Cameroon’s Carbon Emissions Rise 4% in Four Years

Deforestation as a result of logging and agricultural expansion is believed to be the main driving force as Cameroon increases output of climate-change causing greenhouse gasses  BY ISRAEL BIONYI

Cleared: Cameroon has lost more than 13% of its forest cover

DOUALA—The emission of greenhouse gases, the main factor driving climate change, has increased in Cameroon, in spite of the global effort to curb their presence in the atmosphere.

A new World Bank estimate shows that between 2009 and 2013, Cameroon pumped up four percent more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases than in previous years.

Cameroon is located in the Congo Basin, one of the places the world looks up to for keeping emissions down because of the carbon-sinking ability of its forest.

According to the estimates, however, Cameroon contributed up to 45.4% of all emissions in the six-nation CEMAC sub-region that makes up part of the Congo Basin.

Deforestation appears to have been the maindriver of emissions in the country and sub-region in spite of efforts like Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation or REDD.

Climate change experts believe 20% of the world’s emissions of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) come from deforestation. It is the leading source of emissions in the developing world.

Uncontrolled logging, agricultural expansion and other factors cleared up 13% of the Cameroon’s forest between 1990 and 2005, says The World Conservation Monitoring Center.

In 2012, Cameroon cancelled the licenses of 27 forest exploiters because of unsustainable and illegal logging but that doesn’t appeared to have had a big impact.

An REDD initiative to reduce GHGs emissions from landfills in Cameroon could not be expanded to other sub-regional countries because of lack of funds and long delays.

In 2013, an initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfill sites in Cameroon by REDD could not be expanded to other Countries in the Central African Region.

Promoters said it failed to attract sufficient funding and suffered major delays.
Cameroon’s economy is highly dependent on agriculture and logging, which account for 20.7% and 6.7% (1996/1997 estimate) of the annual GDP.

“The human race may be threatened if the fight [against climate change] is not intensified, said one expert.
“If we don’t reduce this carbon footprints it can affect the Weather patterns affect the life cycle of other organisms.”

This article was first published on Standard tribune.

CAMEROON EMITS 45.4% OF THE 15,429KT TOTAL CO2 IN THE CEMAC REGION 2013

The World Bank reported Cameroon has made a 4% increase in CO2e (Carbon Dioxide Emission)

Heavy Gas Emissions cause Global Warming and Increase in Tamperature

Despite the fact that the World Bank, Climate change bodies and the United States are fighting to reduce the Green House Effect, the level of CO2e in the CEMAC countries is still at the rise, Cameroon contributing 45.4%. The World Bank Data report indicates that Cameroon has increased the level of her emissions to 4% since 2009.

Many experts believe that this rate of increase is due to unorthodox logging. This activity together with fuel search, industrialization and agriculture has caused 13% of the forest to disappear between 1990 and 2005 says The World Conservation Monitoring Center. Although Philippe Ngolle Ngwese, Camerooons Minister of Forestry and wild Life suspended some 27 lawless Logging companies in 2012, it has not stopped the logging companies from cutting down trees uncontrollably.

An environmental activist in Bertoua revealed to us that the real statistics about forest disappearance are yet to be unveiled, he said “ driving from Douala down to Bertoua and to Yokadouma, you can discover that each day yards of forest are been cleared of either by farmers, Government contractors for construction or by private petroleum companies. Driving through this road, I discovered in every one kilometer there was a great amount of forest that had been chopped off by either of the above mentioned people”.

Forest distroyed by Petroleum Company to create petrol station

Environmental experts say that deforestation accounts for as much as 20 percent of the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions and constitutes the largest source of emissions in the developing world. The United Nations programme aimed at Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries have not succeeded to push to extend to other countries in the CEMAC Zone. In 2013 an initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfill sites in Cameroon by REDD could not be expanded to other Countries in the Central African Region, this due to break down in Finances and delays.

