Browsing by Author "Omambia, Anne Nyatichi"
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Item Climate change impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation in East Africa (EA) and South America (SA)(Springer Nature, 2012) Omambia, Anne Nyatichi; Shemsanga, Ceven; Hernandez, Ivonne Andrea SanchezIn recent decades, global climate change has continued to cause devastating impacts to various places on Earth. Geographic and socioeconomic characteristics in East Africa (EA) and South America (SA) make the regions among the most vulnerable to the current temperature variations attracting several studies with wider implications. Presently, in these two regions, remarkable evidence of climate change includes repeated droughts and increase in dry lands affecting water and food availability for humans, livestock, and wildlife (EA), intensification of climate-sensitive diseases, sea level rise, fast retreat of glaciers on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Kenya in Kenya, and Andeans Mountains of South America, change in the rainfall patterns in the Amazon forests and in the whole of EA, and increasing of the frequency and intensity of the El Niño and La Niña phenomenon in the South Pacific that affect both EA and SA, among others. Although these two regions are not major contributors of greenhouse gases (GHGs), the poor conservation of strategic ecosystems through deforestation of the Amazon forests in SA and various forests in EA coupled with intensification of agriculture, land degradation, rapid rates of urbanization and industrialization all driven by rapid population increase are putting a strain on valuable natural resources whose conservation would be critical in mitigating climate change. Adaptation measures have been constrained by climate change impacts. In both regions, poverty is widespread and climate change impacts have jeopardized most poverty alleviation initiatives including realization of some of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Moreover, both regions have a strong dependency on rain-fed agriculture for economic development with hydroelectricity and biomass as main sources of energy. Consequently, adaptation measures are required for all the sectors, but especially in agriculture, health, and energy where the loss of soil productivity, increasing spread of climate-sensitive diseases, reduction of water and energy source supply are already threatening the social and economic security of both regions. Both regions have a wealth of indigenous knowledge and coping mechanisms of various local communities that should be incorporated into conventional adaptation measures of climate change. This chapter describes the main climate change impacts in EA and SA, vulnerabilities thereon, and adaptation measures that offer an opportunity to the two regions to develop in a sustainable way.Item Combating climate change in Kenya: efforts, challenges and opportunities(Marsland Press, 2009) Omambia, Anne Nyatichi; Shemsanga, Ceven; Li, YilianIncrease in emissions of CO2 gas and other greenhouse gases (GHG) such as methane, nitrous oxide, CFC, HCFC and halogens into the atmosphere has led to the overall rise in mean global temperature over the years and the resultant climate change. Key anthropogenic activities responsible include fossil fuel combustion and land -use changes especially tropical deforestation. For developing countries such as Kenya, climate change is a threat to livelihood support systems. Kenya is currently experiencing the effect of climate change especially variation in weather patterns. Prolonged drought and famine has currently left over 10 million people faced with starvation, while floods and resurgence of pests and diseases have been noted in other parts of the country. Widespread poverty, inadequate socio-economic resources and a large climate -dependent agricultural sector makes the country vulnerable to the vagaries of climate change and ill-equipped to adapt to the long-term changes in climate. In spite of these, Kenya has embarked on various measures to mitigate climate change such as adoption of clean development mechanism, reaforestation and spread of green technology. This research focused on Kenya’s effort hitherto in combating climate change, the challenges thereon and opportunities for improvement.Item The cost of climate change in Tanzania: impacts and adaptation(Marsland Press, 2010) Shemsanga, Ceven; Omambia, Anne Nyatichi; Gu, YanshengIn recent years, Tanzania has witnessed a number of climate related disasters namely, flooding, droughts, widespread crop failures, livestock deaths and intensification of climate sensitive diseases among others. Regular climate discussions in the country have often underestimate crucial problems related to climate change like chronic energy crisis and influx of people to urban areas arguably because of failing agriculture in farming areas. This paper has highlighted the fact that the poor, usually with limited resources and who contribute the least to the causes of climate change are the most affected in many ways. In addition, it gives a detailed account of the issues of climate change in Tanzania and explains the effects of climate variability using examples. The effects of climate change in the country are widespread and significantly interfere with agriculture, while at the same time, reducing the ability of the society to deliver services. Indigenous knowledge such as survival skills and coping mechanisms adopted by different societies in Tanzania, have been discussed in the paper. Such coping mechanisms however are overwhelmed by the impacts of climate change on the people. Different institutions including the government have taken some positive steps towards combating climate change; however the efforts done so far are insufficient. In addition, addressing climate change in Tanzania is hindered with inadequate resources, corruption and poor coordination and implementation of combating measures. Generally current climate variability in the nation is an issue of concern for all future plans and must be addressed.