational safety planning. According to the report, climate-informed disease surveillance and early warning systems are critical tools to shift from reactive crisis response to proactive prevention, allowing authorities to anticipate outbreaks, target interventions and strengthen health system readiness. The report also underscores the broader human toll of climate-driven extremes. Intensifying droughts, floods and storms are disrupting food production, driving up hunger and forcing displacement across vulnerable regions. These cascading impacts are particularly severe in low- and middle-income countries, where communities have contributed least to global emissions but face the greatest risks. The report warns that Earth’s climate system is being pushed “beyond its limits,” with every key indicator flashing red as human activities increasingly disrupt the planet’s natural energy equilibrium. “The State of the Global Climate is in a state of emergency,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in response to the findings. “Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits. Every key climate indicator is flashing red.” The report, which for the first time includes the Earth’s energy imbalance as a core climate indicator, confirms that 2015 to 2025 were the 11 hottest years on record. The other indicators are atmospheric carbon dioxide, global mean near-surface temperature, ocean heat content, global mean sea level, ocean, glacier mass balance and sea-ice extent. According to the WMO report, the Earth’s energy balance, which measures the rate at which energy enters and leaves the Earth system, has become increasingly destabilized. Atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide), the report says, have risen to their highest levels in at least 800,000 years, upsetting that equilibrium. “Human activities are increasingly disrupting the natural equilibrium, and we will live with these consequences for hundreds and thousands of years,” said Saulo. “The warming atmosphere has translated directly into more extreme weather events.” Data from monitoring stations show that concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide continued to increase in 2025, with the annual increase in carbon dioxide concentration in 2024 being the largest since modern measurements began in 1957, driven by continued fossil fuel emissions and reduced effectiveness of land and ocean carbon sinks. “Humanity has just endured the eleven hottest years on record,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said. “When history repeats itself eleven times, it is no longer a coincidence. It is a call to act.” He added: “In this age of war, climate stress is also exposing another truth: our addiction to fossil fuels is destabilizing both the climate and global security. Today’s report should come with a warning label: climate chaos is acceleContinue Reading

]]> b0685f250d5c32de77b73a38838a519b https://big3africa.org/?p=5313 Mon, 23 Mar 2026 06:56:16 +0300 Study Finds Social Media is Fueling Youth Unhappiness and Climate Anxiety The World Happiness Report 2026 has identified social media as a growing driver of declining well-being among young people, with researchers now warning that its impact is extending beyond mental health into the climate and environmental space. Released by the University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the report draws on data from more than 140 countries over 15 years. It finds a widening generational divide, in which, while happiness levels among adults over 35 remain relatively stable, life satisfaction among people aged 15 to 24 has dropped sharply in countries with high social media use. The research, led by Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, shows the steepest declines in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, where smartphone adoption surged in the early 2010s. “We are seeing a generational split that was not evident before,” De Neve said. “Younger users are not just socialising online, they are experiencing the world, including its crises, through these platforms.” Among the emerging concerns is the role of social media in amplifying climate anxiety, a growing psychological condition, particularly among young people, linked to fear and uncertainty about environmental collapse. Researchers note that algorithm-driven platforms tend to prioritise emotionally charged content, including extreme weather disasters, droughts, wildfires and environmental degradation. This constant exposure, often stripped of context or solutions, is contributing to a heightened sense of helplessness among young users. For adolescents already spending hours online, the report suggests that repeated exposure to climate crisis narratives can deepen stress and pessimism about the future, compounding the broader decline in life satisfaction. Beyond psychological effects, the report points to the overlooked environmental cost of the digital ecosystems powering social media. The growth of platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube has driven a surge in demand for energy-intensive data centres and cloud infrastructure. While individual users experience social media as weightless and virtual, the report notes that the global digital economy carries a significant carbon footprint. Video streaming, endless scrolling and algorithmic content delivery all require vast computing power, much of it still reliant on fossil fuel-based energy in several regions. As youth spend more time online, researchers warn, the environmental cost of digital consumption is