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With his locally-produced solar units, Julius Shenga Tcheshie is solving the electricity challenge faced by over half his country's population. By Njdozeka Danhatu, bird story agency As Julius Shegna Tcheshie tells it, the typical experience of a power user in the town of Nwa, where he spent five years as a physics teacher, is one of frustration. "It is 7.30 pm and I'm about to watch the evening news, but I'm out of fuel. By the time I come back from buying fuel and refilling the generator, the prime-time news is over. This is one of many frustrations I face. The generator has, in times past, blown up all my electrical appliances in the house. Additionally, it produces a lot of noise and smells that irritate my eyes, nose and lungs. Because there is no electricity in Nwa, my next best option is a kerosene bush lamp, which is even more problematic than a diesel generator." These are some of the challenges Tcheshie faced almost daily during his five years as a teacher living in Nwa, in the North West Region of Cameroon. After being transferred to the city of Bamenda, he decided it was time to solve the country's power problems once and for all. "Around the time I and others faced lighting challenges in Nwa, renewable energy discussions had started on many platforms. That stirred something in me," he said. Today, Tcheshie's solar generator business is helping solve electricity problems in Cameroon while simultaneously tackling environmental pollution. "I began investing all my competencies and finances into the research of solar energy. After that, I designed a prototype and sold a few of those. I ploughed back the money I received into more research and then put the fully-functional product on the market," he explained. Tcheshie's solution includes a solar panel, a battery and an inverter. With some of his teacher friends, he co-founded ORES; an NGO created to develop the rural world through solar energy. "Africa is blessed with the sun," said the 54-year-old. "We believe with solar, the most remote village can have lights, tv, internet, irrigate their farms, among other uses." Tcheshie has produced more than five versions of his solar system, now used in homes across seven regions of Cameroon. One of his designs, the Combo solar generator, can power schools, churches and health centres, according to Tcheshie. It is manoeuvred on wheels and can connect with up to 15 solar panels of 100w each. The Combo generator is also equipped with a "bad weather" switch to keep the system delivering minimum performance instead of shutting down entirely during poor weather when the system receives little direct sunlight. The systems are also easy to install. "We earlier faced a problem having to go to the bushes to install solar systems. In one particular incident, Amba boys (separatist fighters in Cameroon) took all the money the client had for installation. So we told ourselves, why not design systems that are easy to install by anybody and (are) user-friendly?" he explained. Barely half of Cameroon's population has access to electricity, and those that do are concentrated in urban areas. The government says over 63 per cent of local communities do not have access to electricity. According to the country's ministry of water and energy, of 13,104 communities, 9,000 lack electricity and FCFA 874 billion (over USD 1 billion) is needed to fill the gap. But Tcheshie is not waiting on the government to power homes. He hopes to create a change in local communities with his solar generators. The physic teacher has trained many Cameroonian youths, and now polytechnics and other engineering schools in Cameroon are now building on his work. "More and more people see our solar generators performing well. They believe the MADE IN CAMEROON brand is growing," he said. "Our clients are beginning to feel they are in good hands because we are just in the neighbourhood. We are not some remote manufacturers in far-off China," added Tcheshie. But Tchesie's greatest joy is that the people back in Nwa are also benefiting from his project. He is currently developing other home and business appliances that can be powered with solar energy. bird story agency

The liberalization of Namibia’s energy sector and access to the power-hungry Southern African Power Pool is elevating the country from a net electricity importer to a net exporter. Namibia is not alone. Access to regional power pools across Africa provides public and private producers access to lucrative, power-hungry markets - a quick and efficient way for countries to boost energy capacity and benefit their populations. Bonface Orucho, bird story agency A 2019 change to Namibia's power procurement legislation has seen a surge in solar and wind independent power producers - or IPPs - that could entirely transform the country's power fortunes. From being an importer, the country is about to become an exporter with independent power producers transmitting power directly into the Southern Africa Power Pool regional grid; according to the country's regulator, the Energy and Control Board, The board recently granted a license to Schonau Solar Plant, a subsidiary of renewable energy company Emesco. According to the ECB’s General Manager for Economic Regulation, Pinehas Mutota, the license provided to the Schonau facility will allow the independent producer to generate and export power via South Africa into the regional power pool. “The Schonau project will generate 125 megawatts, which upon step down will be about 116 megawatts, which is the largest capacity we have licensed for a solar IPP,” Mutota explained. “It is also impactful because it will transmit into the regional grid meaning we will also be bridging the deficits in neighbouring countries that are connected to the grid,” he added. Other than the Schonau project, Namibia has also licensed or is in the process of licensing IPPs that together will offer another 300 megawatts (MW) to the regional grid. Licensing renewable energy IPPs and having them contribute to the regional power pool will lower transmission costs in Namibia while availing more power for the region, explained Mutota. “We are going to utilize our transmission network more because if for instance, we were pushing 100 units at a cost of 100USD, the IPPs will increase the units meaning we would do about 200 units at a lower cost,” he said. While South Africa’s 58,095 MW of capacity dwarfs neighbouring Namibia’s 624 MW, decades of mismanagement have stripped South Africa of a significant capacity deficit - at times over 15,000MW - regularly plunging parts of the country into darkness. Power play- How access to regional power pools is changing the power game for Africa's IPP's [Graphics: Hope Mukami] With power utility Eskom scrambling to keep the lights on, the attraction for independent power companies able to feed into the regional pool is obvious. “In Namibia, an injection of 100 MW or more into the grid may be excess for us yet the Southern Africa region has about 7000 MW power deficit yet we are interconnected, we can therefore export the surplus to them,” Mutota said. A resolution to let more IPPs access the regional grid system was passed under the Southern African Development Community Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, SACREEE, in 2015. According to Utsav Mulay, an Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) expert and electricity and clean energy researcher, the continent - especially the East Africa Power Pool - welcomes IPPs more than in the past. That's providing an opportunity for renewables-based private power companies. “All along, the challenge has been having the monopolistic single regulator in individual countries which made it hard for IPPs to thrive and have them support electricity demand at national-level and regional-level,” Mulay explained. A combination of market forces and technology is bringing disruption to previously monopolistic markets, with IPPs now able to complement existing grids. Mulay anticipates a greater challenge for regional power generation and distribution, with many IPPs offering renewable power based on solar and wind storage technology to ensure consistent supply. “Solar and wind power, unlike geothermal, might not always be generated at all times meaning storage is important but the storage facilities are quite expensive,” he explained from Nairobi. There is also a need to increase distribution, especially in countries such as Kenya, where excess power is generated but is not utilized effectively due to distribution challenges. “Kenya generates about 3000 MW versus a demand of 2400 MW. Having IPPs adding to the national grid in such a case would not be encouraged because the demand for power is not growing,” Mulay said. “The surplus would however be very helpful in a country such as Ethiopia where the penetration rates are as low as 51%,” he added. Ethiopia is gravitating towards IPPs to cover its shortage. It rolled out an ambitious solar power generation plan in 2017 dubbed the ‘Growth and Transformation Plan 2’, targeting the establishment of 13.7 GW of new, renewable