Innovative Science and Engineering Information Diffusion to Enhance Climate Change Mitigation

and Adaptation Policy Infrastructure in Africa

Wilson Okaka

Coordinator, Research and Education Network for Uganda (Kyambogo University)

P.O. Box 29, Faculty of Education, Kyambogo, Kampala, Uganda

Telephone: (256) 0782588846. Email: okaka.wilsonprof@yahoo.com

Abstract: This paper presents how innovative science and engineering information diffusion to

enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation research can empower people for resilience. It is

vital to create an effective communication strategy for delivering innovation diffusion. In this

review, the paper elaborates on the adverse consequences of climate change effects in Africa, the

efforts so far taken by the East African community (EAC) sub-region, common barriers, national

and regional responses. The consequences of climate change disaster risks from a science and

engineering research policy perspective, social, economic, political, and environmental aspects, call

for early adoption and widespread diffusion of science technology innovations in Africa. Likewise,

there is more urgent need to plan national, sub-regional, and regional strategies for climate change

mitigation and adaptation, and to develop effective regional policy strategy. Africa is already facing

gloomy social, economic, political, and environmental impacts of climate change risks. The foci are

to: strengthen the database to aid climate change research, raise knowledge and awareness of

climate change mitigation and adaptation, enhance gender mainstreaming, curb gas emissions,

technology transfer, communication strategy, theory, ethics, and develop collaborative research.

Key words: Adaptation, communication, diffusion, mitigation, engineering, science technology

Introduction

Innovative science and engineering information diffusion to enhance climate change mitigation and

adaptation policy infrastructure in Africa is critical for climate change resilience. Awareness levels

on the benefits of science, technology, and engineering innovations among the African communities

are quite wanting indeed. The low levels of awareness among citizens on climate change adaptation

and mitigation issues and options is a huge setback to policy implementation. For example, many

surveys have established low public awareness among Ugandans on the opportunities and benefits

of EAC integration, MDGs, besides the EAC climate change policy (Eyotaru, 2013). Uganda has

determined that climate change is manifested in extreme climatic events such as drought, high

temperatures, heavy rains, hail storms, floods, and landslides. The sub-regional body has formulated

a framework for planning effective national and regional climate change policy.

The policy communication responses be crafted to reflect the following background: climate

change risks and disasters have continued to exact severe incidents of social, economic,

environmental, political, and legal challenges at local, national, regional, and global levels; climate

change disaster risks impacts are more severe in the sub-region and across Africa; African continent

is one of the most vulnerable global spheres to the adverse impacts of climate change disaster risks;

economies of the EAC states are largely dependent on climatic and natural environmental resources.

Others are: pervasive mass poverty, low awareness of adaption strategy; cancerous state corruption,

rain-fed agricultural regime dominated by peasantry, high vulnerability to climate change disaster

risks; low awareness and access to information, and low research on climate change disaster risks.

In addition, increasing frequencies of natural disasters like droughts, floods, and landslides are

among the top climate change risks in the region (GoT, 2006, 2012). Others are: sea level rise

which also leads to infrastructure destruction along the coasts, submerging Indian Ocean small

islands, salt water intrusion, contamination of fresh water wells along the coasts in Tanzania, beach

erosions in Mombasa, Kenya, rampant floods, and droughts.

Methodology

In this review, we collated published evidence on climate policy and communication to enhance

capacity building for national and sub-regional vulnerability, adaptation, and mitigation innovations

to climate change using relevant search terms. Information was accessed using internet search

engines and libraries. All documents that were obtained during the review process were used to

broaden the search for primary information sources. Initially additional information was sought

from the databases of national, regional, and international agencies. In the searches, we looked for

documents referring climate change policy and awareness communication strategy. Climate change

policy diffusion and widespread adoption of innovations in science and technologies for community

adaptation and mitigations. First, retrieved documents were scrutinized for relevance and then

carefully examined for evidence. The information was then consolidated and summarized to chart

the way forward using the available infrastructures or facilities in different social, economic,

environmental, legal, and policy applications. Finally, the information was consolidated and

summarized to chart the way forward using the available infrastructures or facilities in different

economic sectors. The reviewer was biased in favour of published literature accessible via internet

searches, and relied on English language documents only. In summary, the study looked for

documents referring to climate change policy and communication framework in the East African

sub-region.