quietly rising alongside its psychological toll. The report also links heavy social media use to reduced physical interaction, not only with people, but with the natural environment. It finds that each additional hour spent online reduces in-person social time by about 25 minutes among adolescents, while also displacing time that could be spent outdoors. This shift has implications for environmental awareness and behaviour. Studies cited in the report show that direct contact with nature is associated with higher well-being and stronger pro-environmental attitudes. Reduced exposure, by contrast, may weaken emotional connections to ecosystems and lower motivation for climate action. Researchers warn that these trends risk creating a feedback loop where young people increasingly consume climate-related content online, feel overwhelmed or powerless, and disengage both socially and environmentally. “There is a growing gap between awareness and agency,” said co-author Lara Aknin. “Young people are highly informed about global challenges like climate change, but the way this information is delivered can leave them feeling unable to act.” The report emphasises that the relationship is not uniform. In countries such as Japan and South Korea, the link between social media use and declining well-being is weaker, partly due to stronger offline social structures. It also distinguishes between passive and active use. Messaging friends or organising around shared causes, including climate activism, can support well-being. By contrast, passive consumption of curated or distressing content is associated with the sharpest declines. The findings add a new dimension to ongoing debates about regulating digital platforms. In addition to calls for stricter age limits, algorithmic transparency and digital literacy, the report suggests integrating environmental considerations into platform design. This could include reducing energy-intensive features, improving transparency around digital carbon footprints, and promoting content that balances awareness with actionable solutions. The report concludes that social media has reshaped not only how young people connect, but how they perceive global crises, including climate change. In doing so, it is influencing both their mental well-being and their relationship with the environment. Researchers warn that addressing their impact will require a broader lens, one that treats mental health, technology and the climate crisis as increasinglyContinue Reading

]]> baac9b345f77925fbb64d52a1142c498 https://big3africa.org/?p=5307 Mon, 23 Mar 2026 06:00:00 +0300 Kenyans Rank Among World’s Least Happy Amid Climate Crisis and High Living Costs Kenya has ranked among the world’s least happy countries in the latest World Happiness Report 2026, with analysts pointing to a potent mix of economic strain, governance concerns, and escalating climate shocks as the factors behind the country’s gloomy face. The report ranks Kenya 110th globally, well below the top-ranked nations and in the lower quarter worldwide. Compiled with support from the United Nations, the index measures well-being using indicators such as income, social support, life expectancy, personal freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. In Kenya, these metrics are increasingly shaped by climate change, with cycles of prolonged droughts followed by intense rainfall battering the country’s agricultural sector, reducing yields, killing livestock, and driving up food prices. For millions of households, the impact has been shrinking incomes and rising living costs. Food inflation has emerged as a major pressure point on happiness, with climate-related disruptions tightening supply and pushing basic commodities further out of reach. The climate shocks are feeding directly into a broader cost-of-living crisis, one of the strongest factors behind Kenya’s low happiness score. High unemployment, particularly among young people, coupled with stagnant wages, has left many struggling to cope as prices rise, leading to a widening gap between economic growth figures and lived reality. Beyond extreme weather, environmental degradation is compounding the problem. Deforestation, land degradation, and the loss of wetlands are weakening the country’s natural buffers against disasters, increasing vulnerability to floods and water shortages. Sad emoji sphere on a dark surface In urban areas such as Nairobi, poor drainage and encroachment on waterways have made seasonal flooding more severe, exposing thousands to repeated losses and displacement. The report also highlights perceptions of corruption and weak institutions, which are longstanding concerns in Kenya and continue to weigh on public confidence and happiness. Experts say these governance gaps are evident in environmental management, where enforcement of conservation laws remains inconsistent, and land-use planning often falls short. This overlap between governance failures and environmental risk is increasingly shaping how citizens perceive their quality of life. Environmental stress is also affecting health and household wellbeing as millions of households still rely on biomass fuels, exposing them to indoor air pollution, while climate variability is straining energy supply, particularly hydropower, leading to higher costs and occasional disruptions. These pressures further erode living standards and contribute to lower life satisfaction. Despite the low ranking, Kenya performs relatively well in measures of generosity and social support, reflecting strong community networks that often act as a safety net. However, analysts warn that informal support systems are being stretched as economic and environmental pressures intensify. Top-ranked countries such as Finland, Denmark, and Iceland continue to dominate the index, supported by strong welfare systems, low corruption, and stable institutions. The latest rankings reinforce a growing consensus among experts that Kenya’s happiness gap is no longer just an economic issue, but is increasingly becoming a climate and governance story, where environmental shocks, weak systems, and rising living costs are combining to shape hoContinue Reading