energy capacity other than the hydroelectric option by 2025. Last year, Masdar Clean Energy, an IPP, obtained the approval of the Ethiopian government to produce 500 MW of solar energy, adding to Enel Green Power which, since 2017, has been collaborating with the government to generate and transmit solar power to rural populations. Mulay hailed regional power pools as they “would serve to manage the deficits while ensuring efficiency on a continental level.” As Namibia sets the pace on its MSB framework, developments across the continent reveal the newfound reliance on solar and wind energy from IPPs. The South African government, in September 2022, signed three wind power purchase agreements from Coleskop Wind Power, San Kraal Wind Power, and Phezukomoya Wind Power in an effort to cover its power deficits. The three are from bid window 5 of the country's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) and constitute the first batch of a projected 25 projects that are meant to contribute more than 2500MW to the country's national grid by the year-end. However, constant delays could push purchase agreements for many of the 25 projects into 2023. South Africa's Integrated Resource Plan, or IRP, suggests South Africa needs 20.6 GW of new solar and wind capacity by 2030 if the electricity demand in the country is to be met. Other neighbouring countries like Botswana have also encouraged the growth of independent suppliers to fill the southern Africa power vacuum, while further afield, north African countries are pushing independent providers to develop power supplies for export. The operationalization of two solar plants in Zagora and Missour (both 80 MW), as well as the Solar PV plant of Tafilalet (120 MW) alongside the wind park in Oualidia ( 36 MW) all launched in 2021, facilitated Morocco's export of 851 Ghw of electricity in 2021- an increase of more than 600% from the previous year. “The success of solar and wind energy in complementing the main grid will be determined by governments’ willingness to incentivize businesses so as to increase power uptake. Financiers should also be open to supporting solar and water plant investments,” Mulay noted. bird story agency

By transforming water hyacinth into objects of art, Obaro's award-winning social enterprise has trained over 700 local artisans and has 12 product categories, two office locations, and six retail channel partners. Chairs made from seaweed. (Photo Credits : Mitimeth) By Gbemisola Esho, bird Story Agency In the middle of the hustle and bustle of Lagos, a city of over 20 million people, is the vast Lagos lagoon that hugs the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. On this water, the invasive water hyacinth weed has turned into a lush and endless greenery akin to a soccer pitch. But this beguiling beauty threatens the livelihood of the fisherfolk and other city residents. The seaweed was first discovered in the Badagry area in 1984 and has, over time, increased and blocked waterways and threatened aquatic life. It is a menace that has altered the ecosystem, impeded fishing and transportation, and disrupted hydroelectric power generation. But while many city residents see waste and inconvenience–and even manage– one of them, Achenyo Idachaba Obaro, a computer scientist-turned-social entrepreneur, saw an opportunity. "What was a menace to us was actually an opportunity to make money, create jobs and beautify homes. The water hyacinth came to us as lemons, and I am now making lemonade out of it," she said. Obaro got to work to transform her idea into novel products by partnering with local weavers working with twine. She taught them to change the water hyacinth into beautiful handwoven products including baskets and bags– and later ventured to lifestyle products, furniture, coasters and chairs made from natural local fibres. To market the products, she created a firm, MitiMeth. Certificate handed to participant by GM of Lagos State Waterways Authority Damilola Emmanuel. (Photo Credits : Lagos State Waterways Authority) "I started MitiMeth out of a strong conviction to make a difference in the area of sustainable development and wanting to create impact at the grassroots by focusing on local homegrown solutions to environmental challenges," she said. Mitimeth started its journey from Kogi State rural area before expanding to Ibadan in Oyo State, where she worked with the local artisans to produce table tidiers and storage baskets. "My objective is cleaning our waterways, beautifying homes and creating sustainable income for so many as well as impacting the environment," she added. Her success has been phenomenal. She has established and trained a community of more than 700 artisans, with 150 actively engaged in the supply chain. She also has two office locations, one flagship store, 12 product categories, six retail channel partners, three award grantors, five strategic partners and several media partners. The enterprise's sole mission is "to improve the environment and empower communities through craft skills training by teaching women and youth in our communities to weave, imparting life-long skills to help them 'fish for life' versus feeding them for a day". "Prior to Mitimeth coming on the scene in these communities, water hyacinth was a scourge obstructing not just waterways movement but also obstructing lowland riverbed farmers from accessing their farms. The creation of the maker space has created opportunities for people to harvest water hyacinth sustainably and also opportunities to weave these renewable materials earning income from these activities," Obaro said. This initiative has been lauded by the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), one of MitiMeth's partners. LASWA was established to develop and regulate activities on the Lagos Inland Waterways. According to the LASWA general manager, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, the recycling initiative in partnership with MitiMeth has not only created income for the communities but made them solution providers for the environmental challenges of the waterweed. "The water recycling initiative partnership with Mitimeth, which started in 2016, has provided an alternative way for communities to address the environmental problems caused by water hyacinth," he said. "It also generates income as a waste-to-wealth initiative from the harvesting, processing and making of hand-crafted items with the invasive aquatic weeds." To build capacity, Abaro, in partnership with LASWA, organises workshops to educate the youth on entrepreneurial skills, especially using water hyacinths to create employment opportunities. The training is done close to the water weed harvesting and drying points. The participants are selected from the three senatorial zones and the 15 Local Government Areas (LGA) accessible by water. A participant weaving dried seaweed in a training oganised by Lagos State Waterways Authority . (Photo Credits : Lagos State Waterways Authority) The training workshops give participants funding and educate them on entrepreneurship skills. "Most of the artisans trained are women and youth. This is because they are most receptive to learning and utilising the skills so we ended up focusing on them and in the process addressing both SDG 5 and SDG8 about 150+ maker communities are made of women," said Obaro. One of those whose life has been transformed is Mabel Engwauba, based in Ida Kogi State. "I dey happy, because even as I dey small here my work dey do something for where i dey (The environment is affected because of the work I do), God bless Aunty Achenyo Abaro wei see me teach me," she said. However, like most outfits, funding is a big challenge, especially the decreased support from the government agency partnered with MitiMeth. The other challenge is low returns from the exported products owing to competition, quality and pricing. "Handmade crafts have premium quality but sadly low cost even when exported to the Western countries… this has been the order of the day where buyers look for high quantity buy want to pay less," said Obaro. But despite the challenges, Obaro is keen to tap into several opportunities across Nigeria and the region to take her products made from fibre and seaweed to higher levels. Beyond lifestyle and soft furnishing, Mitimeth is keen to venture into fashion. It has already reached out to textile manufacturers to supply yarn from water hyacinth, jute selvedges, banana fibre, cotton and other locally sourced suitable natural fibres. Obaro says they were encouraged to venture into fashion after two fashion brands–Yili footwear and Redbuttonng–showcased hyacinth and banana fibre products at the Lagos Fashion Week 2021. Obaro, a grantee of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, is optimistic about the future, saying she got more recognition after winning the Standard Chartered Bank competition for women entrepreneurs. "I am only keen to not empower more women but to carve a niche for MitiMeth products in Nigeria, regionally and globally by being innovative, unique, competitive and above all environmentally friendly," she concluded.