Results and Discussion

The Need for Science and Engineering Research Climate Change Communication Strategy

The objectives of climate change communication approaches are to assess the effectiveness of the

regional climate change adaptation and mitigation policy awareness communication; establish the

information communication channels employed and message reach (audience exposure); audience

participation in message design; identify the challenges of developing an effective communication

strategy for the timely implementation of the national action plan for climate change adaptation, and

explain the effectiveness of public communication campaign evaluation. For example,

communicating climate policy can use different communication approaches with a focus on:

blowing away the myths, a new way of thinking, linking policy and communication, audience

principles, style principles, and effective management. The following methods are recommended:

Target audiences

Branding and key

Messages

Public relations

Seasonality

Using different channels

Television and radio

Printed media

Electronic media

Help lines stakeholder engagement

Direct engagement

Advertising

Community outreaches

Field demonstration centres

Social media (social networking)

Community (citizen journalism)

Volunteer youth clubs (volunteering).

Climate Change Hazards and Disaster Risks in the East African Community States

The recent and current efforts to contain and reverse the adverse effects of climate change disaster

risks taken by the EAC sub-regional countries are still a work in progress. For example,

Uganda has launched a national climate change policy development process following the national

stakeholders’ climate change conference (MWE, 2012). In addition, in the last few decades, Uganda

has experienced an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events with serious

socio-economic consequences (GoU, 2010). With rampant poverty, weak institutional capacity, lack

of skills on climate change adaptation and mitigation, inadequate skills in disaster management,

lack of technology, inadequate funds, and an economic dependence on natural resources; Ugandans

are already vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change. Poor climate conditions will continue to

wipe the agricultural outputs, leading to higher food prices, dwindling national come, and

worsening export trade. Over 98% are unaware of both energy efficiency technologies and clean

alternative energy sources. Lack of awareness of climate change issues requires a communication

strategy on global environmental conventions on climate change (GoU, 2010).

Common Barriers to Climate Change Science-Engineering Innovation Diffusion Issues

The key issues related to climate change include: inadequate disaster risk management as a result of

impacts made worse by climate change; Uganda’s position in international climate change

negotiations is not strong enough to represent and effectively articulate and influence the global

negotiations the interests of Uganda; water supply endangered in quality and quantity because of

climate change; and inadequate mainstreaming of climate in other important sectors such as

communication, energy, food security, and agriculture. The hurdles to enabling environment are:

Conflicting sectoral policies and legal instruments

Conflicting interests of involved entities

Media less interested in covering climate change policy issues

Climate change is given low priority by policy and insufficient allocation of resources

Poor public information and transparency

Awareness of climate change challenges low or biased

Cooperative sharing of responsibilities and mainstreaming weak.

Information Diffusion Issues and Options in Climate Policy Research Infrastructure

In a move to guide its climate change adaptation actions, Uganda’s national adaptation programme

of action (NAPA) was developed in 2007. Currently, the national development plan considers

climate change as a framework to support performance of other sectors, with the following four

main objectives intended to: develop national capacity to coordinate and implement climate change

adaptation and mitigation activities in the country in support of social welfare and national

development; ensure climate proof development planning; promote low carbon economic

development; and meet Uganda's obligations to implement UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol (KP)

The focal institution for climate change activities in Uganda is the CCU. It is being upgraded to the

status of a department (MWE, 2013). The CCU has now made these main achievements by 2012:

NAPA pilot projects in three different ecological regions were launched in 2012.

Draft climate change mainstreaming guides were produced for all sectors to enable them to

integrate climate change policy into their investment development and budgets.

Public awareness campaign was conducted in some 10 districts in Eastern Uganda. This was the

continuation of the previous similar awareness campaigns done in the central, western, northern,

North- western and far eastern regions of the country.