]]> 1bea4835240d182859f65c4f02f95fa6 https://big3africa.org/activity/p/459/ Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:01:10 +0300 0 40521501cb4a5439503453aa4f372274 https://big3africa.org/activity/p/458/ Fri, 20 Mar 2026 08:53:33 +0300 0 6ad0af124b71e8b640a157e6d0cf5932 https://big3africa.org/?p=5293 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:12:54 +0300 Ecosystem Loss Costing Kenya Billions, World Bank Warns Kenya is paying an increasingly high economic price for degrading its natural ecosystems, with the losses now compounding the country’s vulnerability to climate change, a new study by the World Bank warns. The report, The Economic and Financial Costs of Ecosystem Degradation in Kenya, finds that damage to forests, wetlands, rangelands and water catchments is quietly eroding national income, undermining livelihoods and weakening the country’s natural defenses against climate shocks such as droughts and floods. According to the study, ecosystem degradation is cutting into economic productivity across key sectors, including agriculture, water, energy and tourism, all of which are heavily climate-sensitive. The report links ecosystem loss directly to intensifying climate impacts, where degraded forests and catchments, for instance, reduce water retention and rainfall regulation, worsening both drought severity and flood intensity, a pattern Kenya has experienced in recent years. Wetland destruction and riverbank encroachment have also reduced natural flood buffers, exposing communities and infrastructure to higher risks during extreme rainfall events. At the same time, shrinking vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid lands is accelerating land degradation, making pastoralist systems more fragile in the face of prolonged drought. “Nature loss is amplifying climate risk,” the report notes, pointing out that ecosystems act as critical “natural infrastructure” that Kenya can no longer afford to lose. While exact figures vary by sector, the study estimates that Kenya is losing billions of shillings annually due to declining ecosystem services, ranging from reduced crop yields and livestock productivity to increased water treatment costs and disaster damage. In agriculture, soil degradation and deforestation are lowering farm productivity, even as erratic weather linked to climate change places further pressure on food systems. In the energy sector, reduced river flows, partly tied to degraded catchments, are affecting hydropower generation, increasing reliance on costly and polluting alternatives such as fossil fuels. Tourism, another major foreign exchange earner, is also at risk as biodiversity loss threatens iconic landscapes and wildlife habitats. According to the report, the burden of ecosystem degradation is falling disproportionately on rural communities, especially those dependent on rain-fed agriculture and natural resources. In many parts of the country, households are being forced to travel longer distances for water and firewood, while declining pasture and soil fertility are driving income losses and, in some cases, conflict over shrinking resources. The report highlights that these impacts are being felt most acutely in already climate-vulnerable regions, deepening inequality and undermining resilience. Despite the grim outlook, the World Bank argues that restoring ecosystems could deliver significant economic returns while strengthening climate resilience. Investments in reforestation, sustainable land management, wetland protection and climate-smart agriculture are identified as cost-effective solutions that can boost productivity, secure water supplies and reduce disaster risks. The study calls for integrating natural capital into Kenya’s economic planning, including better valuation of ecosystem services and stronger enforcement of environmental regulations. It also urges increased public and private financing for nature-based solutions, noting that the cost of inaction will far exceed the investments required to restore degraded landscapes. The findings come at a time when Kenya is positioning itself as a regional leader in climate action, but continues to grapple with deforestation, land degradation, and rapid urban eContinue Reading

