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Browsing Archives collection by Author "Archer, Emma RM"

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    Are we disabling climate science in southern Africa? : A brief consideration of the draft South African Weather Service Amendment Bill
    (CSIR, 2013-01) Archer, Emma RM
    On the 2nd of November, 2011, South Africa’s Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs tabled the draft South African Weather Service Amendment Bill to the National Assembly. After the period for written comment closed, in January 2012, submissions from both individuals and organizations were made to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Water and Environmental Affairs, initiating a period of lively debate in mainstream and social media communities – resulting (in part) in the bill being withdrawn in July 2012. The bill, in it’s original form, included a clause that would effectively impel organizations and individuals to obtain written permission from the South African Weather Service prior to disseminating a ‘severe weather warning’; with proposed sanctions should this not occur. The draft bill had further key implications for access to both climate and air quality data (amongst others) for scientists and partners in South and southern Africa, as well as their international partners. In this commentary article, I propose that legislation such as the draft bill risks creating an environment that disables climate science. Rather, on a continent where concerns regarding vulnerability to climatic hazards are on the increase, we should be supporting a policy environment that truly enables the climate science community. Using the United States experience as a comparison, and existing regional science initiatives in the SADC region as a departure point, the article makes a series of recommendations in this regard, while being sensitive to the original motivations behind the draft bill, as well as it’s current revised form.
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    Forests, rangelands and climate change in Southern Africa
    (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome, 2013-09) Naidoo, Sasha; Davis, C; Archer, Emma RM
    This paper provides an analysis of the implications of climate change for forests and rangelands in southern Africa. The extent of the resources and their economic and social functions and drivers of change is outlined. The vulnerability of the resources to climate change and adaptation needs and options for the SADC region are highlighted, as well as potential synergies with mitigation options. A summary of current national actions, country needs and potential areas of collaboration among countries in the region is provided to inform existing and future cooperative initiatives related to the adaptation of forests and rangelands to climate change.
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    The IPBES regional assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services for Africa
    (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), 2018) Archer, Emma RM; Dziba, LE; Mulongoy, KJ; Maoela, Malebajoa A; Walters, Michele
    The Africa regional Assessment is the first of its kind for the continent and constitutes one of four Regional Assessments conducted under IPBES. This Assessment is a synthesis of the state of knowledge on biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people. To achieve its objectives and address the central themes, this Assessment involved the development of credible, robust and inclusive evidence from a range of knowledge systems, including peer-reviewed literature, grey literature, and indigenous and local knowledge. The Assessment aims to provide the foundation for a meaningful dialogue across the full range of stakeholders involved in African development. A number of key thematic challenges are considered by the Africa Assessment, including the food-energy-waterlivelihood nexus; climate-related risks; land degradation; invasive alien species; sustainable use; and technological innovations. The Assessment pays attention to questions of equity, poverty reduction, rights, social relationships, economic contributions, spirituality and cultural heritage in its investigation of biodiversity, ecosystem functions and nature’s contributions to people. The Africa Assessment further considers the impacts of trade and investment, along with the contribution of low-carbon, ecological and social transformations of the economy. Finally, the Assessment seeks to understand policy options for decision-makers to manage biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people under different future scenarios. By focusing on biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people, this Regional Assessment is critical to African policymakers, all constituents of African communities, civil society, the private sector, and other stakeholders involved in environmentally sensitive investments and landuse decisions.