Integration of climate change in the national education curriculum was undertaken in

partnership with the national curriculum development centre (NCDC) for Uganda.

Research on gender and climate change was undertaken by CCU in collaboration with Makerere

University, resulting in a report and a documentary on gender and climate change ready for

publication and distribution, targeting 1,500 stakeholders.

Developed a draft nationally appropriate mitigation action (NAMA) framework, yet to be

validated by stakeholders before submission to the UNFCCC secretariat.

Launched and commenced implementation of a CDC capacity development project. .

Registered 12 CDM projects. Uganda is ranked as Africa’s third best in CDM performance.

Climate Change Policy Infrastructure Development Issues and Projects in Rwanda

At the moment, Rwandan climate change NAPA is being implemented amidst huge barriers. The

main challenges to the national policy framework for mitigation and adaptation policy actions are:

Insufficient knowledge and research, limited integration of adaptation measures in ongoing

institutional efforts, absence of knowledge sharing and information dissemination, weak

intersectoral and multi-stakeholder coordination and collaboration, and lack of climate change

resilient planning, budgeting, and policy infrastructure. The government of Rwanda in collaboration

with UNDP launched a national project titled: Supporting integrated and comprehensive approaches

to climate change adaptation in Africa- building. As a result, the country has embarked on the

individual, community, institutional, and national capacity building process to address climate

change risks and opportunities through a national project approach to adaptation and mitigation

framework. The following project outputs are expected to be realized from the planned project:

Sustainable management of environment, natural resources, and land use;

Enabling policy for effective environmental management/ecosystem-established;

Economic productivity enhanced with environmental and natural resources;

Capacity at national, district, and community levels restored and protected vital ecosystems;

Climate resilient policies and measures;

Financial options for national adaptation costs expanded at local, national, sub-regional, and

regional levels; and

It is established that the impact of climate change disaster risks have continued to be quite dire

in the EAC sub-region’s social, economic, political, environmental, and natural resources.

Information Diffusion Barriers to Rwandan’s Climate Policy Innovation Responses

Rwandan government has embarked on an aggressive climate change NAPA amidst a wide range of

barriers to the planned implementation of the proposed policy framework. The obstacles include:

insufficient knowledge and research; limited integration of adaptation measures in ongoing

institutional efforts, absence of knowledge sharing and information dissemination, weak

intersectoral and multi-stakeholder coordination and collaboration, and lack of climate change

resilient planning, budgeting, and policy setting. Rwanda and UNDP have launched a national

climate change project called: Supporting Integrated and Comprehensive Approaches to Climate

Change Adaptation in Africa- Building a Comprehensive National Approach in Rwanda. The major

objective of the project is to develop the institutional, individual, and systemic capacity to address

climate change risks and opportunities through a national approach to adaptation. The following

project outcomes and impacts are envisaged: sustainable management of environment, natural

resources, and land use; enabling policy framework to support effective environmental management

and ecosystem-established; economic enhancement using natural resources in an environmentally

friendly way; capacity at national, district, and community levels to restore and protect vital

ecosystems against degradation; climate resilient policies and measures; and financial options for

national adaptation costs expanded at local, national, sub-regional, and regional levels.

Climate Change Policy Research and Community Outreach Communication

In addition, the general political EAC integration has been hindered by information gaps, according

to the Ugandan government. Climate change threat is already manifested in Uganda. The

consequences of ignoring a coordinated and coherent action are severe. The following issues were

identified among the important areas: inadequate climate change communication is acting as a

barrier to successfully responding to climate change in Uganda, there is lack of coordination in

communicating climate change policy information in Uganda, several governmental and non-

governmental bodies could act as a central hub for climate change information, public engagement,

poor funding (low budget), and low public profile, and the most urgent priority for effective

communication of climate change in Uganda is the development of a central coordinating body that

can engage with all sectors of society. Uganda has already identified several issues for its national

action plan for climate change strategy. Traditional coping strategies to climate change risks were

discussed during the PRA with local communities. Data were collected and analyzed. The list below

shows the ranking of identified intervention areas (MWE, 2012) in communities:

Indigenous knowledge (IK) documentation and awareness creation;

Farm forestry;

Water resources;

Weather and climate information;

Policy, legislation and planning;

Land and soil management;

Disaster preparedness;

Alternative livelihoods;

Health; and

Infrastructure.

