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Brought together in Paris in early July 2015 for the UNESCO International Scientific Conference (
Our Common Future Under Climate Change), the web and radio
journalists and bloggers from East Africa and Madagascar who benefitted
from the Media 21 project have published a number of online articles on
climate change issues.
- Eunice Kilonzo, journalist at The Nation (Kenya)Eunice Kilonzo presents the targets of the UNESCO Conference 'Our Common Future Under Climate Change', a few months prior to COP21, and the challenges specific to Kenya.The consequences and irreversible impact of rising sea levels on the Kenyan coastline (Lamu and Mombasa).
A meeting with Joseph Stiglitz, a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics, who discusses the consequences for health and the environment of building a coal power station in Lamu (Kenya). He also puts Kenya's alternative energy solutions into perspective.
The consequences of rising industrialisation in Nairobi and its effects on the health of the surrounding populations.
- Maureen Odiwuor, journalist at The Standard (Kenya)Maureen Odiwuor reiterates the need for Kenya to outline its national contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The urgency of the global climate situation and the threats to the planet, recapitulated by Ban-Ki Moon at the opening of the conference.
The impact of rising sea levels in Mombasa and the need to rethink coastal town and land planning in Kenya.
Maureen Odiwuor quotes Rachel Kyte, the World Bank Special Envoy for Climate Change, who stresses the need for carbon taxes and highlights the opportunity for African countries to commit to building pathways to clean energy.
- Sophie Mbugua, freelance journalist (Kenya) This freelance journalist has written a number of articles, one of which has just been published in The Star (a Kenyan daily newspaper).The others will be published soon in the following media outlets: The Star Farmer Magazine (a bimonthly magazine), the website Scidev.net and Reuters Thompson Foundation.
She addresses the following topics: the state of national contributions a few months prior to COP21, changes to coral reef ecosystems as a result of climate change, and interactions between the climate and insects.
She has also carried out radio interviews for Scidev Radio on mitigation strategies and climate data in Africa.
Interview with Aster Gebrekirstos, a scientist from the World Agroforestry Centre in Nairobi specialising in climate data in Africa.
- Rivonala Razafison, journalist for online information sitesAfrica Review and Scidev.net (Madagascar)Rivonala Razafison presents the key issues of the conference and the major discussions that will be held there. The two following articles highlight the use of wood-based fuels in Africa, suggesting that the charcoal sector is set to continue to thrive across the continent :
- Conference highlights the value of charcoal in Africa
- Énergie: Le charbon a encore de beaux jours devant lui
- Lalatiana Rahariniaina, blogger and founder of the site Ampela Miblaogy, the blog of a curious Malagasy woman (Madagascar)This
blogger has published several columns. Tracing a brief history of the
results of previous global climate conferences, she has attempted to
explain why Madagascar is particularly vulnerable.She underscores the importance of science and the contribution of scientists in the fight against climate change, and the key issues surrounding agriculture in Africa:
- Pourquoi le changement climatique devrait intéresser Madagascar ?
- La science à la rescousse du changement climatique
- Afrique : l'agriculture innove, le climat s'améliore
- Dotto Paul Kahindi, blogger and founder of the site tabianchiblog (Tanzanie)
Author of Tabianchiblog, a blog on climate change, Dotto Paul Kahindi
hopes that cooperation between journalists and scientists can improve
knowledge of climate change in local communities. His articles analyse
the targets and the content of the conference 'Our Common Future Under Climate Change', a waypoint on the road to COP21 in December.He also quotes Jean-Pierre Poncet, Second Counsellor for the French Delegation to UNESCO, who presents the role of the French Presidency of the COP, the challenges it will face and the importance of combating global warming as a condition for the sustainable development of societies.
Lastly, he discusses the national contribution of his country, Tanzania, and the consequences for the local economy.
- Andrew Chale, journalist and blogger for the information site Dewjiblog (Tanzanie)Andrew Chale, journalist and blogger for the site Dewjiblog, has endeavoured to describe the key issues of this scientific forum and its importance ahead of COP21 in December.He quotes Dr Khamaldin Mutabazi, a Tanzanian scientist specialising in agriculture and climate change issues, and also cites the example of South Africa, where adaptation measures have already started to be introduced in the largest cities.
- Michel Nkurunziza, journalist for The New Times (Rwanda)Michel Nkurunziza focuses on the picture of climate change in Rwanda and the contributions of Rwandan scientists at the conference. He has also published an article
on the importance of tapping into the values, knowledge and expertise
of local cultures for the implementation of effective, long-term
adaptation strategies.