]]> e10a0015a775d5b7e75153e79a5a7e53 https://big3africa.org/?p=5286 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:51:19 +0300 UN Chief Says Iran War Should Prompt Faster Transition to Green Energy The disruption to global energy markets sparked by the war in Iran should serve as a wake-up call for nations whose economies continue to depend on fossil fuels, the United Nations’ top climate official has warned, urging leaders to accelerate the transition to renewable energy as a matter of security and economic survival. Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), told the Green Growth Summit in Brussels that the conflict is “an abject lesson” in the perils of fossil fuel dependency. “Fossil fuel dependency is ripping away national security and sovereignty, and replacing it with subservience and rising costs,” Stiell said. Since the outbreak of hostilities on February 28, attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz have choked supply chains and sent energy prices spiraling. European gas prices have jumped 50 percent, reviving memories of the 2022 energy crisis that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The ripple effects are being felt far beyond Europe, with universities in Bangladesh closing early, the Philippines considering reduced public working hours, and gasoline stations in Vietnam posting “sold out” signs. Kenya and other African countries are also directly exposed to global price swings caused by the war, and this could soon translate into higher fuel costs, increased transport fares, and rising food prices. | Courtesy “Fossil fuel dependency means economies, household budgets, and business bottom lines are at the mercy of geopolitical shocks and price volatility in a chaotic world,” Stiell said. In contrast to the volatility of oil and gas markets, he argued, renewable energy offers a path to insulation from global turmoil. “Renewables turn the tables,” Stiell told the gathering. “Sunlight doesn’t depend on narrow and vulnerable shipping straits. Wind blows without massive taxpayer-funded naval escorts. Renewable energy allows countries to insulate themselves from global turmoil, and to side-step might-is-right politics”. His remarks come at a moment of inflection for global energy markets. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), investment in clean energy exceeded $2 trillion last year, double that poured into fossil fuels, and for the first time, renewables overtook coal as the world’s top electricity source. Yet some governments are responding to the current supply crunch by doubling down on hydrocarbons. The Trump administration has positioned the United States as a stable supplier of oil and gas in a dangerous era. In Europe, nations including Italy and Hungary have urged the EU to weaken climate policies to provide short-term relief for industries hammered by high energy prices. Stiell dismissed such approaches as “completely delusional,” arguing that slowing the shift to renewables, which he called “cheaper, safer, and faster to market,” would only compound the problem. “History tells us this fossil fuel crisis will happen again and again,” he said. The address landed at a moment of anxiety in European capitals, with EU leaders hurriedly drafting emergency measures to shield consumers from price spikes, even as they grapple with longer-term questions about the bloc’s energy architecture. Some nations are faring better than others, for instance, Spain, which has doubled its wind and solar capacity since 2019 and is seeing its electricity prices less influenced by the Iran crisis. “Dependence on fossil fuel imports will leave Europe forever lurching from crisis to crisis, with households and industries literally paying the price,” Stiell said. Beyond security and cost, Stiell framed the green transition as an economic imperative. “There’s a lot of commentary about populism at the moment,” Stiell observed. “But the reality is, what most voters are demanding is that climate action delivers at scale, meaning more security, well-paid jobs, better health, and reliefContinue Reading

]]> eaec8dbbb79c8bd2f4b3d41d5569e1e4 https://big3africa.org/?p=5282 Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:16:03 +0300 Nairobi Among African Cities Recognised in Global ‘Tree Cities of the World’ Programme Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, has earned global recognition for its efforts to protect and expand urban green spaces, after being named among cities honoured under the Tree Cities of the World programme by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Arbour Day Foundation. The latest list, released this week, recognises 283 cities worldwide that have demonstrated a sustained commitment to urban forestry, a growing pillar in the fight against climate change, air pollution and urban heat. Nairobi is the only city in Kenya on the list, placing it among a select group of African capitals and municipalities that are prioritising trees as critical infrastructure. Across the continent, other recognised cities include Accra and Kumasi in Ghana, Kampala (Uganda), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Rabat (Morocco) and Tunis (Tunisia). South Africa had the largest representation, with Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban all making the cut. The Tree Cities of the World initiative, jointly run by FAO and the Arbour Day Foundation, sets five core standards for participating cities. These include establishing clear responsibility for tree management, enacting policies to protect urban forests, maintaining up-to-date tree inventories, allocating dedicated budgets, and holding public events to celebrate and raise awareness about trees. Addis Ababa is taking over as a green city in Africa. | Courtesy In a statement accompanying the announcement, FAO said cities recognised under the programme are leading the way in integrating nature-based solutions into urban planning, noting that urban forests are increasingly vital in buffering cities against extreme weather, reducing flood risks, and improving public health. Nairobi’s recognition comes at a time when the city is grappling with rapid urbanisation, shrinking green spaces and mounting climate pressures, including recurrent flooding linked to poor land use and deforestation in upstream catchments. Urban planners