Energy-Intensive Bitcoin Transactions Pose a Growing Environmental Threat

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

A study published in Energy Research & Social Science warns that failure to lower the energy use by Bitcoin and similar Blockchain designs may prevent nations from reaching their climate change mitigation obligations under the Paris Agreement.

The study, authored by Jon Truby, PhD, Assistant Professor, and Director of the Centre for Law & Development, College of Law, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar, evaluates the financial and legal options available to lawmakers to moderate blockchain-related energy consumption and foster a sustainable and innovative technology sector.

Bitcoin may have big impact to the Environment 

Based on this rigorous review and analysis of the technologies, ownership models, and jurisdictional case law and practices, the article recommends an approach that imposes new taxes, charges, or restrictions to reduce demand by users, miners, and miner manufacturers who employ polluting technologies, and offers incentives that encourage developers to create less energy-intensive/carbon-neutral Blockchain.

“Digital currency mining is the first major industry developed from Blockchain, because its transactions alone consume more electricity than entire nations,” said Dr. Truby. “It needs to be directed towards sustainability if it is to realize its potential advantages.

“Many developers have taken no account of the environmental impact of their designs, so we must encourage them to adopt consensus protocols that do not result in high emissions. Taking no action means we are subsidizing high energy-consuming technology and causing future Blockchain developers to follow the same harmful path. We need to de-socialize the environmental costs involved while continuing to encourage progress of this important technology to unlock its potential economic, environmental, and social benefits,” explained Dr. Truby.

African countries told to come up with strategies for accelerating electrification

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO 

Energy and development experts from across Africa and beyond have called for renewed urgency in the drive to light up and power the continent. With close to 600 million Africans still lacking electricity, they argue that Africa's power deficit must be considered both a crisis and an opportunity to fast-track reforms and transactions. 

"We must show a greater sense of urgency because what is at stake is the global relevance, social progress and economic productivity of Africa's nearly 1 billion people," urged Amadou Hott, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth at the African Development Bank.

"Children are growing up without electricity. Energy powers economies and every delay in power project execution keep our people in darkness…Projects need to be implemented effectively so that people get power, and investors get risk-adjusted returns and consumers can pay affordable prices for their power supplies,"  Hott said.

Official who attended  the Energy forum in group photo 

Energy sector stakeholders from Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Zambia met on 5-6 July in the Ivorian capital for the inaugural meeting of the Africa Energy Marketplace, an African Development Bank initiative.

Representatives of the ministries of energy and finance, heads of utilities, regulators, renewable energy and rural electrification agencies, private sector representatives and development partners presented and discussed current and future reform and financing plans for their countries. Participants produced time-bound action plans to accelerate energy sector reforms and project execution. The scope of their discussions targeted up to 200 projects at various completion stages, with an estimated total investment value exceeding $50 billion.

For Côte d'Ivoire, key recommendations proposed for the next two to three years include tax holidays and tariff rebates for solar equipment makers and importers. The country is also looking at establishing a phased program of environmental impact assessments and collaborating with development partners to strengthen the financial viability of the power sector. 

The heart of Ethiopia's action plan includes capital mobilization for capacity building and reforms in its Ministry of Water, Irrigation, and Electricity; developing off-grid energy solutions, and measures to mitigate currency risks. Ethiopia is also looking to ratify the New York Arbitration Convention to fulfill international lender's bankability requirements. 

As part of its future energy plans, Nigeria will assess its gas-to-power value chain and develop robust franchising regulations for mini-grid systems in under-served areas as part of its nation-wide integrated multi-modal electricity generation and distribution system. The African Development Bank and other development partners are currently providing technical assistance on capacity building, data collection, and verification to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.

Zambia plans to create an off-grid working group to improve stakeholder communications and coordination in the domestic off-grid market. The African Energy Marketplace is also promoting South-South economic cooperation and knowledge exchange. Zambia's partnership with Egypt's Ministry of Electricity and Energy, for example, will develop soft and hard infrastructure services related to renewable energy programs, laboratory testing, training and capacity building.