From creating folktales to inviting local royalty to their climate walks, activists are drawing on local context to successfully communicate the climate crisis. Students Create Artworks during the Climate Change Awareness Walk organised by Climate Communications and Local Governance Africa (CCLG-Africa) in Kumasi, Ghana. Photo Credits : Kofi Don-Agor, President of CCLG-Africa Kate Okorie, bird Story Agency In 2021, four Nigerian farmers won a legal battle against Royal Dutch Shell (now known as Shell Global) after enduring years of oil spills that caused harmful pollution to their lands. Supported by the environmental movement Friends of the Earth Netherlands, the farmers accused Shell of negligence. A Dutch court ordered Shell to compensate the farmers for the losses they had suffered - one of a growing list of lawsuits led by indigenous people against major polluters and the first international legal action of its kind for a Dutch corporation. "But this did not happen overnight. It happened because we listened to them, documented their grievances, and presented clear evidence," said Babawale Obayanju, Communications Coordinator for Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN). Environmental Rights Action (ERA) is a Nigerian advocacy non-governmental organisation founded on January 11, 1993 to deal with environmental human rights. Students listening closely with their placards in hand Climate Change Awareness Walk in Kumasi, Ghana, hosted by Climate Communications and Local Governance Africa (CCLG-Africa). Photo Credits : Kofi Don-Agor, President of CCLG-Africa Environmental movements like ERA/FoEN understand the importance of local context to communicate the climate crisis. Now they are focusing on climate change as well as localised environmental disasters like oil spills. "These people understand that there is a change in their environment with respect to the climate, and most likely have a local name for it," said Obayanju. "What we have tried to do over the years is to help them understand the internationally recognised name of the environmental problems they are facing," he added. Shell is just one of the organisations in their sights. According to a 2014 study that traced carbon emitted by companies globally between 1751 and 2010, the oil major ranked sixth among the biggest carbon emitters, contributing 2.12 % to global emissions. The company and its subsidiaries in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region have been responsible for a number of environmental disasters in Nigeria and communities have fought for years for compensation. ERA/FoEN is one of the pioneers of a campaign to halt oil exploration altogether. Today, more and more advocacy groups have embraced the movement and even made a song out of its key message to "leave the oil in the ground." "We know there is power in visuals, songs and folktales to communicate these problems," said Obayanju. Ghana-based Climate Communications and Local Governance Africa (CCLG-Africa) is another organisation drawing on community activism. It has fully integrated local arts, including theatre, drawings and photos, in its messaging. "We realised that a lot of people need to see to believe," said Kofi Don-Agor, President of CCLG-Africa. "In the local community, we look at the environmental problems affecting them and occasionally, we employ people to use art to depict the effect," he said. In 2021, CCLG-Africa organised a climate walk in Kumasi, south-central Ghana, and invited different groups in the community. Among those present for the event were chiefs, queen mothers, the military, Christian religious groups, Muslim communities, teachers, students and farmers. "Because climate change affects all occupations, we normally design programmes to engage everyone," said Don-Agor. "One of the best approaches we have used over time is focus group discussions led by opinion leaders," he added. "These opinion leaders are usually influential community members who we train to understand the environmental issues affecting their community, and in turn, they help their communities. We organise the training in either English or the local language." "Not everyone has bought into the idea of what we are doing, but the few that have bought into it are among our collaborators," he said. Students listening closely with their placards in hand Climate Change Awareness Walk in Kumasi, Ghana, hosted by Climate Communications and Local Governance Africa (CCLG-Africa). Photo Credits : Kofi Don-Agor, President of CCLG-Africa Among CCLG-Africa's champions is the Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana, whose support has helped the organisation to advance its agenda. Don-Agor also strives to maintain good working relationships with other members of parliament. "When we want to host a programme, we allow members of the parliament to co-own the programme; they finance the programme, and then we provide the human resources," he explained. Earlier this year, the organisation provided training to some members of the parliament. "We engaged them on effective methods to communicate the problem of climate change at the local level," he said. He believes it is necessary to involve lawmakers in conversations around climate change because of their distinguished position as the mouthpiece of their constituency. Don-Agor admits that to launch an effective climate communications campaign in Africa, organisations need to conduct intensive research to understand the indigenous people in their target communities. "Localising climate communication is the way forward," he concluded. bird story agency [The 2014 report referred to above is Heede, R. Tracing anthropogenic carbon dioxide and methane emissions to fossil fuel and cement producers, 1854–2010. Climatic Change 122, 229–241 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-013-0986-y ]

Young, savvy university graduates are choosing farming over white-collar jobs as Zimbabwe seeks a return to its breadbasket status. Makomborero Manungo in the chillies farm. (Photo : Wonai Haruperi) by Wonai Haruperi, bird story agency When Tavuya Manungo, 29, returned to his hometown in Shamva in north-eastern Zimbabwe, he did so with a master's degree in finance and investment and no desire for corporate employment. He also brought with him his brother Mako, 27, who holds a degree in business management. They decided to go farming and couldn't wait to start, according to Manungo, who now calls a 1,200-hectare farm in an area known for nickel mining and Africa's first industrial strike (in 1927) "our lifeblood". "Well-managed agricultural projects, small or large, are more lucrative than most jobs available. It is also fulfilling work that is easy to love," explained Manungo's younger brother. The brothers are among a new generation of educated youth, many with degrees in business, law, finance, and technology, who are shedding suits and ties and turning to agriculture. Hilary Chikambi holding produce from trials for haughty culture. (Photo : Hilary Chikambi) Masimbiland farm, named after a nearby mountain, produces 15 hectares of oranges, 90 hectares of maize and three-and-a-half hectares of chillies. The farm also maintains over 30,000 egg-laying hens. The farm also produces mango and citrus seedlings in its nursery, with targeted production of a million citrus seedlings by the end of 2022. Tavuya Manungo oversees the farm's administration and finance, while Mako is in charge of the operations. Young man spreading chilies out for drying for the day. (Photo: Wonai Haruperi) In 2015, the duo won a national Youngest Brahman Breeders award for their Brahman cattle. Starting small, they now have well over 200 of the super beef breed. The brothers hire over 40 pickers daily to help on the farm. They also employ spouses, while single mothers from the surrounding villages are given priority. "We're nothing without the people working the land, they make it all possible," said Mako. Another young person who has traded an office coat and tie for farm overalls is 27-year-old Hilary Chikambi. He