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The history of past civilisations in southern Africa from AD 700 to AD 1450 has engendered unresolved debates on the social complexities and ultimate decline of these powerful states. The purpose of this paper is to examine the history of the Mapungubwe and Great Zimbabwe state systems in southern Africa through an environmental perspective by taking into consideration human responses to persistent droughts and dry spells. The theories underpinning this study are derived from contemporary societal responses to similar environmental hardships in the Bikita and Chivi districts of southern Zimbabwe. Using rainfall data, and interviews with chiefs, villagers, farmers and experts, this study notes that the occurrence of droughts and dry-spell experiences interfere with sociopolitical organisation. The concepts of sustainability, resilience and transformation are used to explain what could have transpired in societies in southern Africa in the second millennium AD in the face of persistent droughts and dry spells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper begins with popular narratives on climate change and food insecurity in the Sahel, painting a brief history of how pastoralists and their lifestyles have been understood by external scholars dealing with the theme of natural resource commons. This leads into a deeper analysis of multiple understandings of the productive political potential of the common/s as articulated by economists, historians and academics, and an exploration of the implications of these theories for the Sahel. This includes various government policies managing the commons, ranging from open-access to ranch-based systems, and the privatisation or exploitation of the commons by capitalist actors. The paper further explores three design principles, namely, mobility, inclusion and conflict mediation, for better governance in the region, and ends with a note of caution against the green-washed pursuit of growth rates, tempered by a note of hope in the figure of the vigilant and empowered pastoralist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on interplay among narratives, climate change and agriculture policy processes in Malawi. The paper analyses emerging policy narratives about climate change and agriculture that are stimulating, shaping and influencing these debates. The motivation for this paper draws from an increasing number of government and non-government actors involved in climate change debates on agriculture with different starting points, narratives and goals. Based on extensive empirical data, the paper argues that prevailing narratives on climate change and agriculture in Malawi shape policy discussions and interventions that are implemented in both complementing and competing ways. Interests held by actors determine the policy trajectory in that where interests are colliding, policy interventions are competitive. Complementing policy interventions emerge where common interests exist among policy stakeholders. This is demonstrated by programmes that undermine ability of smallholder farmers to adapt to climate change whilst others advocate for crop diversification and agricultural subsidies. The paper concludes that policies and programme activities are framed in diverse way depending on how climate change and agriculture issues are perceived and narrated as well as how power is exercised among different players, mainly, policymakers, donors and civil society organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relying on complex interdependence as a theoretical approach, this paper investigates the hypothetical damage that the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement could represent for Africa in terms of climate finance. In June 2017, President Donald Trump publicly declared the U.S. intention to withdraw from further participating in the multilateral Paris Agreement. To keen followers and analysts of the U.S. climate policy beyond its borders, such unilateral action was never a surprise. Rather, it is nostalgic of the experience of the Kyoto Protocol, particularly how more or less similar move unduly prolonged the global climate negotiations up till late 2015 when the Paris Agreement came about. Although the Paris Agreement is remarkable as it represents the first states-wide climate deal, it however left a number of issues unresolved. Notable among which is climate finance which has remained the most contentious and of critical concern to developing countries, particularly in Africa. Pitted against the fact that Africa contributes less to climate change and, ironically, the hardest-hit by the phenomenon, the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement aggravates concerns around climate finance and, indeed, portends additional burdens for a continent that is still struggling to cope with the untoward fallout of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role played by human mobility as a climate change adaptation strategy in Zimbabwe’s small-scale farming areas. Livelihoods in Zimbabwe’s small-scale farming areas are mostly agriculture-based and have long suffered from low levels of production. This is largely due to poor agroecological conditions and lack of agricultural investment, including income diversification projects from the central government. Recently, extreme climatic events in these areas have exacerbated food insecurity challenges, prompting many households to relocate. The findings of this study indicate that most households in the small-scale farming regions are resorting to either short- or long-term migration to areas that offer them food security. In these areas, poor households are forced to work on large commercial farms where they are paid in maize grain or trade their products for food to support their families. This paper argues that, if properly used together with other climate change policies promoted in Zimbabwe, human mobility can be an effective climate change adaptation strategy in small-scale farming areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper adopts the logic of concentric circles to unpack the multi-level approach that characterizes South Africa’s interface with climate change. The post-1994 South Africa interacted with climate change at multiple levels. At some points, South Africa’s response to climate change is guided strictly by the dictates of its overriding national interests. At another, it is a question of either serving a continental ‘representative’ or ‘leading voice’ for groupings of major importance within the global South regarding climate change. Also, South Africa’s climate diplomacy on the global scene ranks relatively high when compared with the scenarios concerning other emerging and even a good number of industrialized economies. Therefore, it is not certain how the policy emphasis is shifting radially across the interest-chain of South Africa’s relations in the context of climate change. As a key finding, this paper argues that South Africa’s super-state posture leaves one to wonder how constructively altruistic is the country’s climate diplomacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After two decades of unduly prolonged negotiations that characterized the Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings, the international system only recently witnessed a substantive globally acceptable climate regime, the Paris Agreement (PA). The less legally binding and largely voluntary agreement establishes, amongst other things, a common framework for all Parties aimed at limiting greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) to not more than 2°C and more significantly, 1.5°C above the pre-industrial levels. Although the agreement admits that an economy driven by clean energy is indispensable to sustainable development, its demand of a rapid end to fossil fuel places a burden on South Africa to replace its coal and gas with clean energy sources. Meeting such demand, when no credible alternatives are put in place, would only exacerbate poverty for the millions of South Africans whose livelihood and businesses are largely sustained by coal-powered electricity. The objectives of this paper are to: (1) assess the Paris climate agreement and its feasibility; (2) appraise South Africa’s coal-dependent economy; (3) suggest adjustment options aimed at dealing effectively with the situation, and also providing support for the aggregate welfare of South Africans. This article adopts the ‘complex interdependence’ and ‘green’ theories. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There is an established link between the availability of reliable and adequate energy supplies and economic growth and development. Based on this link, this study assesses the potential and challenges of the renewable energy sub-sector in addressing an energy deficit that has been identified as one of the obstacles hindering economic development in Nigeria. Through an analysis of various documents, the research made two important findings: First, Nigeria recognizes and has analysed its potential in a variety of renewable energy sources for possible exploitation to diversify its energy mix. Second, although there are policies to drive the renewable energy development projects, the lack of legislative backing and various systemic challenges are hindering the deep entrenchment of this thrust. The research concludes that public and private policy coherence is critical for Nigeria to develop an economically and technically viable renewable energy sub-sector to supplement its current energy supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]