The Africa Energy Marketplace will be a regular platform for industry stakeholders and development partners to review and harmonize their commitments, inputs and ongoing contributions to Africa's energy sector agenda. 

Energy is at the heart of the Bank's economic transformation agenda. With over US$12 billion of investment commitments to the sector between 2016 and 2020, the Bank expects to leverage between US$45 billion and US$50 billion in co-financing for energy projects in Africa during the period.

Rwenzori region get a 5.4MW Power Plant

BY ENU

Two clean energy projects backed by the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund took significant steps forward in the last week of June.

The .4 5MW Lubilia Kawembe Hydro (LKH) electricity generating station in Uganda was formally commissioned on 28th June. A day later, on 29th June, a ground-breaking ceremony saw work officially begin on the 40MW Central Solar de Mocuba (CESOM) project in Mozambique.

EAIF is member of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG). PIDG encourages and mobilises private investment in infrastructure in the frontier markets of sub-Saharan Africa, south and south-east Asia, to help promote economic development and combat poverty.

The power house and control room at Lubilia Kawembe Hydro.

The financing of the US$76 million CESCOM project was led by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). EAIF signed a Participation Agreement with the IFC to provide a US$16.9 million B Loan, with a 16-year term.

In addition, EAIF directly provided a US$7m Viability Gap Funding Grant for the project, raised from the Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) of the PIDG. CESCOM is being developed by the Oslo-based company, Scatec, which has over 1000MW of solar currently under construction around the world.

Output from Mocuba is estimated to be 80,000 megawatt hours per year and account for 4.8% of Mozambique’s currently available electricity capacity, but 40% of the capacity of its Northern grid.

The plant will be a core element in the Mozambique government’s strategy of incentivising the creation of small and medium-sized businesses in the mainly rural Mocuba area.

Located in the Rwenzori Mountains in Western Uganda, Lubilia Kawembe Hydro is one of 9 clean energy projects EAIF has helped finance in Uganda.

FMO, the Dutch development bank, has acted as mandated lead arranger of the US$10.2m senior loan facility, of which 50% was syndicated to EAIF. The project has been developed and will be owned and run by LKH.

A Ugandan entity, it is majority owned by DI Frontier Market Energy & Carbon Fund, a Danish private equity fund that is developing a portfolio of renewable energy independent power producers in Eastern Africa.

LKH was developed under the GET FiT facility, which is a dedicated support scheme for renewable energy projects managed by Germany’s KfW Development Bank in partnership with the Government of Uganda through the Electricity Regulatory Agency (ERA). The project is funded by the European Union Infrastructure Trust Fund, and is also supported by the Governments of Norway, Germany and the UK.

NEMA embarks on restoration of Muzizi Wetland system

BY ENU Reporter 

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and Kyenjojo District Local Government with support from the Environment Police has embarked on the restoration of Muzizi Wetland System in Kyenjojo District.

The restoration exercise which has been launched in Kyenjojo district will cover the critical catchment of the River Muzizi system spanning the districts Kagadi, Kyegegwa, Kibale and Mubende Districts.

Key activities include the removal of illegal structures, plants and crops in wetlands, closing of drainage channels and evictions including the banks of River Muzizi.

Some of the crops that were planted illegally in the wetland being cleared 

The catchment is hosting the 3.1MW Sogahi Hydropower Project (HPP) on River Sohagi, that drains into River Muzizi in Kyarusozi Subcounty and is candidate for the 3.5MW HPP on River Muzizi in Nyankwanzi Subcounty.

While supervising the activities, the Deputy RDC Kyenjojo Mr. Kawonawo Isaac, said the exercise is important since the water levels on River Muzizi had reduced significantly threatening Government development projects. He called up on the local people who are still encroaching on the wetland to voluntarily vacate the wetland and the river banks.

Early this year, NEMA together with the Local Government officials issued restoration orders to more than 300 enchroachers in the wetlands and river banks on River Muzizi.

