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Showing posts with label global warming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label global warming. Show all posts

Monday, November 4, 2013

Farmers could cut emissions while boosting production- FAO

 


UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has said that farmers could earn more and protect the environment by using technologies and practices that reduce the global warming gases that livestock emit.
This statement was issued by the FAO in its report of five case studies which suggested that the potential for mitigation is greatest among low-productivity ruminant producers in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean.
NaijaAgroNet gathered from the report of the study that raising livestock such as pigs, cattle and poultry generates climate-altering gases with an impact equivalent to 7.1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, representing 14.5 per cent of all human-caused greenhouse gas (GHC) emissions.
According to the report the challenge stem from reducing emissions while meeting the soaring demand for livestock products which is a demand that is projected to rise by more than 70 per cent between 2005 and 2050.
The FAO's Assistant Director-General for Agriculture and Consumer Protection, Ren Wang said that “only 10 per cent of producers currently use technologies which could, if taken up more widely, cut the emissions from all livestock species by up to 30 per cent while boosting production. Currently, the majority of the livestock sector's emissions originate from cattle, with beef production contributing 41 per cent and cattle milk production contributing 20 per cent.
“In terms of activities, the worst culprit is feed production and processing, which accounts for 45 per cent of emissions from livestock-related practices. This is followed by manure storage and processing, which is responsible for ten per cent of these emissions. In the case of ruminants, such as cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats, using better quality feeds would lower the amount of methane they emit during digestion as well as the quantity of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide released by their decomposing manure.”

AN/EDop

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Friday, August 31, 2012

Group wants protection for poor countries against climate change


The Least Developed Countries (LDCs) group, have advocated protection for poor countries from the menace of climate change as there is a big risk of loss of key issues if they are not protected.
The chairman of the group, Pa Ousman Jarju of the Gambia said there is a great need to massive increase in funds for adaption and for action in order to reduce emission. "We need to set up a proper international coordination process to deliver resources for adaptation to those in most need," he advised.
In a press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet by the International Institute for Environment and Development, Pa Jarju listed global warming causing drought, water and food shortages as part of the major challenges facing the world at the moment which call for actions.
He also said there are no chances of survival if the necessary issues are being deferred till 2015 when a new agreement will be negotiated.
 According to Pa Jarju, drought in the USA only cost insurance companies money, while droughts in the LDCs are causing loss of life and livelihoods, malnutrition in our children and huge dislocation which is very serious for our survival.
“It is extremely important that governments agree to respect the commitments they have already made to provide finance, technology and capacity building to developing countries and to enhance cooperation to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change and not to use the focus on a new processes to avoid past promises. We cannot indefinitely delay action, especially with regard to climate change, which is already upon us,” he said.
aid.

 Yinka Awosanya

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Sunday, December 18, 2011

5 banks reiterate commitment against global warming

With the end of the Conference of the Parties (COP-17) in Durban, South Africa five Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), who lend some $8.4 billion annually for climate action in cities, joined force to further combat global warming.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the aim was to better coordinate and deepen support to cities in adapting to and mitigating climate change.

These banks include the African Development Bank (AfDB), Asian Development Bank (AsDB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Inter-Am.erican Development Bank (IDB), and the World Bank, even as they agreed to work more closely to develop common tools and metrics for cities.

NaijaAgroNet was also informed that these five MDBs would develop a common approach for cities to assess climate risk, standardize greenhouse gas emissions inventories, and encourage a consistent suite of climate finance options.

A press statement confirming this development to NaijaAgroNet quoted the Director of the African Development Bank’s Energy, Environment & Climate Change Department, Hela Cheikhrouhou as saying that considering the rates of urbanization in Africa, which is the highest in the world, this is a timely initiative and is aligned with the Bank Group’s recently approved Urban Development Strategy.

For the Deputy Director General, Regional and Sustainable Development Department at ADB, Woochong Um,  "ADB is working with multilateral development banks through the Climate Investment Funds and other avenues to mobilize the public and private sector financing needed by developing Asia and the Pacific to support climate change."

Equally for the Director, Municipal and Environmental Infrastructure at European Bank for Reconstruction and Development [EBRD), Jean-Patrick Marquet, the sustainability and climate change challenges for cities could be managed with a multi-faceted approach involving active stakeholders’ participation in pursuit of both environmental benefits and transition objectives.

In addition, the Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Chief at the IDB, Mr. Walter Vergara, pointed out that this is an effort to disseminate best practices on an issue of global importance and where south-south cooperation aided by multilateral banks could really make a difference.

World Bank’s Vice President for Sustainable Development, Ms Rachel Kyte, stated that while cities account for over two-thirds of global energy consumption and an estimated 80 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, they are also crucibles of innovation as cities are critical in the fight to tackle climate change.

“With this new partnership, the development banks will be able to better leverage city-level leadership on climate change mitigation and adaptation across the world,” she said.

Further, it was gathered that many cities around the world are already responding to the challenges of climate change. Just as they are increasingly acting in concert and learning from one another, regionally, and through national as well international networks such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, United Cities and Local Governments, the EU’s Covenant of Mayors, and the World Mayors Council on Climate Change.

Remmy Nweke

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