Kenyans sue British Army over wildfire damage near training site

Kenyans sue British Army over wildfire damage near training site

Some 1,000 Kenyans are suing the British military, after a wildfire back on March 24 destroyed part of a wildlife conservation area and affected people in the surrounding communities. Lawyers for the Kenyans say the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) started the fire while conducting military training exercises. The…

Study: Climate challenges linked to gender-based violence

Study: Climate challenges linked to gender-based violence

Climate change and related environmental challenges are implicated in gender-based violence and discrimination, notably in sub-Saharan Africa’s fishing and timber industries, according to a new study from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Conflict over scarce resources can give rise to practices such as ‘sex-for-fish’ in parts of…

Zambian youth launch video on Kabwe’s toxic lead

Young environmental activists in Zambia released a new video on Monday to call attention to the longstanding problem of lead poisoning in Kabwe, where more than a century of mining impacts led to environmental disaster and lasting health consequences disproportionately affecting children. “Several neighborhoods in our town, Kabwe, have some…

Mourning ET302 victims as UNEA begins in Nairobi

The weeklong United Nations Environment Assembly began in Nairobi on Monday with a moment of silence for the 157 victims aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302, which crashed near its origination at Addis Ababa on Sunday with dozens of UN staffers, global delegates and participants on board.  Acting UN Environment director…

In Nairobi, it’s environment in focus at AMCEN

Environmental experts from 43 countries are gathered in Nairobi for the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), with the special session for ministers set for Wednesday. The meeting focuses on key issues ahead of Africa’s participation at COP24 in December in Poland, as well as an African Biodiversity Ministerial…

Namibians told to stop using Zambezi River as a car wash

Officials in Namibia say they’re cracking down on a pollution problem in the country’s Zambezi region, where it’s people who are washing their cars in the river who are causing environmental damage. The country’s Environmental Management Act establishes fines for pollution, but residents either don’t know or care when they…

Old-car imports no longer welcome in Uganda

Uganda’s parliament has passed legislation banning the import of cars more than 15 years old, in a compromise of an original proposal that would have seen the vehicle-year threshold as lows as eight. Government officials said the law, which will go into effect on July 1, is meant to boost…

UN launches initiative to better protect environmental defenders

An initiative designed to protect environmental defenders around the world from threats, intimidation, harassment and murder was launched Tuesday by the United Nations Environment Program. The UN Environmental Rights Initiative was introduced in Geneva with guests on hand including John Knox, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment;…

Zambezi River dam opposed over environmental, tourism impact

A hydroelectric dam project, years in the making and planned for the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe, remains under pressure from whitewater rafting enthusiasts and tourism businesses concerned about the environmental and economic impacts. Munyaradzi Munodawafa, chief executive with the Zambezi River Authority, told reporters this week that the…