Top Chimpanzee Conservationist Advises Uganda On How To Eliminate Human, Wildlife Conflicts

BY SAMUELNABWIISO

World renown Chimpanzee conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall has asked the government of Uganda through its conservation agencies to ensure that laws concerning conservation are strengthened and well implemented to reduce incidences of human to wildlife conflicts.

Jane Goodall, who was talking to the Media in Wakiso, noted that many habitants for the wildlife species have been encroached on  mainly for agriculture, charcoal burning  and timber harvesting which has forced many wild animals to migrate  into people homes and farms resulting into the unending conflicts.

Dr.jane goodall 

“The government need to  strengthen the implementation of conservation  laws that are in place. This will  promote conservation  for the future and also promote the development of tourism since Uganda is gifted with thousands of wildlife species,” said Goodall.

For the general public to embrace conservation,  Dr. Jane Goodall advised the conservation agencies to work with various stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education to ensure that conservation education is added to the national curriculum.

“You need to have a generation that will save the country’s nature. It is why it’s vital to start training the younger people especially those in primary and at secondary school level to embrace conservation,” she noted.

Dr. Goodall is celebrated for her ground-breaking research and publications on wild chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania, and as the first to introduce the observations that chimpanzees have distinct personalities and behaviors, like those of humans, into the scientific world.

Goodall  is in Uganda  to mark the 27 years  since she started  working on chimpanzee conservations under her  conservation firm Jane Goodall  Institute.

In her visit the conservationist will hold various meeting with  government officials and key stakeholders in the conservation sector.

Jane will  also interact with members of the Roots and  Shoots  the youth  organisation she started  in 1991. Jane and the children  will visit  the chimpanzees’  at the Uganda  Wildlife Education Center  Entebbe.

In Uganda the Jane Goodall Institute has played a big role towards the conservation of chimpanzees in Bunyoro sub region especially in the district of Masindi and Kibaale.

Like in Masindi, the Jane Goodall Institute has supported communities to come up with income generating activities that have reduced pressures on the habitants for chimpanzees in the areas around Budongo Central Forest Reserve, of which parts is habitant for Chimpanzees.

According to Dr. Peter Apell,  the Country Director for Jane Goodall Institute Uganda Chapter, their intervention has enabled communities to embrace conservation through empowering them economically and socially.

“The Intervention of the Institute has increased awareness about conservation. We have done this through conservation clubs in schools and even at the community level. We hope that the more the public becomes aware about the importance of conservation  the more government will earn from  conservation,” said Apell.

Africa’s Tourism Grows by 6%

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

According to the recent UNWTO’s World Tourism Barometer, Africa consolidated last year’s robust results, led by Sub-Saharan Africa (+6%) while North Africa saw a 4% increase during the first quarter of 2018.

International tourist arrivals also grew 6% in January to April 2018 compared to the same period last year. Results reflect a continuation of the strong trend seen in 2017 (+7%) and so far, exceed UNWTO’s forecast of 4% to 5% for the entire year 2018

In 2017, Africa surpassed its counterparts to record a +9% increase in international arrivals, as international tourism receipts increased 5%. This equates to 63 million visitors to Africa, out of the 1,323 million world arrivals; accounting for USD 38 billion receipts.

Confidence in global tourism remains strong according to the latest UNWTO Panel of Travel Experts survey. The Panel’s outlook for the current May-August period is the most optimistic in a decade, led by the particularly upbeat sentiment in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Experts’ evaluation of tourism performance in the first four months of 2018 was also robust, in line with the strong results recorded in many destinations around the world.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

It is the leading international organization in the field of tourism, which promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

It serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism knowledge. It encourages the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism to maximize the contribution of tourism to socio-economic development, while minimizing its possible negative impacts, and is committed to promoting tourism as an instrument in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), geared towards eliminating poverty and fostering sustainable development and peace worldwide.

UNWTO generates market knowledge, promotes competitive and sustainable tourism policies and instruments, fosters tourism education and training, and works to make tourism an effective tool for development through technical assistance projects in over 100 countries around the world.

UNWTO’s membership includes 156 countries, 6 territories and over 500 affiliate members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities. Its headquarters are located in Madrid.