returned "to the soil" after leaving his corporate job as an accountant. "For me, it was an act of faith because I had almost no knowledge in farming. I had watched my parents rear chickens in my childhood, and that is how I managed to convince a friend to invest in this project with me. I am happy that chicken-rearing has become a popular business venture in Zimbabwe as the inputs are relatively low, profit margins tend to be large and the turnaround time is short," he said. But at his first attempt, heavy rainfall destroyed his chicken structures, killing almost all the birds, and after butchering them, a fridge malfunctioned, leading him to donate all the meat before it spoiled. Now, four years on and many lessons later, Chikambi and his staff sell almost 2000 birds a month to supermarkets, restaurants and individuals. Having lost birds to poor disease control and what Chikambi describes as 'minor mistakes', he has invested in staff training where the labourers he hires are taught good farming practices. He plans to expand into horticulture and maize production, which will help him reduce costs for chicken feeds. "I want young people to know that you can make a good career out of farming, and honestly, there isn't a profession where the hand of God is more evident. You plant something in the ground, have faith and work hard at it, and in due time, something you can reap grows," Chikambi concluded. In 2021, the country recorded its third-highest corn crop ever, according to United States Department of Agriculture statistics, and although the largely rain-fed crop headed lower in 2022, the country's agricultural diversity has grown by leaps and bounds. The country made its first exports of industrial hemp to Switzerland in 2022 and is building a credible cannabis farming industry on the back of its tobacco industry. The country remains the world's fifth-largest tobacco producer and also exports cotton, macadamia nuts, citrus, sugar, legumes, and cut flowers. bird story agency

Tunisia Mediterranean coastline STORY NAME: TUNISIA MEDITERRANEAN COASTLINE LOCATION: TUNISIA DATE SHOT: SOUND: NATURAL SOUND WITH ENGLISH AND ARABIC SPEECH DURATION: 3:46 SOURCE: BIRD STORY AGENCY RESTRICTIONS: NONE ASPECT RATIO: 16.9 ORIGINAL FRAME RATE: 24 fps (progressive). SHOTLIST 1. SADAK AYARI, FISHERMAN, TAKING OUT THE FISH NET FROM THE BOAT. 2.BOATS AND OTHER FISHERMEN AT THE COASTLINE. 3.BOATS ON THE COASTLINE 4.FISHERMEN SEATED ON THE COASTLINE OF THE SEA. 5.SOUNBITE (ARABIC): SADAK AYARI, FISHERMAN, SAYING: “The coastline protection project is fantastic. Now we can find octopus, different species of fish and mussels near the coast. The system put in place by engineers is revolutionary because it protects the coast and allows different marine species to live and thrive. Life is back to the town. We are eating fish and earning a living from this coastline. This project is 100% successful.” 6.THE SEA WATERS. 7.OLD HOUSES NEAR THE SEA. 8.RAINBOW ACROSS THE SEA. 9.SOUNDBITE (ARABIC): FARID SAIDANI, HAMMAN CHOTT RESIDENT, SAYING: “Many houses in the area were destroyed by erosion. I used to work here at a tourist restaurant on the beach. The waves were so high we were forced to leave.” 10.OLD HOUSES NEAR THE COASTLINE. 11. SOUNDBITE (ARABIC): FARID SAIDANI, HAMMAN CHOTT RESIDENT, SAYING: “Life is back since the coastal protection agency put protective structures. I thank the engineers and all those who made this dream come true.” 12.BOATS AT THE COASTLINE 13.SOUNBITE (ARABIC): SLAH CHTIOUI, REGIONAL DIRECTOR, TUNISIAN COASTAL PROTECTION AGENCY SAYING: “This particular area was affected by climate change and coastal erosion as early as in the 1970s and 1980s. This coastline and town was protected by breakwaters. This method had some advantages but many disadvantages as well by transforming the coastline through the spread of seaweed, plastics and waste. The new project respects the environment. It spreads over 7 kms. Beach nourishment with new methods has allowed fishermen, residents and people who live near the sea to return. Houses and hotels were under permanent threat from sea waves. Now it's a safe area. Coastal protection has revived this town.” 14.SLAH CHTIOUI WALKING ALONG THE COASTLINE WITH MOHAMED TORKI, MEDITERRANEAN COASTLINE ENGINEER. 15.SOUNDBITE (ARABIC): MOHAMED TORKI, MEDITERRANEAN COASTLINE ENGINEER, SAYING: “The impact of climate change on many coastal communities is very dangerous. That's why it's vital to protect them, especially the communities that live from fishing and tourism. they cannot earn a living without these economic activities. If climate change accelerates the disappearance of beaches, people will have to migrate. Our projects aim to protect the coastline and the coastal communities.” 16.THE SURROUNDINGS OF THE COASTLINE. *************** A coastline protection project in Tunisia is restoring the beaches, biodiversity and, with it, the economic lifeline of the community. bird story agency A few years ago, Farid Saidani, a Hamman Chott resident in Ben Arous Governorate, about 20 kilometres South of Tunis, had to abandon his home due to coastal erosion and rising sea levels that threatened to submerge his house. A similar fate befell hundreds of other residential areas, most of which housed hotel workers like himself. "I used to work at a tourist restaurant on the beach. The waves became so high we were forced to leave," he explained. Today, Saidani and his colleagues have another chance to live and work along the coastline after the Tunisian Coastal Protection Agency intervened. "Life is back since the coastal protection agency put protective structures," he said. Adverse effects of climate change, especially rising sea levels, have long threatened Tunisia's Mediterranean coastline, which spans over 1000 kilometres. But, the protection measures implemented by the agency are now bearing fruit. Slah Chtioui, the Regional Director of the agency, explained how the coastline relied on breakwaters before the program, an approach that was not effective. However, "the new project respects the environment. It spreads 7 kms, nourishes the beach, allowing fishermen, residents and people who live near the sea to return," he explained. The agency has used fences made from pinewood to stabilise the dunes, planted protecting vegetation, built rubber mound sea walls, and installed sand fencing for sand-trapping. As Mohamed Torki, Tunisia's Mediterranean Coastline Engineer, explained, the project has protected Tunisia's coastal landscape and littoral, alleviating coastal erosion that threatened populations along the coastline. "The first phase of the project started in 2013 followed by the second phase in 2015. The project is still under execution," he said. With the capacity to offer protection to the coastline for decades, the structures have been installed in five different towns along the coastline, including Raf Raf, Kerenah, Northern Sousse, Rades and Slimane. From residents to businesses, the positive feedback from locals evidences the coastline's impact on the community. "We do not impose anything on the population. The Tunisian Coastal Protection Agency discusses all these phases and the details of the projects with the representatives of the population…before approving any step," Torki explained. The agency is not leaving anything to chance and is integrating other climate-smart projects and programs to ensure more protection of the coastline communities. Torki disclosed that the agency seeks to use "hydraulic dredgers to dredge sand from the deep areas in the Mediterranean Sea and use it or push it back to the coastline", an approach already applied in other countries and is therefore viable. Just like Saidani, Sadak Ayari, a fisherman and resident of Hammam Chott, admits the project has positively influenced fishing prospects since they can now find a range of fish species, including rare kinds such as octopuses. "The system put in place by the engineers is revolutionary because it protects the coast and allows different marine species to live and thrive," he said.

