Africa
Total signs deal to build East African oil pipeline, despite lack of finance
Uganda and Tanzania have given political backing to the 1,445km East African Crude Oil Pipeline, but climate campaigners are deterring investment
South Africa sets out to tighten 2030 emissions target
South Africa’s economy is shifting from heavy industry to service sectors, allowing for deeper carbon cuts, but coal lingers in the energy mix
UK rules out public subsidy for East African oil pipeline
UK Export Finance will no longer back oil and gas projects overseas, shutting off a potential source of support for a major pipeline across Uganda and Tanzania
Total’s play for Ugandan oil tests the climate commitment of international banks
A final investment decision on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline is expected at the end of March, as campaigners urge financial institutions to avoid fossil fuels
Joe Biden’s climate ambitions must include land rights for Congo forest communities
Development aid from rich countries has done more harm than good to central African forests and their inhabitants. This can change with a community-led approach
South Sudan plans to raise climate ambition amid ‘dire’ humanitarian crisis
The world’s newest country is seeking to expand renewable energy, tree planting and climate smart agriculture, but UK aid cuts threaten progress
DR Congo campaigners take minister to court over illegal logging rights claims
Environment minister Claude Nyamugabo is accused of violating a moratorium on logging in the Congo rainforest, by awarding concessions the size of Wales
Angola’s oil dependency thwarts its exit from the group of poorest nations
Graduation from the UN group of least developed countries is usually seen as a win, but Angola deferred the move after oil exports plummeted during the pandemic
Egypt expresses an interest in hosting Cop27 climate talks in 2022
The Egyptian government could discuss its interest in presiding over the 2022 UN climate summit with Cop26 president Alok Sharma, who is visiting the country
Cyclone Eloise shatters Mozambique’s progress to recover from 2019 storms
Eloise hit poor communities in central Mozambique that had barely recovered from cyclone Idai in 2019, which killed more than 1,000 people
South African campaigners push for faster coal exit in presidential commission
As president Cyril Ramaphosa launches an initiative to deliver net zero emissions, campaigners prepare to confront trade unions over coal
In Kenya’s changing climate, women are claiming land rights to feed their families
Owning their own land allows Kenyan women to build resilience to drought and flooding, but many are unaware of laws intended to empower them
Mangrove revival: How tree-planting is financing women’s businesses in Kenya
Kenyan women are planting mangroves in Lamu County and using the revenue from selling “blue carbon” credits for microloans to start small businesses
South Africa aims to reach net zero emissions in 2050 – while still burning coal
In a low emissions strategy, South Africa flagged an aspiration to become a net zero economy by 2050, but its energy plan foresees a continued role for coal
African ministers call for investment in Great Green Wall to aid Covid-19 recovery
Plans for an 8,000km green belt across the Sahel region have stalled, with fresh funds needed to halt desertification and create sustainable livelihoods
EU can help Africa become the ‘greenest continent’: German minister
Minister argues EU should priorities the transition to clean energy in a treaty to be negotiated with the African Union
South Africa tightens restrictions for new coal power in ‘landmark’ ruling
A top tribunal scrapped water licences for the 600MW Khanyisa coal plant, saying the developer had failed to consider the impact of climate change
These women built a dam and saved their families from ‘man-made starvation’
While chronic drought and poor governance leave millions of Zimbabweans hungry, the women of Rumwanjiva can grow their own vegetables
Seven countries back Africa’s biggest investment, a $20 billion gas project
US, Japan and the UK are among the backers of a scheme to exploit Mozambique’s gas reserves, despite climate, security and human rights concerns
Gas curse: Mozambique’s multi-billion dollar gamble on LNG
A vast gas discovery promises riches for the people of Mozambique, but it can only pay off in a dangerously overheated world