Two COMESA states approve bt cotton for cultivation

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

Two more member states of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern  Africa  have been granted go  ahead from their Environmental agencies to commence the cultivation of Insect resistant genetically modified cotton varieties commonly Known as Bt cotton.

The two member states from the economic block are the kingdom of Eswatini formerly Swaziland and Ethiopia, the two states will join Sudan member state of COMESA that commenced the commercialization of bt cotton in 2012.

Currently there are four countries that commercialized the growing of bt cotton in Africa that is Burkina Faso, Egypt, Sudan and South Africa the coming on board of Ethiopia and Eswatini will bring the number to six countries.

Scientist,s  touring one of the cotton field trails garden in Ethiopia

The new development in the adaptation of biotechnology in the growing of cotton in the two COMESA member states was approved by the Swaziland Environment Authority (SEA) and the Ethiopian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change granted the landmark approvals in May and June respectively.

According to the statement from the COMESA Secretariat, In Eswatini the Environmental agency approved the cultivation of bt cotton (JKCH 1050) and two varieties in Ethiopia which are (JKCH 1050 and JKCH 1047), are hybrid types. Both varieties JKCH 1047 and JKCH 1050 were previously approved for cultivation in Sudan.

On addition to Cotton, Ethiopia has also granted a five-year special permit for confined field trials for drought tolerance and insect resistance maize varieties (Water Efficient Maize for Africa).

The adoption by Ethiopia and Eswatini brings to three the number of COMESA member States including Sudan that have adopted biotech crop varieties out of a total of four in the African continent.

“It is gratifying to see that the demand-driven support from COMESA and its implementing partners finally came to bear fruit in Eswatini and Ethiopia,” said Dr. Getachew Belay, formerly Senior Biotechnology Policy Advisor, and now African Plant Biosecurity Network Coordinator at COMESA Secretariat.

COMESA, through its specialized agency, the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) supported both Eswatini and Ethiopia in biotechnology/biosafety policy formulations

In the past six years, COMESA conducted awareness and capacity building trainings and experience sharing visits (mainly to Sudan, South Africa, Burkina Faso and India) for parliamentarians, regulatory authorities, researchers, farmers, private sector, media and civil society organizations. It also played a leading role in coordinating activities of other biotechnology/biosafety service providers in these two and other member States.

“It was not easy; however, we knew all along that COMESA has been the most trusted partner to the member States and other biotech stakeholders in handling this controversial and emotive issue of introducing GMO-products in the region,” Dr Belay remarked.

Dr Belay observed that the same varieties are being approved in different countries thus creating a good platform for COMESA member States to exchange data and share experiences amongst themselves without looking too far.

Cotton industry has been one of the leading industries driving Eswatini’s economy. However, production has been dwindling because of insect (bollworm) attack. Small-scale farmers, mostly women, are involved in cotton production and this technology is expected to raise their income earnings.

In Ethiopia, the government has identified the textile industry as one of the priority areas for industrial development and job creation where increased supply of cotton raw material with competitive price is needed.

The country expects to gain one billion dollars export earnings from textile and garment industry by the end of the second Growth and Transformation Plan in 2020.

Sudan commercialized Bt-cotton in 2012, and is now reaping the benefits by doubling productivity. More than 95% of the cotton produced in Sudan is insect resistant biotech (Bt) cotton.

Research trials on biotech maize, banana, cassava, cowpea, enset, and potato have also been underway in other COMESA member States including Malawi, Kenya, Egypt and Uganda.

Dr Belay underscored the importance of documenting the socio-economic changes that will take place after the adoption of such “new” technologies to ensure that countries at field-trial stages gain more confidence to make well informed decisions.

What is Bt-cotton? It is any variety of cotton, genetically enhanced with Bt-genes to protect it against caterpillar pests, especially the African bollworm, which is the most destructive pest in cotton crops.

 scientists believes that  bt cotton reduces use of insecticides from 12 to about three sprays per season hence lowering the cost of production, enhancing populations of natural insect enemies such as ladybirds, and allowing beneficial insects like bees and butterflies to flourish in the cotton crop.