STORY NAME: HEALING WOUNDS AT THE TONGOGARA REFUGEE CAMP, ONE TREE AT A TIME. LOCATION: TONGOGARA, ZIMBABWE DATE SHOT: 06/12/2022 SOUND: NATURAL SOUND WITH ENGLISH SPEECH DURATION: 03:19 SOURCE: BIRD STORY AGENCY RESTRICTIONS: NONE ASPECT RATIO: 16.9 ORIGINAL FRAME RATE: 24 fps (progressive). SHOTLIST 1. VARIOUS OF BERNARD CULTIVATING THE FARM 2. VARIOUS ACTIVITIES AT TONGOGARA REFUGEE CAMP 3. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): BERNARD MUTANGANA, RWANDAN REFUGEE, SAYING: “I have been here for so long since 2000 now, and it’s like my home, and I just started thinking of how we can make it a better place to live, and that is why I came up with the idea because even when I was younger, I was thinking of how I have to do good things for the society. 4. VARIOUS OF TONGOGARA REFUGEE CAMP 5. BERNARD WEEDING AND WATERING THE TREES 6. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): BERNARD MUTANGANA, RWANDAN REFUGEE, SAYING: “We plant the tree and while it’s growing we make sure that we put our vegetables, beans because we also have the objective of fighting against poverty.” 5. BERNARD AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS CULTIVATING THE LAND AT THE CAMP 6. AERIAL VIEW OF THE TONGOGARA REFUGEE CAMP 7. PEOPLE PUMPING WATER FROM THE BOREHOLE 8. BERNARD AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS PUSHING WATER DRUMS 9. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): BERNARD MUTANGANA, RWANDAN REFUGEE, SAYING: “My parents died when I was 13. I have the opportunity of healing my wounds, and so I chose also to heal the planet.” 10. VARIOUS OF SAMSON CLEARING THE FARM 11. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): SAMSON MSAFIRI, DRC REFUGEE, SAYING: “I am working because if I try to make this place greener and the trees grow, it might help the next generation. It might be a place where there are no more high temperatures.” 12. A GIRL SWEEPING OFF THE DUST 13. EXTREME DUST IN THE FIELD 14. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): BERNARD MUTANGANA, RWANDAN REFUGEE, SAYING: “When we are talking about climate change in Tongogara, we can feel it live because other places you may find cooler trees but here in Tongogara we can feel it and sometimes it’s also difficult for us to breathe because it’s too hot. Even in our absence in Tongogara, this will show that we were there. This is our presence so planting a tree is like planting a spirit.” 15. THE SUN SETTING. ******************* These refugees are healing their wounds and the planet's wounds by planting trees in the Tongogara refugee camp. They also have long-term plans to establish a public park. bird story agency For 23 years, Bernard Mutangana has called the Tongogara Refugee Camp in Southeastern Zimbabwe home. And now, he hopes to leave a legacy for future generations. "I have been here for so long since 2000 now, and it’s like my home, and I just started thinking of how we can make it a better place to live," he explained. Driven by passion and love for the camp that gave him a second chance, Mutangana admits farming and tree planting offers him and other refugees therapy from the pains deep within. "My parents died when I was 13, I have the opportunity of healing my wounds, at the same time, I choose to use the opportunity to also heal my planet," he said. Tongogara Refugee camp is home to over 15,000 asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Burundi, Rwanda, and other nationalities. However, human activities, including deforestation and land overexploitation, have, over the years, had devastating consequences in the Tongogara region leading to climate change. A group of refugees in the camp, led by Mutangana, have therefore made it their mission to plant trees and care for them until they are fully grown. "Some people were not educated, beyond planting trees and caring for them we have to strategise on how to protect the trees so that they are not cut down or destroyed before it grows. Some people do cut the trees and use them for firewood due to ignorance," explained Mutangana. Besides planting trees, many of which have now grown to provide numerous sheds in the refugee camp, the group also cultivates crops and vegetables at the feet of trees for food. "We harvested about 200kgs of beans in the last harvest…we also tried to plant pawpaw. We will blend trees with pawpaw next time," Mutangana noted. Samson Msafiri, a refugee from the DRC, explains that their goal is to positively impact the next generation that will be hosted in the camp long after they will have left. “I am working because if I try to make this place greener and the trees grow, it might help the next generation. It might be a place where there are no more high temperatures,” he said. The group planted more than 1800 trees in 2021. In 2022 they did not plant any new trees but focused on nurturing those from the previous year. However, they already have seeds to plant 3000 new trees in 2023. The refugees have big plans for the camp. These include a long-term plan to establish a park fully equipped with a swimming pool, a restaurant and a library on one end of the park. Over time, the group also plans to increase the number of trees and protect them to maturity to help act as classrooms for hundreds of children in the camp who have to endure long hours in the sun as they trek to and from school. For Mutangana, the tree planting initiative is also a legacy gift for future generations. "Even in our absence in Tongogara, this will show that we were there. This is our presence. So planting a tree is like planting a spirit," he concluded. bird story agency

Smart farming in a mountain kingdom STORY NAME: SMART FARMING IN A MOUNTAIN KINGDOM LOCATION: SOUTHWESTERN LESOTHO, SETIBING DATE SHOT: 16/10/2022 SOUND: NATURAL SOUND WITH ENGLISH AND SESOTHO SPEECH DURATION: 3:31 SOURCE: BIRD STORY AGENCY RESTRICTIONS: NONE ASPECT RATIO: 16.9 ORIGINAL FRAME RATE: 24 fps (progressive). SHOWS: T'SANA TALANA RANGELANDS, SOUTHWESTERN LESOTHO (RECENT, NATURAL SOUND WITH ENGLISH AND SESOTHO SPEECH) (BIRD STORY AGENCY - ACCESS ALL) SHOTLIST 1. FARMERS SCALING AND FILLING UP THE BAGS WITH WOOL 2. SHEEP GRAZING ALONG THE RANGELANDS 3. SOUNDBITE (SESOTHO SPEECH): Ramoroa Sekeleme, Tšoaranang-ka-Matsoho Makhaleng Grazing Association Chairperson, saying: “The invasion of the shrub started spreading around 2011, which is when we realised that we have a serious challenge of an attack us until 2015 during the severe drought when the situation got worse..” 4. THE SHEEP IN THE RANGELANDS. 5. SOUNDBITE (SESOTHO SPEECH): Ramoroa Sekeleme, Tšoaranang-ka-Matsoho Makhaleng Grazing Association Chairperson, saying: “It affected it negatively, production went down. The weight of my wool was very low measured at the shearing shed.” 6. SHEEP CROSSING A STREAM 7. SHEPHERDS MEASURING THE WOOL 8. SOUNDBITE (SESOTHO SPEECH): Ramoroa Sekeleme, Tšoaranang-ka-Matsoho Makhaleng Grazing Association Chairperson, saying: “We established an association called Tšoaranang-ka-Matsoho Makhaleng Grazing Association acting on the advice of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority. “ 9. SHEEP GRAZING ALONG THE RANGELANDS 10. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH SPEECH) Phomolo Lebotsa Wool and Mohair Promotion Project officer saying: “Lesotho is a country that has always prided itself on production of wool and mohair. What can we do to help those farmers that even as we live in the reality of climate change, it should not adversely affect their production. So we are saying even though we have climate change, how can we capacitate our farmers to see in spite of climate change, we should still continue to produce wool and mohair as we used to but more importantly to improve the quality and quantity that we are seeing. When we look at production, either wool and mohair, we look at both the individual farmer but also we want to look at the country as a whole. So what we are trying to do, as a project is to ensure that individual farmer increases productivity.” 