and environmental experts say the designation is both an endorsement and a challenge. “Nairobi has made notable progress in restoring tree cover and protecting key ecosystems like Karura and Ngong forests,” said an urban forestry expert. “But the real test is whether this recognition translates into stronger enforcement against encroachment and more investment in green infrastructure across all neighbourhoods.” The recognition aligns with Kenya’s broader environmental ambitions, including the national target to grow at least 15 billion trees by 2032. Nairobi’s role is seen as critical, given its position as both an economic hub and one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa. Globally, the Tree Cities of the World network continues to expand, reflecting a shift in how cities view trees as essential systems for climate resContinue Reading

]]> 246daa1673f0980b8a1cee7117574b6d https://big3africa.org/?p=5269 Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:23:28 +0300 Deforestation Could Be Amplifying Kenya’s Flood Disasters, New Research Warns The destruction of forests can increase the risk of severe floods by up to eight times, according to new research highlighted by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, a finding that raises fresh concerns for countries like Kenya that are grappling with increasingly destructive floods. The study, reported by the disaster risk reduction platform PreventionWeb, found that removing forest cover dramatically alters how landscapes absorb rainfall, making flood events far more likely and severe. Scientists involved in the research say the loss of forests can transform what would normally be a once-in-64-year flood into an event that occurs roughly once every eight years. The warning comes as parts of Kenya continue to experience flooding that has killed dozens of people, displaced families and destroyed homes and infrastructure in several counties. According to the report, forests act as natural buffers against flooding by intercepting rainfall and allowing water to slowly infiltrate into the soil. Furthermore, tree canopies reduce the impact of raindrops on the ground, while roots and organic matter in forest soils absorb large quantities of water. When forests are cleared, that natural sponge disappears, enabling rainwater to reach the ground faster, saturating soils more quickly and flows rapidly into streams and rivers, creating powerful surges that can overwhelm riverbanks and drainage systems. Recent issue of floods in Kenya. | Courtesy Researchers analysed long-term hydrological records from forested catchments and compared flood patterns before and after large-scale forest loss. Their findings showed that areas that lost forest cover experienced dramatically higher flood peaks and significantly greater flood frequency. The findings have direct implications for Kenya, where environmental experts have repeatedly warned that deforestation and land degradation are weakening the country’s natural flood defenses. Key water towers such as the Mau Forest, the Aberdare Range, and Mount Kenya play a crucial role in regulating water flow into major river systems. But decades of logging, settlement, and agricultural expansion have significantly reduced forest cover in some of these areas. At the same time, rapid urbanisation in cities such as Nairobi has replaced natural landscapes with concrete surfaces that prevent water from soaking into the ground. Environmental planners say this combination of deforestation upstream and poorly planned urban growth downstream can dramatically worsen flooding during heavy rains. Scientists say climate change is also increasing the intensity of rainfall events across East Africa, raising the stakes for countries already dealing with environmental degradation. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction says restoring forests and protecting watersheds should be a central strategy in reducing disaster risk. Experts say reforestation, improved land-use planning and the protection of wetlands could help reduce the scale of fContinue Reading

]]> 4ec80660f54472b80c08c15d668a6942 https://big3africa.org/?p=5264 Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:36:39 +0300 Africa Launches First Climate–Health Desk to Turn Weather Data into Disease Warnings Africa has launched its first dedicated climate–health information hub to help governments translate climate and weather forecasts into early warnings for disease outbreaks and other health risks. The Africa Climate–Health Desk was officially unveiled last Friday during the Africa Continental Climate Outlook Forum (ACCOF) in Kigali, Rwanda, marking a new step in linking climate science with public health decision-making across the continent. The desk will serve as a regional platform that translates climate and weather data into practical guidance for health authorities, allowing them to anticipate climate-sensitive diseases such as malaria, cholera and heat-related illnesses. Climate and health experts said the initiative responds to growing evidence that climate variability and extreme weather events are reshaping disease patterns in Africa. The Climate–Health Desk is designed to bridge a long-standing gap between meteorological agencies and health ministries. While weather and climate data are widely produced across Africa, public health officials often lack tools to convert that information into actionable warnings. Using the new desk, seasonal climate outlooks, rainfall predictions, and temperature forecasts will be translated into health advisories to