CLIMATE NEWS NETWORK AFRICA

  By Kojanews Team   Call for Submissions  The State of the Union Coalition (SOTU) calls out for submissions of articles from journalists working in the 10 African countries SOTU has membership; Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Senegal, Kenya, Rwanda, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Tunisia. The competition is open to African journalists reporting on Human Rights and Governance issues in the print and digital media.  Deadline: 31 st  May 2016 at 11:59 (GMT +3). Background The State of the Union Coalition (SOTU) is a coalition of civil society organizations working together to advocate for the ratification, domestication, and implementation of African Union (AU) instruments (i.e. treaties, policy frameworks and standards). SOTU believes that the successful implementation of these instruments will have tremendous and positive impact on the lives millions of African citizens.  www.sotu-africa.org Theme: Human Rights and Governance in Africa Categories: Your arti

By Charles Ogallo, Previous gathering of the UN Assembly. Governments and civil societies around the globe are gearing up for the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2) set to be held from 23 to 27 May 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya. Under the theme Delivering on the Environmental Dimension of 2030 Agenda for sustainable Development , the UNEA-2 delegates will be meeting at the UNEP headquarters based at Gigiri ,  Nairobi with a focus on  Healthy Environment and Healthy People issues. . Various sessions have been lined up including a Ministerial Policy-Review Session where Governments’ Ministers will be setting agenda of discussion on International environmental policy and governance. Illegal trade in wildlife, Science-policy interface, Chemicals and waste, Marine plastic debris, Ecosystem-based adaptation, Global Environment Monitoring System/Water Programme, Sustainable development and poverty eradication are among important topics of discussions,  according

By Charles Ogallo. Mr Erik Solhein, New UNEP Chief. United Nations Secretary General Ban  Ki-moon has appointed Mr Erik Solhein , the former Norway’s Minister for the Environment as the next Executive Director of the Nairobi based United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).  Mr Solhein who is currently the chairman of the Development Assistance Committee of the organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OECD was appointed Tuesday following consultations between the UN Secretary General and  the Chairpersons of the regional groups of member states. “United Nations Secretary Genral Ban Ki-moon , following consultations with the Chairpersons of the regional groups of member states has informed the General Assembly of his intention to appoint Erik Solhein of Norway as the new Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme UNEP” say s a statement released Wednesday  through UNEP website. Mr. Solhein held also the post of Norway;’s Minister fo

By Charles Ogallo. Former Mexican Diplomat Patricia Espinosa UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has finally appointed Patricia Espinosa from Mexico as the new Executive Secretary of the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Espinosa who did a great job in leading the Cancun COP in 2010 takes over from  the out-going UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres who prepares to step down in July this year.  The ex-Mexican Foreign Minister's appointment follows approval from the bureau of UNFCCC in Bonn Germany. Christiana Figueres announced recently she will be stepping down in July after the successful Paris climate agreement to cut emissions. The 59-year-old Costa Rican Thursday welcomed Espinosa's appointment saying “I consider Patricia Espinosa the right person at the right time for advancing the historic Paris Climate Change Agreement”. Figueres had earlier noted she would not accept any extension of he