11. FARMERS FILLING UP THE BAGS WITH WOOL 12. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH SPEECH): Phomolo Lebotsa Wool and Mohair Promotion Project officer saying; “One of the strategies that we as a project have come up to support them is what we call, grazing associations. So what they do is they go to communities and they encourage the people in the communities to come together to form a grazing association.” 13. SHEEP GRAZING IN THE RANGELANDS 14. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH SPEECH): Phomolo Lebotsa Wool and Mohair Promotion Project officer saying: “Another strategy is that now we are now saying, let us go to the farmers themselves and help them in their capacity to improve their appreciation, their understanding of climate-related issues but to also now specifically give them skills of when they plan, they should plan bearing in mind what the weather forecasts says.” 15. SHEEP CROSSING A STREAM IN THE RANGELANDS. ............................... STORY: Ramoroa Sekeleme, a farmer in the T'sana-Talana Rangelands of southwestern Lesotho, has depended on wool and mohair income for a living, for over two decades. However, in 2011, climate change became a reality for him. "The shrub invasion started spreading around 2011. That is when we realised that we have a serious challenge. In 2015 we were attacked by a severe drought which worsened the situation," he explained. "With no grass for the sheep to feed on, It affected production negatively. The weight of my wool was very low measured at the shearing shed," he added. Sekeleme and his farming colleagues established the Tšoaranang-ka-Matsoho Makhaleng Grazing Association on the recommendation of the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority. Sekeleme, who is the group's chair, said that the association has helped smallholders like him preserve the rangelands since its establishment in 2019. The association has also benefitted from a partnership with Lesotho's Wool and Mohair Promotion Project, The project is a country-wide initiative to boost resilience to climate change and economic shocks among smallholder wool and mohair producers in the mountain and foothill regions of Lesotho. According to project officer Phomolo Lebotsa, the 7-year initiative seeks to increase the quality and quantity of wool and mohair produced by farmers. "Lesotho is a country that has always prided itself in the production of wool and mohair. However climate change threatened this economic activity prompting the government to develop a plan to build resilience," he explained. Climate-smart rangeland management has been implemented through grazing associations, most of which are certified by the government. Farmers in these associations get access to practical information on rangeland management using climate-smart approaches. "Where there is a grazeland association, the rangelands there are invariably in a better position compared to places without grazeland associations," said Lebotsa. The project has also built capacity for the country's weather forecasting department, purchasing ultra-modern forecasting equipment; to ensure farmers get accurate information on weather patterns for adequate planning. Besides, farmers under the project are trained in fodder production, easing the consumption and dependence pressure on the rangelands, which threaten the quantity and quality of the wool and mohair. "We have different types of fodder all of which best thrive in different weathers. If weather forecasts show we will have rains for a long time, and then we advise the farmers to plant the type that best grows in that climate," explained Lebotsa. Before the project, much of the rangelands were strained, making the unpalatable species overgrow. While grazing associations were, in their small capacities trying to correct the encroachment by these foreign species, Lebotsa explains that the project has fast-tracked the process. "When we started, the unit wool and mohair yield per animal was less than 3kg but today, 7 years later, the yield is more than 4kg," he said Sekeleme and his farming colleagues acknowledge that they generate higher incomes and more sustainable livelihoods from the project. "Yes, There is a positive change. The change is quite impressive. In the past year alone, there was a sizeable positive improvement in our income," said Sekeleme. bird story agency

STORY NAME: WOMEN ACTIVISTS ADVOCATING FOR GENDER JUSTICE AT COP 27 LOCATION: SHARM EL SHEIKH, EGYPT DATE SHOT: 14/11/22 SOUND: NATURAL SOUND WITH ENGLISH SPEECH DURATION: 2:24 SOURCE: BIRD STORY AGENCY RESTRICTIONS: NONE ASPECT RATIO: 16.9 ORIGINAL FRAME RATE: 24 fps (progressive). INTRO: Gender and climate negotiator, Fatou Jeng and Xoli Fuyani lead talks in advocating for gender justice at cop 27 SHOTLIST 1. ACTIVISTS DEMONSTRATING ON CLIMATE JUSTICE. 2. ACTIVISTS DEMONSTRATING ON GENDER JUSTICE EMPOWERMENT. 3. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): MODERATOR AT COP, SAYING: “ Next on cruise is Fatou Jeng from the Gambia, gender and climate negotiator.” 4. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): FAT0U JENG, GAMBIAN GENDER AND CLIMATE NEGOTIATOR, SAYING: “ Thank you for joining us at this very important discussion we are having today, how we can advance gender-sensitive climate responses for sustaining peace. The society and organizations play a very important role in helping us build more gender-sensitive responsive climate action.” 5. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): FAT0U JENG, GAMBIAN GENDER AND CLIMATE NEGOTIATOR, SAYING: “Gender justice obviously has to do with ensuring that the impacts of climate change and the way women and girls are disproportionately impacted by climate change is being effectively resolved. What I mean by this is, I’m seeing that climate adaptation is gender-sensitive, seeing the climate action is gender-responsive, seeing that decision-making processes actually are gender inclusive. 6. AUDIENCE IN A CONFERENCE PROCEEDING 7. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): FAT0U JENG, GAMBIAN GENDER, AND CLIMATE NEGOTIATOR, SAYING: “We are going to talk about addressing the problem that we are facing especially the climate-related issues, we don’t have women included because we are the most disproportionately impacted, we are the most vulnerable because our activist depend on the natural environment but at the end of the day when it comes to our participation decision-making processes, we see that it is intermitted”. 8. VARIOUS OF XOLI FUYANI, FOUNDER OF BLACK GIRL RISING HOLDING A PLACARD SAYING “KIDS FIRST” 9. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): XOLI FUYANI, FOUNDER OF BLACK GIRL RISING, SAYING: “Just coming back to the COP you know I think we all have known that there are 111 leaders who are leading the COP, out of those is only 7 women. I think that says so much, you know, about who’s representing women and we know that something you don’t see you don’t get in policies. So if there are no women in the forefront advocating for women’s issues, we are not gonna see those implemented in our policies. 10. VARIOUS OF XOLI FUYANI WORKING AT HER STATION

