Namibia ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1995. As a Non-annex 1 party to the Convention, Namibia is not obliged to reduce its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. However the country’s dependence on energy from South Africa and its favorable conditions for renewable energy, makes the transition to a low carbon economy an important long-term strategy. Climate...
In this article I intend to communicate why gender matters in climate change vulnerability assessments. I would like also to demonstrate with findings from my research work on gender and climate change in Namibia why it is vital to recognise gender differentiated vulnerabilities to impacts of climate change for effective and equitable adaptation. Existing literature and on-going research indicates that climate...
Namibia has an excellent legislative and policy backdrop for environmental protection and sustainable resource management. However, its economy is highly dependent on natural resources including diverse rangelands, arable land, mineral deposits, ecosystems and biodiversity. Economic and social development will be negatively affected with the challenges posed by climate change; especially with regard to water availability, food and livelihood security. There has...
Addressing climate change calls for multiple approaches. Nowadays there are so many messages that tell us what we should or should not do that it is often di cult to know what is right and what is wrong. The Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET) tackles climate change education through a “we practice what we teach” approach. Within this context, the...
I farm in the great Kunene region and this year of all years we feel the impacts of climate change the most. The farming business has become very fragile as we depend on Mother Nature for watering our crops and the veld in which our livestock graze. As such, the highly unpredictable rainfall in Namibia negatively impacts our farming activities. It...
Climate change projections for Namibia project temperature increases of 1 to 4°C and increased variability in rainfall patterns. The climate risks associated with temperature increase and unpredictable rainfall will impact subsistence farmers and consequently the rural Namibian population that rely mainly on rain-fed agriculture. The Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Areas (ASSAR) is conducting research to deepen understanding of the drivers...
The EU is committed to become a highly energy-efficient, low-carbon economy, and is therefore at the forefront of international efforts to tackle Climate Change. Building a European Energy Union with a forward-looking climate policy is a top priority for the European Commission. As such, the EU has chosen the headship mode of leading by example, being the first region to have...
Paulus Hamutenya takes a close look at the tomato plant in his field. With his hands he feels the texture of the stems and leaves on the plant – nodding with distinct approval at the combination of quality, colour and thickness. “The organic fertilizer we have tried out for the last 2 months is definitely working”, he remarks with inevitable pride....
Climate Change Adaptation is a buzzing topic on the international agenda. But is it clear what adaptation to climate change in relation to ecosystems and their services means? Choosing the right approach and designing effective ecosystem-based adaptation measures is of utmost importance in order to successfully shield from the impacts of climate change. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), in...
Water in Namibia is free, but it also has a cost. This cost is the cost to supply water from its source to the tap of the user and does not include any cost for the water itself. The cost to supply water under the prevailing arid conditions in Namibia is very high and the therefore water is expensive. The trick...