US PRESIDENTIAL CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PROJECT

According to Climate Change Communication.Org the world needs to stabilize the Atmospheric CO2 the level of CO2e by 400ppm (Parts per Million) and 450ppm respectively by 2050 to keep the climate atmospheric condition of 2°C/3.5°F.

In order to stabilize CO2 concentrations at about 450 ppm by 2050, global emissions would have to decline by about 60% by 2050. Industrialized countries greenhouse gas emissions would have to decline by about 80% by 2050.

 This will mean that global economy’s GDP to decline by 3%. Cameroon is at a GDP of 5-6% per Annum and are expecting to take it to 12-18% by 2020, are we sure they can respect this project if the US decides to implement? Can we actually stop climate change and deforestation in this region with high demand of Timber in Europe and in China? Question Posed by the Wink writes to you readers.

Milton Munang Talks about WWF Youth Volunteer Programme.

Milton Munang is the first Cameroonian to participate in the WWF Youth Volunteer Programme. He became part of this great mission in 2011 after his university studies at the University of Buea. During an Interview last Monday with the Wink Writes Media, Milton revealed two Cameroonians have attended this programme since he opened the way in 2011.

Milton Munang in Madagascar

To him, The WWF youth volunteer programmme is a life time experience and a great opportunity for youths with great passion for conservation and the environment to develop personal multi dimensional skills necessary for community development. He stressed the program offers a multicultural and multinational atmosphere, high standards of job practice, which completely change the vision and mentality of every attendee.

With a set 6 well selected participants coming from different ends of the world, Milton says,   his experience on like others was one of a kind. “Although this programme does not link you directly to a job, the people you meet, the opportunities you get at hand make you unstoppable and indispensable in your career and field of practice. Let me confess to you three weeks after my program, I had several job openings waiting for me to fit in.”

To add more to that Milton said “ I believe WWF volunteer experience gave me more than just  a skill and believe one day I will have a chance to work with them to give in back what I learned, the Malgash people and my team mates made my experience memorable  fresh in mind.

Photo of Milton Munang's 2011 WWF Youth Volunteer Expereince

When Milton learned the Founder and CEO of The Wink Writes; Israel Bionyi Nyoh was going to take part in this year’s programme, he introduced strong words to him: “be yourself, dynamic and hardworking and you shall find yourself and the project excelling excellently”

Martina Lippuner WWF Media Officer Switzerland

His words were strong, even more heartfelt and touching was that of Martina Lippuner‘s experience – Media Officer, WWF-Switzerland (formerly Communications Manager at WWF-Madagascar). Written in a very subtle way, the story is said to have brought to light the stories of thousands of Journalists who work in conservation and environment, Activists, explorers and so important the stories of the local people who always have their cultures and traditions to let go in favor of environmental sustainability.

2014 Participants of WWF Youth Volunteer Programme Madagascar

The founder of the Wink writes will be working on the WWF Madagascar project of "Improved Livelihoods through Solar-powered Desalinization of ground water in the villages along the Coast of southwestern Madagascar & Paysage Mahafaly" (projet marin) at Beheloke, Toliara, with 5 other young, dynamic and fun loving people:

1.        Ms Soaelina Aina, Madagascar
2.        Ms Enathe Hasabwamariya, Rwanda
3.        Mr Israel Bionyi Nyoh, Cameroon
4.   Mr Gregg Smith, UK
5.   Ms Navarana Smith, Canada
6.   Ms Marlies Volckaert, Belgium

They will be supervised by Moia Hartop Soutter which Ivo Tapang Tanku WWF Communication Volunteer for Central African Region describes as an excellent programme Manager who have a lot of passion and humours all the volunteers under her programme with  great care and love.

Poaching and illegal wildlife trade threaten tourism and development options in Africa

Moses Kalongashawa, Minister of Tourism and Culture in Malawi noted that poaching is an issue of huge concern in Africa © GIZBerlin, Germany, 6th March 2014—Panellists at an event held in Berlin, Germany, during ITB—the world’s largest tourism fair—concurred today that record poaching levels of rhinos and elephants are not only threatening the basis of tourism but also tourism-based development options in Africa.