The East African media is not yet fully engaged in covering climate change science, technology,

and engineering innovation research issues. Training programs to assist both journalists and editors

are essential, but civil society organizations must also improve the way they engage with the media,

packaging information in a clear and simple way and actively attracting media attention. Local

languages lack terms for many key concepts involved in climate change –including ‘climate

change’ itself. Communicators should attempt to explain climate change using terms that already

exist, using graphic examples of local environmental problems and innovative communication

methods to get the message across. Raising awareness of climate change is critical. Local and

national politicians are ill informed about climate change although environmental services are

decentralized under local governments. Needless to say, awareness campaigns should focus on local

politicians to act on climate change. In Uganda, the MPs have now formed a special parliamentary

committee on climate change adaptation and mitigation awareness communication campaigns.

Over 20 million Ugandans (68.5%) are classified as food insecure. The major cause of food

insecurity in Uganda is climate change manifested in form of extreme weather conditions like:

drought; shortage of water and pasture, crop failure, famine, increased food prices,

food/Emergencies, inter district migrations, economic loss/loss of income, high temperatures; lead

to escalating vectors (pests and diseases), crop wilting, poor yields, heavy rainfall; crop destruction,

soil erosion and leaching, contamination of water sources, livestock and crop diseases, flooding;

leads to increased crop, livestock, and human diseases; loss of lives and livestock; destruction of

crops and infrastructure, post harvest losses, water pollution (GoU, 2010).

Information Diffusion issues in the East African Community Climate Policy Infrastructure

The EAC sub-region is vulnerable to impacts of climate change, affecting key economic drivers like

water, agriculture, energy, transport, health, forestry, wildlife, land use, infrastructure, and disaster

risk management among others (EAC, 2011). The impacts include water stress and scarcity food

insecurity diminished hydropower generation potential; loss of biodiversity and ecosystem

degradation; increased incidence of disease burden; destruction of infrastructure; high costs of

disaster management as result of increased frequency and intensity of droughts, floods, and

landslides associated with the El Niño phenomenon. The process of developing the EAC climate

change policy was initiated. The summit directed the development of a regional climate change

policy and strategies to urgently respond to the adverse impact of climate change, including

addressing the challenge of food insecurity as a result of climate change. In addition, the

development of the policy is in fulfillment of the objectives of the EAC; to develop policies and

programmes aimed at widening and deepening cooperation among Partner States in accordance

with the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC. The policy process was guided by the emerging

issues and potential opportunities. The Policy was developed in a participatory approach by experts

from the five EAC states of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania.

The EACC policy elements are grounded on three key pillars: adaptation, mitigation and

climate change research. The pillars need capacity building; technology development and transfer;

finance; education, training, and public awareness based on information and knowledge

management. Gender issues are well integrated into sub-regional policy. Key adaptation priorities

will include strengthening meteorological services and improving early warning systems; disaster

risk management; risk reduction, preparedness, mitigation and reconstruction; scaling up of

efficient use of water and energy; irrigation; crop and livestock production, protecting fragile

ecosystems like wetlands, coasts, marine, forestry; land use, soil; tourism; infrastructure; and

reducing climate infections, illnesses, and diseases. Mitigation measures include afforestation,

reforestation, promoting energy efficiency, efficient crop and livestock production systems,

efficient transport systems, waste management, and renewable energy. The East African climate

change policy aims to create, develop, and sustain adaptation and mitigation capacity at all levels.

Adaptive capacity refers to the potential or capability of a system to adjust to climate change,

including climate variability and extremes, so as to moderate potential damages, to take advantage

of opportunities, or to cope with consequences (Smit, & Pilifosova, 2001). As the name suggests,

adaptive capacity is the capability of a system to adjust to impacts of climate change. The following

factors determine climate change impacts adaptive capacity: wealth, science, technology, education,

institutions, information, infrastructure, and social capital.

