A reflection on the FRACTAL Theory of Change

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Theory of change (ToC)… the concept strikes fear in the hearts of many people working in the field of development aid or applied research. Because of the poor application of this framework in many cases, it’s usually associated with additional, onerous tasks of visualising and mapping objectives and pathways towards these, as well as tracking… Read more »

Twice the global rate

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Twice as fast as the globe? In one of the brief speeches at the Climate Strike event in front of SA parliament last Friday, a statement was broadcasted over the heads of the (unfortunately) moderately sized crowd that “South Africa is warming twice as fast as the globe”. That’s not the first time I’ve heard… Read more »

How agricultural intensification may apply as a climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy in rural South Africa for enhanced food security and environmental sustainability

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Written by: Farirai Rusere (PhD Fellow) South Africa is generally considered as a food secure nation. However, most rural households that engage in rainfed agriculture are food insecure. Climate change has increased the risks and uncertainties associated with rainfed agriculture. South Africa small scale farmers are not immune to these impacts. The impacts of climate change… Read more »

A series of unfortunate events, an opportunity towards resilient cities?

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I’ve recently attended a conference outside Africa and noticed that many people at the conference knew where Mozambique was located. And Mozambique happens to be where I’m from. Almost every year there is a weather related hazard affecting Mozambique due to its geographical location and many other social factors. To compound these hazards, there has… Read more »

Change is possible

Posted by & filed under Climate Change, CSAG Blog, Frontpage.

I don’t know about you, but I personally struggle with finding sense in the contemporary world in the face of climate change, but also in general, in the face of the contemporary world. I’m a scientist, a hydro-climatologist. I work with climate data. I read scientific papers. I know Clausius-Clapeyron equation. I know the planet… Read more »

Is the rainy season shifting?

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Due to climate change, the climate system is undergoing a shift towards a new climate state. Locally, the effects of this transitioning has been described by the Western Cape Government (WCG): “South Africa isn’t safe from the effects of climate change. In 2015, South Africa recorded its lowest annual rainfall since 1904. In the same… Read more »

Unpacking the Cape Town drought: Lessons learned

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By: Gina Ziervogel African Centre for Cities (ACC) has released a new paper Unpacking the Cape Town Drought Lessons Learnt by Associate Professor Gina Ziervogel. The report was commissioned by the Cities Support Programme, within National Treasury in the South Africa National Government, to ensure that lessons learned from Cape Town drought experience would serve to inform other municipalities when… Read more »

What is city relevant climate information and how can it be used?

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Written By Anna Taylor Feature image by Trish Sutherland Cities around the world are increasingly recognized as hotspots of climate impacts, in addition to many being large sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For cities to identify, prioritize and invest in climate adaptation measures that are suitable to their context, relevant information is needed about climate patterns… Read more »