Namibia is a land of other-worldly landscapes of breath-taking scale and splendour. With a dramatic geological past, and an arid climate shaped by the effects of the frigid Benguela ocean current which sweeps along its coastline, this sparsely-populated country in the southwest of Africa is home to a wide array of largely-rural peoples, rich biodiversity, and unique ecosystems.
Through the GEF's Small Grants Programme, a project in Kazakhstan assisted local farmers with reestablishment of traditional agricultual practices lost with the fall of the Soviet Union. The project, called the Shiyen Public Fund, established a number of important initiatives. First, villagers were able to combine their cattle and hire professional shepherds to herd them to distant pasture areas. Second, with project support, local experts have trained the villagers on traditional methods of seasonal pasture management to sustain the productivity of the pasturelands and hayfields.
By Sharan Burrow, general secretary, International Trade Union Confederation
The world economy has grown three times richer over the last 30 years, yet working people have been marginalised. People are frightened about the future. They want to know there is security and opportunity for themselves and their children.
"Thanks to this project, I can truly say: 'mambo si kama zamani' (Swahili for: 'things are not like in the past') - our lives are better. Women now have a voice. We participate in decision-making, share leadership positions, and earn a better living from farming activities." Mrs. Esther Kuluo, member of the Ilaretok Farmer Field School, and Treasurer of the Ilaretok Water Management Committee, North Narok, Kenya.
By N H Ravindranath
Two global commons resources, fertile land and water, will be critical as the world’s population increases. Having crossed 7 billion in 2010 – rising from about 3.7 billion 40 years earlier – the number of people is likely to rise to 9-10 billion by 2050. This presents a big challenge: can the world feed so many and provide them fresh water?
Josephat has a problem. He’s having difficulty paying school fees for his seven children. And his mother needs treatment for diabetes. That will mean more expenses.
Josephat – a subsistence farmer – his wife and children live on a two-acre farm. It is in a moist oasis surrounded by drylands. Because it is very fertile land, he is able to feed his family and generate a small profit from the surplus produce. His income is just enough to pay for the school fees of four of his seven children.
Benin has its fair share of energy challenges. Only a third of the nation’s population has access to electricity, frequent outages disrupt service, over 80 percent of the nation’s electricity is imported, wood remains a prime source for cooking, and a changing climate means higher temperatures and even greater strains on the nation’s energy supplies.
By Homi Kharas, deputy director, global economy and development programme, Brookings Institute
“The best things in life are free”, says the old song. When it comes to the global commons – clean air, healthy oceans, conservation of diverse species – this is no longer true. We’ve abused the great systems of our planet for centuries and now it’s time to pay the bill.
Kazakhstan’s classrooms are in the frontline of the battle against global warming, with green technology helping to make schools more energy efficient.
“The first thing that springs into mind when you think about schools is learning and grades. But these are impossible without proper basic conditions like warmth and good light,” says Tatyana Nemtsan, head teacher of Vyacheslavskaya School in Arnasay, Akmola Region. Flickering lights and the buzzing noise made by old equipment can cause serious health problems such as bad vision and splitting headaches.
By Yolanda Kakabadse, former president, WWF International
Underneath its vast blue surface, the ocean’s value – to our planet and people alike – is almost incalculable. It puts food on the table and underpins trillions of dollars of economic activity worldwide. It produces 50 % of our oxygen, absorbs heat and re-distributes it around the world, and regulates the world’s weather systems. Quite simply, life could not exist without these enormous marine resources and the goods and services they provide, seemingly endlessly.