The Key Adaptation Needs for the EAC Sub-Region Climate Change Policy

Given the actual and potential adverse effects of climate change it is vital to identify relevant

adaptation options including capacity building, policy reform, integration into sectoral policies and

project-level activities. A set of locally-driven criteria determined the selection of priority

adaptation activities. They include (UNFCCC, 2002): level of adverse effects of climate change;

poverty reduction to enhance adaptive capacity; synergy with other multilateral environmental

agreements; and cost-effectiveness. The criteria priorities are: loss of life and livelihood; human

health; food security and agriculture; water availability, quality and accessibility; essential

infrastructure; cultural heritage; biological diversity; land-use management and forestry; other

environmental amenities; and coastal zones and associated loss of land.

Climate Change National Adaptation Programme of Action Strategy for Tanzania

The policy strategy considers national development policies, strategies, and plans are: environment,

water, land, forestry, energy, transport, agriculture, livestock, fishery, health, and gender.

Tanzania and the rest of the EAC states of Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya have developed

national adaptation program of actions (NAPAs), which are in various stages of implementation.

The NAPAs identified urgent and priority projects that are needed to enhance adaptation capacities

to the adverse impacts of climate change. Kenya, on the other hand, has already prepared a national

climate change response strategy which spells out the priority areas for adaptation and mitigation

activities. The states are expected to prepare national communications on the status of implementing

of the UNFCCC activities. Climate change mitigation potential in the region can be achieved

particularly through the energy sector by harnessing geothermal power along the East African rift

valley, wind energy, hydropower, solar energy and natural gas; waste management like methane

recovery, cogeneration by industrial and agricultural sectors. The EAC treaty (EAC, 1999) calls for

co-operation in the management of the environment, disaster preparedness and management,

protection and mitigation measures especially for the control of natural and man-made disasters.

The ultimate objective of the UNFCCC is to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations

in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the

climate system within a timeframe sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate

change, to ensure food security and sustainable economic development (UNFCCC, 2005).

EAC Climate Change Policy Information Diffusion Issues, Principles, Goals, and Objectives

The aim of the policy is to coordinate climate change regional strategies, programmers, and actions.

The objectives are to: establish a regional framework to guide the harmonization, coordination and

implementation of climate change initiatives amongst member states; identify priority adaptation

and mitigation action areas and roles of the states and other stakeholders to address climate change

in the region; promote public awareness and socio-economic importance of climate change,

including vulnerability, impacts, risks, and response measures in the region; promote capacity

building efforts through, inter alia education, training, research, technology development and

transfer, information and knowledge management; promote climate change research and

observations through monitoring, detection, attribution and model prediction to enhance climate

change preparedness; support the integration of climate change into regional development processes

and planning including disaster risk management and gender equality; and facilitate resource

mobilization to implement national and the EAC climate change policy strategy and master plan.

There are daunting challenges facing national and regional mitigation actions and

strategies. Despite the EAC countries to get finance, technology, and capacity to support mitigation

measures in the developing countries under the Kyoto Protocol, the following challenges still exist;

Lack of financial resources to implement mitigation actions identified in the NAPAs

Weak science and engineering research capacity;

Weak policy infrastructure and policy research dissemination initiatives;

Appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs);

Inadequate technical capacities to develop climate change mitigation project activities;

Bureaucracy and high costs of CDM project development processes;

Accessible database for project management, monitoring, and evaluation; and

Weak institutional capacities and lack of legal and regulatory frameworks for CDMs.

The implementation of the policy mandates the EAC secretariat and each member state to

undertake the following: various implementation instruments should be developed to implement the

policy. These include an elaborate climate change strategy and master plan. Member states

undertake to develop country specific policies, strategies, plans of action, legislation and establish

institutional arrangements for addressing climate change in line with the EACC policy. The EAC

secretariat collaborates with relevant EAC organs and institutions and state institutions in the

execution of regional programmes, projects, and activities. This would be achieved through

strengthening and mobilizing of capacities of existing relevant institutions and facilities in the

region to meet the pressing climate change challenges. There should be well planned institutional

framework to plan, effect, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the policy implementation.