STORY NAME: CALCULATING CARBON STOCK AT KASIGAU CORRIDORS. LOCATION: KASIGAU CORRIDORS, TSAVO DATE SHOT: 10/10/2022 SOUND: NATURAL SOUND WITH ENGLISH SPEECH DURATION: 5:21 SOURCE: BIRD STORY AGENCY RESTRICTIONS: NONE ASPECT RATIO: 16.9 ORIGINAL FRAME RATE: 24 fps (progressive). INTRO: A team at Wildlife Works is calculating the carbon stock at Kasigau corridor in efforts to conserve the forests SHOTLIST 1. KASIGAU CORRIDORS AND THE ENVIRONS AT TSAVO 2. TRUCK VEHICLES DRIVING ALONG THE CORRIDORS 3. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): JOSHUA KITIRO, WILDLIFE WORKS, SAYING: “Kasigau corridor is a corridor because it links between the Tsavo west and the Tsavo east. It was a migration route for the animals and it is still a migration route so we’re in between, sandwiched between the two Tsavos’. 4. JOSHUA AND HIS TEAM INSPECTING THE CORRIDOR 5. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): JOSHUA KITIRO, WILDLIFE WORKS, SAYING: “My role is to go out there in the field, do carbon measurements on the trees and the ecosystems. We also do biodiversity stuff in terms of collecting data and monitoring.” 6. TRUCK VEHICLES DRIVING ALONG THE CORRIDOR 7. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): JOSHUA KITIRO, WILDLIFE WORKS, SAYING: “Right now we are heading to close to Chuma Mbili, we have a plot there. It’s a biomass plot that’s where we are going to measure and record the data.” 8. JOSHUA AND THE TEAM MEASURING THE TREES. 9. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): JOSHUA KITIRO, WILDLIFE WORKS, SAYING: “So we have plot coordinates, so the plot coordinates, we fill on this GPS, sometimes some of the plots are very far, and sometimes we can find which are close by but we move around using our vehicles up to where our GPS will read a point of zero. When we reach to that point then we camp in our metal centre then we stretch out our temp on a northward direction using our magnetic compass then we measure each and every tree going clockwise depending on the radius of the plot.” 10. PLACING A METAL ROD ON THE GROUND. 11. STRETCHING TAPE TO MEASURE THE PLOT. 12. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): JOSHUA KITIRO, WILDLIFE WORKS, SAYING: “As the tape stretches, that will be our starting line, then we’ll be moving on a clockwise direction.” 13. WILDLIFE WORKS TEAM TAKING TREE MEASUREMENTS 14. RECORDING THE MEASUREMENTS. 15. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): JOSHUA KITIRO, WILDLIFE WORKS, SAYING: “After measuring each and every tree, we have to tag it for our monitoring purposes.” 16. A TAG BEING PUT ON A TREE 17. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): JOSHUA KITIRO, WILDLIFE WORKS, SAYING: “We do biomass plots, we start with our magnetic north and we normally use magnetic north and so this is where our 5metre point is, so from this point, you just start with direction either right or left, 2 metres then we make a square plot then we harvest all the herbaceous vegetation within that square plot, then we measure it.” 18. HERBACEOUS VEGETATION BEING CUT 19. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): JOSHUA KITIRO, WILDLIFE WORKS, SAYING: “After harvesting this plot, then we measure each and everything that we have harvested from this plot then we measure here on the field to get the green weight then after that, we dry them for a week, then after drying, the difference in the green weight and dry weight then whatever we record, we send it to the US office, that’s when they do the calculation and for the vegetation, the dry mass, of each vegetation, half of it, of the dry mass is carbon.” 20. TAKING GREEN GRASS WEIGHT MEASUREMENT 21. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): JOSHUA KITIRO, WILDLIFE WORKS, SAYING: “Because it’s shrubs, it’s different from how we do trees because we count them on how bushy they look.” 22. TAPE MEASURE BEING STRETCHED ON THE PLOT. 23. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): JOSHUA KITIRO, WILDLIFE WORKS, SAYING: “So what we’re going to do, we’ll just still stretch our tape, 15 metres then we put some fliers around the 50metre radius plot then from there, individual person will go around noting all the shrubs within this plot.” 24. TAGGING THE TREES

Thanks to Tunisia's National Gene Bank, Tunisian farmers have a solution to a changing environment - indigenous seeds. Now, those seeds are becoming like gold. bird story agency Hassan Chtioui, a Tunisian farmer and indigenous seeds researcher in Mornaguia, is someone who has seen first-hand the “disasters” brought about by the introduction of modern wheat and barley seeds across the nation. Chtioui, who started farming at age 12 on his parents’ and grandparents’ farms, saw farmers in his region lose their produce when imported exotic seeds that failed to provide adequate yields when local environmental conditions changed. “They either died, or the quantities were too low. The quality and productivity kept getting worse…local native seeds are, however, showing a great adaptation potential to climate change,” he explained. Chtioui and other farmers are now seeing improvement in yields after returning to indigenous seeds. “I’ve always been passionate about using local seeds…I opted to use indigenous seeds and I encouraged other farmers to do the same. Through the approach, food production in the region has improved,” he said. With the help of the government of Tunisia, farmers now have access to indigenous seeds that are resistant to biotic stresses that affect normal growth, a challenge common in exotic seed species. Since 2007 when the National Gene Bank of Tunisia was created, indigenous genetic resources have been conserved. According to Ramzi Chaabane, the Director General of Tunisia National Gene Bank, biotic stress is uncommon in native seeds because they “contain adaptation genes to the environment because they have been planted in the same environment for long periods.” The quest to get more farmers cultivating indigenous seeds has been successful, with more farmers onboarded into the program. “Records from the National Gene Bank show a high number of farmers are engaged in the cultivation of indigenous seeds…they are all convinced by the value of native genetic resources,” he explained. The National Gene Bank ensures the availability and continuity of genetic resources by conserving some specific native seeds for long periods. Seeds are conserved in cold rooms at temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius, with a shelf life of more than 50 years. Some samples are preserved for shorter periods at +4 degrees Celsius. Thanks to how sought-after the seeds have become internationally, for both research and breeding purposes, the gene bank also offers Tunisia a lucrative export market, the growth of which offers to contribute to the economic growth of the North African country. In this sense, the indigenous seeds have become a form of gold to the economy, offering to boost not only the coffers but also the health of the nation. “Each indigenous seed could cost up to one dollar in foreign markets…one kilogram of native seeds costs more than twenty thousand dollars…In addition, the yields are so much better in terms of quantity, quality and nutritional value,” Chaabane explained. Beyond using native seeds, Chtioui advocates for climate-smart approaches to counter the effects of climate change. “Planting 200 kgs per hectare of land is too much. It complicates the mission of the seed from the planting stage through to harvest,” he said. Just like Chtioui, Chabaane believes using indigenous seeds is an alternative the continent can utilise through individual countries’ governments and private institutions to foster food security. “Having limited biodiversity is very risky. We have developed a course on native seeds with seven African countries…Tunisia’s national gene bank shines on the African continent,” he stated.