In his opening remarks, Hon. Moses Kalongashawa, Minister of Tourism and Culture in Malawi, and Chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ministers responsible for Tourism noted that the issue of poaching is of huge concern and Africa is losing wildlife at record rates each year to poachers and illegal trade. He said this was because of the involvement of organized criminal syndicates in elephant and rhino poaching, with criminals now deploying advanced technologies ranging from night vision scopes, silenced weapons, darting equipment and helicopters, to carry out their missions.

The audience at the ITB © GIZIn the following keynote address, Mr Les Carlisle, Group Conservation Manager at &beyond, a conservation-led safari lodge operator in Africa and Asia, reflected on the challenge of poaching from a private sector perspective. He highlighted that poaching presents a critical threat to wildlife-based tourism operations and that the private sector plays an important role in facing this serious challenge. He underlined the importance of working closely with local communities and ensuring long-term income and benefits, which are key to protecting wildlife and sustaining parks. According to Mr Carlisle, “investment in local community development around our company’s wildlife areas is really producing dividends in the intelligence required for pro-active anti-poaching actions.”

Mr Sem Shikongo, Director of Tourism and Gaming at the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and Board Chairperson of the Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA), confirmed that community-based initiatives in Namibia are already suffering from the impact of poaching and that wildlife crime is depriving Africa of its tourism-based development options.

Klemens Riha of GIZ explained Germany’s innovative approach to help combat poaching and illegal trade of African wildlife. Presenting the collaboration of five German federal ministries through a Project on Combating Poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trade in Ivory/Rhino-horn,[1] Mr Riha spoke about how effective co-operation is essential to combat such highly organized crime. As GIZ’s Coordinator of the project, he added “Poaching and illegal wildlife trade is not only affecting the conservation of the targeted species, which are already endangered in many places, it is also increasingly threatening the livelihoods and security of the affected human populations.”

Panelists (l to r): Klemens Riha (GIZ), Roland Melisch (TRAFFIC), Dirk Glaesser (UN-World Tourism Organization)© GIZAsked about the most important measures to be implemented globally to combat the poaching crisis in Africa in the short and long term, Roland Melisch, TRAFFIC’s Senior Programme Director for Africa and Europe responded: “The three essential elements needed to fight this crisis are: ramping up anti-poaching measures, shutting down illegal trade routes using state-of-the-art technology along the whole trade chain, and supporting efforts to reduce the demand for illegal African wildlife in Asia.” Organized smuggling syndicates can only be fought by deploying cutting-edge forensic technologies, and by building the capacity of African and Asian law enforcement officers in the use of such modern technology—adapted to the needs on a country by country basis. Furthermore, governmental efforts at supply and demand reduction for illegal wildlife products in Asia need to be strongly supported.

From the perspective of South African National Parks, Joep Stevens, General Manager Strategic Tourism Services said that SANParks is getting more sophisticated in their fight against poaching. “We are now committing to technologically advanced intensive protection zones (IPZs), pro-active intelligence led anti-poaching and creative development of alternative economic choices for communities,” he told the audience.
It became clear that the “Big 5” African wildlife species (elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo) are hugely important to the tourism industry in terms of product development as well as marketing. For local people, photo-safaris and controlled trophy hunting tourism adds to the acceptance of protected areas by providing sustainable economic incentives and an alternative to poaching.

Participants concluded that enhanced collaboration of law enforcement staff at national level and beyond is a cornerstone to combat poaching and key to protect future sustainable development options for Africa’s rural areas.

The event was facilitated by Jennifer Seif, Executive Director at Fair Trade Tourism, and jointly organized by the Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA) in co-operation with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, on behalf of and financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

This article was first published by http://www.traffic.org/