Posts tagged 2023
Climate Impacts on Migrants and the Urban Poor in Sub-Saharan African Cities
Climate Impacts on Migrants and the Urban Poor in Sub-Saharan African Cities

Cities around the world are confronting the increasing frequency and severity of disasters due to climate change, and it is the urban poor who are most affected. Globally, urban informal settlements (so-called “slum areas”) are expanding rapidly, in part because of rural to urban migration. The environmental and public health challenges these settlements face are exacerbated by climate impacts like flooding and extreme heat. In an article in the Journal of Climate Resilience and Climate Justice, we explore environmental problems in informal settlements in two African cities: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Kampala, Uganda.

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Climate Policy LabBethany Tietjen, Karen Jacobsen, Climate Change, 2023, Climate Migration, Floods, climate adaptation, Climate Resilience, Ethiopia, Uganda Comments
The Inflation Reduction Act: One Year On
The Inflation Reduction Act: One Year On

One year ago, President Biden passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA is widely acknowledged as the biggest climate legislation in U.S. history ($392 billion). It serves a dual purpose: to halve U.S. emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels, and to stimulate the economy and national competitiveness. The IRA is an important step in the right direction but only one of many to be taken.

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Climate Policy LabAuthor - Siddharth Jain, 2023, Inflation Reduction Act, low carbon growth, Climate Policy, climate finance, climate change, carbon emissions
Climate Policy Databases: Understanding National Governments’ Progress in Achieving Paris Agreement Targets
Climate Policy Databases: Understanding National Governments’ Progress in Achieving Paris Agreement Targets

The central objective set by the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably 1.5°, compared to pre-industrial levels, also required countries to create plans for action, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs). The United Nations Environment Program’s (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report notes that current NDCs are highly insufficient and make it likely that warming will exceed 1.5° while making it harder to limit warming to below 2° after 2030. The results of the next global stocktake will help governments understand the emissions gap in achieving the Paris Agreement goals and facilitate more ambitious NDCs in the next round of climate change deliberations.

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Climate Policy LabAuthor - Zdenka Myslikova, Author - Soyoung Oh, 2023, Climate Policy, Paris AgreementComment
Climate change harms Africa city, informal settlements hit worst
Climate change harms Africa city, informal settlements hit worst

Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa, has one of the fastest growing economies on the continent. But the country’s rapid urbanization rate is fed by refugee migration and informal settlements that are highly vulnerable to the physical risks of climate change. Addis Ababa, the capital city, is home to some of the highest numbers of informal and slum settlements in the world. This makes Ethiopia an important country for research, particularly in relation to climate-related migration patterns.

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Climate Policy LabAuthor - Abay Yimere, 2023, Resilient Development, Location - Ethiopia, Extreme heat, climate change, climate migrationComment