Africa's climate experts urge the continent to look beyond COP27's faux arguments for fossil fuels and adopt cleaner energy sources. Wanjira Mathai, Vice President and Regional Director for Africa at the World Resources Institute during an interview with bird story agency at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. By Kate Okorie, bird story agency A significant number of environmental disasters have occurred across communities in Africa this year. In the lead-up to the "African COP," there was a massive expectation that the world would notice these communities and develop a solid plan for climate change mitigation measures. However, in a manner characteristic of recent conferences, negotiations dragged on for days before the bleary-eyed delegates reached an agreement to establish the landmark loss and damage fund, but talks about eliminating fossil fuels — the root cause of the climate crisis — fell through. Even though 80 member states had called for the phasing out of all fossil fuels, the final policy text featured vague language on just energy transitions; both "low-emission and renewable energy" were highlighted in this regard, leaving it open to misinterpretation by countries reluctant to make the transition to clean energy. The surprise inclusion of "low emission energy" as an energy source for the future fails to build on COP26 progress towards eliminating all forms of fossil fuels and permits the continued exploration of dirty fuels like gas, which has long been touted as a transition fuel by fossil fuel lobbyists. The fossil fuel industries sent a record 636 delegates at this year's climate change conference in Egypt — this number is almost five times the average number of registered party delegates from across Africa — and there is a strong suspicion that their presence may have influenced the outcome of negotiations. These lobbyists base their arguments for fossils on three things: the energy poverty experienced by approximately 600 million people in Africa, the perceived need to attain development similar to western nations and the hypocrisy of these developed nations who continue to explore oil within their borders. "Oil-rich countries are making a significant amount of money from fossil fuels, so we cannot blame African countries for wanting to benefit as well, but what we cannot have are new investments in a declining market because those will be stranded in the future," warns Wanjira Mathai, Vice President and Regional Director for Africa at the World Resources Institute. However, countries like Nigeria have produced oil for over five decades yet have low human and capital development. This is partly because a large share of the profit is remitted to the multinationals funding the projects, and very little is directed to public funds. There is also enough evidence to show that Africa exports a large percentage of its oil to sponsoring countries. On the other hand, local communities are left to bear the consequence of a degraded environment. A report by Oil Change International (OCI) found that if the fossil fuel industry proceeds with its plans for Africa in the next thirty years, it will lead to the emission of an additional 62 billion tonnes of CO2, which is not compatible with the 1.5C target of the Paris Agreement. The rapid adoption of clean energy resources like renewables is crucial to stay on the path to 1.5C, which is believed would facilitate long-term socio-economic development. A report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows that the 1.5C pathway can increase Africa's GDP and net jobs by 6.4 per cent and 3.5 per cent, respectively, by 2050. Economics favour renewables as a better energy alternative, but there needs to be more political will to harness the sector. As of today, investments in fossil fuels exceed renewable energy. Annually, the African fossil fuel industry receives $33 billion in investment, more than six times greater than the $5 billion invested in renewables. Barely a week after COP27, Nigeria announced a grand investment of over $3 billion to explore a new oil and gas project in its Northern region, while Uganda is not backing down on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project alongside Tanzania. New fossil fuel projects have a long lead time, and if the world succeeds in bringing down its consumption in line with the Paris Agreement, these projects risk failing to recover their upfront costs. "Africa has the opportunity not to repeat the same trajectory of development that western nations have taken and part of that would involve retreating from fossil fuel exploration," says Tandolwethu Lukuko, National Node Coordinator of the South African Climate Action Network. According to Mathai, the continent has one of the highest renewable energy potentials in the world — hydroelectricity, wind and solar. "It's a huge one for us," she remarked. Africa houses 60 per cent of the best solar resources globally and could emerge as one of the leading producers of hydrogen made from renewables. However, Africans need more finance to explore their renewable energy sector. "At the current cost of capital, it is not viable for us to look at expanding grids for renewables," she said. According to Mathai, there has been some hesitancy to adopt renewable energy sources at scale because of infrastructure costs and associated risks. Still, this presents a solution to Africa's energy crisis, and as a rapidly growing market, it holds much potential for the economy. Climate experts believe that coal, oil and gas are a distraction for Africa, considering that it is a declining market. Although lately, the energy crisis in Europe has left many countries in the region scampering after gas producers — fossil-fuel-producing countries have recorded groundbreaking profits due to the rise in demand for their products. "There is demand for gas, but that is only for the present," said Mathai. European countries and the United States are doubling efforts to develop their renewable energy sector; as of 2021, the CO2 emissions in the two regions have dropped by 10 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively. "For countries in Africa without a large energy infrastructure, they should look to clean energy. They don't need to go back to fossil fuels," says Khodani Mulaudzi, City Advisor, Climate Change Mitigation, South Africa. Amid reluctance to completely transition away from fossil fuels, renewable energy deals still outnumbered dirty ones at this year's climate change conference. Africa secured a handful of these deals, including the launch of the Africa Just and Affordable Energy Transition Initiative (AJAETI), an all-Africa inclusive project to increase the "share of renewable electricity generation by 25 percentage points by 2027 and obtain a power sector based on renewables by 2063." The global climate conference may have failed to deliver on a significant area. Still, much of the power rests on individual African nations to explore their abundant renewable energy supply to foster a just energy transition.