Financial resources to implement the policy are key elements in the implementation of the

policy; substantial funds will be required to support mitigation and adaptation initiatives; and

sustainable funding to be mobilized from the development partners. Likewise, technology

development and transfer are equally critical for the policy implementation. Development and

transfer of technology are critical to achieve adaptation and mitigation in the region. Key areas of

focus in the field of technology include: adaptation and mitigation options; barriers to technology

access; research, development; and best environmental technological (BET), and best alternative

technologies (BAT).

The effectiveness of climate policy implemented implementation should lead to the following

issues and options: enhance technology development and transfer, including hard technological

solutions such as drip irrigation, water harvesting, drought tolerant crop varieties, renewable energy

technologies and building technologies; and soft technology such as knowledge, systems,

procedures and best practices; address technology transfer barriers, including rules of trade

agreements, intellectual property rights (IPRs) and technical trade barriers such as standards, eco-

labeling; and enhance and support research and development capacity to foster the development and

local manufacture of cleaner production technologies to aid climate change mitigation and

adaptation. The capacity building for climate change adaptation and mitigation shall focus on:

Research and systematic observations;

Education, training and public awareness;

Technology transfer and development;

Information sharing, communication, and knowledge management;

Institutional strengthening and development;

Climate change finance;

Science and engineering capacity building;

Climate change negotiations; and

Partnership building and networking.

EAC Climate Change Policy Innovation Research and Information Diffusion Monitoring

A monitoring and evaluation framework is vital for climate policy success in the region. The EAC

secretariat develops tools and guidelines for monitoring the implementation of the policy at regional

level. These include the climate change responsive monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, the

EAC climate change strategy and master plan (EAC, 2012). Likewise, climate in Africa is diverse,

and controlled by complex interactions between the oceans, land, and atmosphere at local, regional,

and global scales (ICSU, 2008). As a consequence, and considering the fact that livelihoods at all

levels – from the individual household to the regional economy – depend heavily on climate,

several studies have concluded that Africa is among the most vulnerable continents to the climate

changes that threaten even higher temperatures and greater variability in future (ICSU, 2007). The

continent’s vulnerability is likely to increase in future. However, the adaptive capacity of local,

national and regional institutions in Africa is relatively low, due to weak economic, human,

infrastructural, information, governance, corruption, and conflicts that worsen the fragile situation.

As a result, Africa is faced with the option of grappling with economic, scientific,

engineering, political, and social issues with limited scientific capacity, public awareness, and

finance to implement policy infrastructures. Capacity building here means providing frameworks

for project identification, formulation, and implementation and making the greatest possible use of

existing skills and resources. The six capacity building issues are: building and strengthening

human capital; providing research infrastructure, adequate remuneration, and incentives for

researchers, so as to retain capacity; communicating more effectively between science and society;

and developing the culture of strong links between science and policy; strengthening the links

between education and research, and among researchers in different parts of the continent, to form

critical mass; develop national strategies for capacity building.

The key constraints encountered in capacity building include: lack of an integrated or cross-

sectored approach; lack of high-level political commitment; communication difficulties among the

agencies, institutions, government departments, NGOs, and communities involved in the capacity-

building activity; data gaps and weaknesses; securing cross-border and inter-regional cooperation;

bureaucratic systems and difficulties in identifying training opportunities; lack of awareness; public

awareness-raising activities in civil society; capacity-building should be integrated into the overall

public-sector reform; specific capacity-building projects are more successful when they establish

policy links to other ministries such as agriculture, water, energy, and finance; capacity building

should involve institutional and human resource development, institutional capacity building should

involve decision- makers at the highest level; both donors and host countries should adopt a long-

term approach to capacity building and this requires financial sustainability; national capacity

building activities and demand-driven, and to ensure support needed for their outcomes sustainable.