guide governments on preparedness measures, including vaccine deployment, mosquito control campaigns, and emergency health responses. Organisers said the platform will help health authorities answer practical questions such as where disease outbreaks are likely to occur following heavy rains, when extreme heat could threaten vulnerable populations, or how drought conditions may increase malnutrition and water-borne diseases. The desk is supported by the global climate-health platform, ClimaHealth, and aims to strengthen collaboration between meteorological institutions, public health agencies and climate researchers. Scientists warn that climate change is already intensifying many of the environmental conditions that influence disease transmission across Africa. Rising temperatures can expand the geographic range of disease-carrying mosquitoes, while floods and storms can contaminate water sources and increase outbreaks of cholera and other diarrheal diseases. Heatwaves are also becoming more frequent, posing risks particularly to children, the elderly and outdoor workers. Public health systems across the continent have struggled to keep pace with these shifting patterns. Experts say integrating climate information into health planning is increasingly essential as extreme weather events become more frequent. The launch at ACCOF brings together climate scientists, meteorological agencies, policymakers and development partners from across Africa. The forum regularly produces seasonal climate outlooks that guide agriculture, disaster preparedness and water management decisions across the continent. By embedding a climate–health desk within the forum’s framework, organisers hope health officials will be able to benefit from the same forecasting systems already used by farmers and disaster response agencies. The new platform is also expected to support training and capacity building for health professionals, helping them interpret climate forecasts and integrate them into disease surveillance and preparedness planning. The Africa Climate–Health Desk forms part of a broader push worldwide to strengthen climate-informed health systems. International health organisations have increasingly urged governments to integrate climate data into health planning, arguing that early warning systems can save lives by giving communities time to preContinue Reading

]]> c50385e9a152279e42e87469798984e9 https://big3africa.org/?p=5259 Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:07:19 +0300 Kenya Tightens Waste Rules for Importers TheContinue Reading

]]> 5ba2ea42054b027f52b7c1b0083a4a07 https://big3africa.org/?p=5255 Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:39:36 +0300 Kenya Busts Ant-Smuggling Ring, Exposing New Threat to Biodiversity Police have arrested a Chinese at JKIA airport in Nairobi for allegedly attempting to smuggle more than 2,000 live queen garden ants out of the country. Zhang Kekun, a 27-year-old Chinese national, was intercepted during routine security screening after officers discovered 2,238 live ants hidden inside test tubes and tissue paper rolls in his luggage. The insects were identified as the giant African harvester ant, Messor cephalotes, a species native to East Africa and known for its large size and distinctive seed-gathering behaviour. Investigators believe the suspect had spent about two weeks in Kenya collecting the ants and may be linked to a broader international network supplying exotic species to collectors abroad. While Kenya is more accustomed to high-profile wildlife crimes involving elephant tusks and rhino horns, the ant seizure highlights an emerging trend in global wildlife trafficking of insects. The unusual cargo was likely destined for enthusiasts involved in the rapidly expanding hobby of ant-keeping, where collectors maintain live colonies in specially designed glass habitats known as formicariums. In recent years, the global market for exotic ants has surged, particularly in Europe and parts of Asia, where hobbyists are fascinated by the insects’ highly organized social structures. A single fertilized queen ant can establish an entire colony numbering in the thousands, making queens especially valuable to collectors. Experts say rare species from Africa, Asia and South America are often traded online through specialist hobbyist forums and marketplaces, sometimes fetching hundreds of dollars each depending on the species. The trade has become so lucrative that traffickers increasingly target countries with rich biodiversity such as Kenya, where insects are abundant and often poorly regulated compared to larger wildlife. Scientists warn that removing large numbers of queen ants from the wild can have far-reaching ecological consequences. Harvester ants such as Messor cephalotes play a crucial role in maintaining healthy ecosystems across Africa’s savannahs and dry forests. By collecting and storing seeds underground, they act as natural dispersers that help regenerate grasses and plants across landscapes. Their tunnelling activities also aerate soil, improve nutrient cycling and support plant growth. Their colonies also provide a vital food source for other species, including birds, reptiles and mammals such as aardvarks and pangolins. Removing reproductive queens can therefore weaken or collapse entire colonies, disrupting ecological processes that help sustain biodiversity. Authorities also warn that illegally exported ants could become invasive if introduced into foreign ecosystems, potentially harming agrContinue Reading

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