African Climes

More often than not, in fact 90% of the time, the reason why we are concerned about climate change is selfish and self-serving. We as human beings are concerned about us. How will climate change affect our lives, our livelihoods, our economies, our development, our security, food and otherwise. It’s all about us. Even in adaptation, we focus on, how we can save ourselves and the planet for our own benefit? The Congo rain forest - thousands of species call this place home Yet human beings are just one among the millions of species that call this planet home. These plants, animals, microbes do not have a voice and cannot participate in global debates that determine their welfare and survival. In burning fossil fuels, we are just thinking of ourselves, of how we can develop our lot and move forward as a species. We caused the current global warming without thinking about the rest of the planet’s inhabitants who incidentally form the majority. Now, how and what will cl...

The momentum for use of renewable energy is there but not every part of the world is in total agreement. But as I also mentioned earlier, fossil fuels account for 80% of the energy used on Earth excluding biological processes. Now the last article specialized on the relationship between different fuels and climate change. I am going to extrapolate a few of the points in different directions. Strictly speaking, hydrogen, nuclear and hydropower are renewable energies but in certain circles, renewable energy means solar and wind energy. These last two are viewed as having the least ecological effects and are therefore ‘clean energy’. Hydropower for example usually involves ecological destruction because entire riverine forests and arable lands are flooded. With the destruction of these forest areas, comes the destruction of an ecosystem together with its services as well as the problems with destroying people’s livelihoods. Of the said renewable energies, Wind power...

Settle down please! Now where were we? Yes… Biofuels Fuels derived from remains of recently dead organisms or waste of a biological nature. a )       Wood fuel Self-explanatory – burning of charcoal or firewood for energy. Used a lot in Africa. Briquettes however are a better alternative to charcoal as their usage significantly reduces deforestation and is also better for human health. b)       Energy can also be derived from conversion of biomass from agricultural plants . What I mean is that it is possible to produce substances like bioethanol from sugarcane. Bioethanol is alcohol from plants. Bioethanol can be used to make ethanol & used to fuel vehicles. However it is mostly used as an additive in conventional fuel. Brazil is the largest producer of bioethanol. c)       Biogas basically means methane produced from the anaerobic decomposition ofanimal waste. This methane can be used...