Other key issues are: lack of funding, new technologies, and spare parts and know- how needed

for equipment maintenance; the loss of trained staff who take up more attractive offers outside the

public sector results in a brain drain, and compromises future capacity development; lack of

functional institutional, policy, and legal frameworks to build capacity; lack of political stability or

the existence of security problems; recruiting talent into science is a concern; widening gap between

advancing scientific knowledge and technology and society’s ability to capture and use them;

knowledge gaps will require putting in place national strategies for science and technology

development that are linked to effective policies; and disconnects between research and policy.

Capacity building faces key challenges in the sub-region. Knowledge, technology, and capacity

gaps with a few exceptions, countries in sub-Saharan Africa lack the capacity to conduct research

on natural and human-induced hazards and disasters, or to apply the knowledge and deploy

technologies to mitigate disasters (ICSU, 2007). Research is needed on how to communicate

warnings of impending disasters effectively, and how to disseminate knowledge to help

communities to improve their resilience. The values, needs, and interests of different groups and

stakeholders should be taken into account. Rural communities have developed specific coping

strategies. Vulnerability and resilience of technological systems all countries, including those in

sub-Saharan Africa, depend on their power transmission and information technology infrastructure,

and the level of dependence is likely to increase as African countries seek to bridge the ‘digital

divide’. Many natural hazards such as floods, earthquakes, and space weather, can damage these

technological systems and cause widespread chaos and economic loss.

Effective transfer of information to policy and decision-makers need to establish dialogue among

scientists, policy- and decision-makers. As environmental degradation is not only a technical

(scientific) problem, any discussion of environmental degradation should involve policy- and

decision-makers. Research is needed on how to translate research results into policies that minimize

the human and economic cost of hazards, for example, in land use planning and environmental

issues. There is more urgent need to transmit scientific knowledge on hazards to support early

warning and preparedness. The challenge is how to provide relevant education at different levels

(communities, schools, tertiary institutions) to facilitate mitigation of hazards. A gender perspective

is needed in disaster risk management policies, plans, and decision-making processes, including

those related to risk assessment, education, and training.

Science, engineering, and education and awareness-raising communication campaigns should be

directed, as far as possible, at the stakeholders at all levels, and use all structures and establishments

to ensure understanding of early warnings of forthcoming hazards and disasters. It is vital to

introduce key research findings into school and tertiary curricula by developing teaching aids, for

example, DVDs, CDs, and posters. On-line computer-aided interactive learning modules should be

developed, for example, case histories with real data and tutorial exercises (an on-line module is

being developed by universities in Mauritius, Malta, and the South Pacific dealing with

vulnerability of islands to natural disasters). The African Virtual University (AVU) in Nairobi is

developing teaching materials. The University of South Africa (a distance learning institution)

offers a module in disaster management. The University of Botswana has established policy on

‘virtual centers’ to link climate research scientists working on environmental hazards and disasters.

Communication theories like diffusion of innovations theory are required in climate change

policy innovation dissemination. The focus of diffusion of innovations theory is creating awareness

through information dissemination among the target audiences (Rogers, 1962). Diffusion model

identifies the problem as lack of information whose goal (outcome) is behaviour change. The

solution to lack of climate change information is information the transfer to spur the required

knowledge, attitude and practice. The different types of interventions include: social marketing,

entertainment, advocacy, social networking, and education. The diffusion of innovations theory

studies how, why, and at what rate new ideas spread through cultures (Rogers, 1995). The relevance

of innovation diffusion theory is to explain the importance of information dissemination as a

precondition for awareness, attitudinal, and behaviour change for adoption and mitigation of climate

change technology and research innovations (Okaka, 2010). At every level of society – from

ordinary citizens and farmers, to the media, civil society organizations and local and national

governments on the need for accurate and reliable information about climate change is very high

since little is known about how to communicate climate change (Panos, 2012).

Public awareness must be raised about the emerging carbon trading that delivers incomes to

individuals, families, and companies. Knowledge sharing of the costs and benefits of carbon trading

is an essential step to accessing the financial advantages that carbon trading brings (Panos, 2012).

As a result, there is a need for the policy information gaps to be plugged and dissemination of

information to be refined for climate change policy to have impact in Africa (Okaka, 2011). Most of

the severe problems of the increasing vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change among the

indigenous communities in Uganda have come about because there are still information gaps

regarding the functions, values and importance of the wise use of natural and environmental

resources by communities, institutions, and industries. The governments, researchers and research

institutions, research networks, civil society organization (NGOs), communities, and external

development partners in the EAC are aware of this fact. It is imperative for the Africa to develop an

effective regional climate change adaptation policy advocacy campaigns on the hazards of climate

change disasters. Africa must achieve sustainable development goals led by ICT innovations,

collaborative research, international cooperation, and applied gender equality (UN FCCC, 2002).

In Tanzania, NAPA project considered the country’s climate change related vulnerabilities in

all sectors which are important to the economy (GoT, 2012). After identification of vulnerabilities

in each sector, key adaptation options and strategies that would best address those vulnerabilities

were developed. The consultations were undertaken at national, regional as well as district levels.

Using a list of agreed criteria that best suits Tanzanian conditions and local environment, 14 priority

project activities were identified. The following project activities were ranked in order of their

perceived importance in fighting poverty: water efficiency in crop irrigation to boost production and

conserve water areas; alternative farming systems and water harvesting; develop alternative water

storage programs and technology for communities; community based catchments conservation and

management programmes; invest in renewable sources such as wind, solar, biomass, hydro,

biodiesel; promotion of use of cogeneration in the industry sector for lost hydro potential;

afforestation programs in degraded lands using adaptive and fast growing trees; develop community

forest fire prevention plans and programmes; establish community awareness campaigns for

preventive health hazards; develop sustainable tourism, wildlife outreaches, and rural communities

wildlife resources; water harvesting and recycling; construct infrastructures like: sea walls, sand

beaches, beach management system; and establish good land tenure system and facilitate

sustainable human settlements. Studies of communication strategies for energy policy leaders found

high demand for radio, TV, libraries, radio, books, reports, NGOs, newspapers, magazines,

professional journals, internet, colleagues, telephones, and report reading on climate change and

global warming (Okaka, 2010).

Conclusion

There are disastrous social, economic, political, and environmental consequences due to climate

change in Africa. It would suffice to develop a sustainable framework for mitigating climate change

effects in the context of public communication. Climate change poses a significant threat to lives

and livelihoods in Africa. Government policies, low-carbon technologies and financial support from

international donors will all play a role in EAC’s responses to climate change. But central to the

fight against climate change in the East African community member states is effective

communication in public engagement. The strategic priorities outlined in the new national climate

change policy guidelines and policy principles in the first East African climate change policy are to:

mainstream and coordinate response to climate change; communicate effectively and promote

participatory approaches; promote community-based approaches to adaptation; devote adequate

attention to capacity development and institutional set-ups; devote adequate attention to technology

needs, development, and transfer; identify, develop, and influence financing mechanisms; provide a

credible delivery structure for climate information service; address cross-cutting issues in

community outreaches and communication ethics; deploy ICTs in all climate change policy and

communication activities; and gender mainstream in gender equality and equity in decision making.

Furthermore, at all levels of society, right from ordinary citizens and farmers, to the media, civil

society organizations and local and national governments, the need for accurate and reliable

information about climate change is very high. Public awareness must be raised about the emerging

carbon trading sector. There gains in carbon trading for incomes to citizens and in curbing GHG

emissions risks. On its part, the African Development Bank (ADB) has fashioned its corporate

functions to enhance the role of effective communication strategy for climate change policy for

sustainable development in Africa. The bank’s mandate on climate change mitigations, adaptation,

and financing policy is pivotal to its mandated core business. ADB has adopted a holistic result-

oriented action plan because climate seriously threatens poverty reduction policies for achievement

of the MDGs in Africa. Climate change has exacted a deathblow on agriculture, food and water

security, human and animal health, biodiversity, land and environmental degradation in Africa.

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