scholarly journals A Review on Contaminants of Emerging Concern in the Environment: A Focus on Active Chemicals in Sub-Saharan Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
Asha S. Ripanda ◽  
Mwemezi Johaiven Rwiza ◽  
Elias C. Nyanza ◽  
Karoli Njau ◽  
Said A. H. Vuai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Chain ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Contaminants Of Emerging Concern ◽  
Additive Effects ◽  
Single Drug ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Environmental Compartments

Active chemicals are among the contaminants of emerging concern that are rarely covered in regulatory documents in sub-Saharan Africa. These substances are neither in the list of routinely monitored substances nor in the guidelines for routine environmental monitoring activities. This has been of concern to public health officials, toxicologists, communities, and governments, hence the need for risk assessment and regulation of these substances. In this review article, the presence of active chemicals in the sub-Saharan African environment was investigated. The results indicate the availability of few studies in some countries, while in other countries no reports of active chemicals were found, hence the need for further research targeting such countries. It was further observed that mixtures of active chemicals from different therapeutic categories—such as antibiotics and analgesics—were reported. The natural environment is increasingly at risk due to the presence of these substances, their metabolites, and their transformation byproducts. These substances are characterized by persistence as a result of their non-biodegradable nature; hence, they circulate from one environmental compartment to another through the food chain, causing harm along the way. Most studies that evaluated the toxicity of these substances considered the effects of a single drug, but observations indicated the presence of drug mixtures, hence the need for further evaluation of the effects of drug–drug interactions—including synergistic and additive effects—for environmental sustainability. The presence of ACs in several environmental compartments at quantifiable quantities was discovered in this investigation, indicating the potential for ecosystem injury as a result of bioaccumulation, bioconcentration, and biomagnification through the food chain. This necessitates further research on the subject in order to ensure a healthier environment.

scholarly journals Key Challenges for Land Use Planning and Its Environmental Assessments in the Abuja City-Region, Nigeria

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 443
Author(s):  
Evidence Chinedu Enoguanbhor ◽  
Florian Gollnow ◽  
Blake Byron Walker ◽  
Jonas Ostergaard Nielsen ◽  
Tobia Lakes
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Environmental Assessments ◽  
City Regions ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Land Cover Maps

Land use planning as strategic instruments to guide urban dynamics faces particular challenges in the Global South, including Sub-Saharan Africa, where urgent interventions are required to improve urban and environmental sustainability. This study investigated and identified key challenges of land use planning and its environmental assessments to improve the urban and environmental sustainability of city-regions. In doing so, we combined expert interviews and questionnaires with spatial analyses of urban and regional land use plans, as well as current and future urban land cover maps derived from Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing. By overlaying and contrasting land use plans and land cover maps, we investigated spatial inconsistencies between urban and regional plans and the associated urban land dynamics and used expert surveys to identify the causes of such inconsistencies. We furthermore identified and interrogated key challenges facing land use planning, including its environmental assessment procedures, and explored means for overcoming these barriers to rapid, yet environmentally sound urban growth. The results illuminated multiple inconsistencies (e.g., spatial conflicts) between urban and regional plans, most prominently stemming from conflicts in administrative boundaries and a lack of interdepartmental coordination. Key findings identified a lack of Strategic Environmental Assessment and inadequate implementation of land use plans caused by e.g., insufficient funding, lack of political will, political interference, corruption as challenges facing land use planning strategies for urban and environmental sustainability. The baseline information provided in this study is crucial to improve strategic planning and urban/environmental sustainability of city-regions in Sub-Saharan Africa and across the Global South, where land use planning faces similar challenges to address haphazard urban expansion patterns.

scholarly journals Enhancing governance for environmental sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa

2020 ◽  
pp. 014459871990065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simplice A Asongu ◽  
Nicholas M Odhiambo
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Economic Governance ◽  
Institutional Governance ◽  
Government Effectiveness ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
Political Governance

This study assesses whether improving governance standards affects environmental quality in 44 countries in sub-Saharan Africa for the period 2000–2012. The empirical evidence is based on generalized method of moments. Bundled and unbundled governance dynamics are used, notably: (i) political governance (consisting of political stability and “voice and accountability”); (ii) economic governance (entailing government effectiveness and regulation quality), (iii) institutional governance (represented by the rule of law and corruption-control); and (iv) general governance (encompassing political, economic, and institutional governance dynamics). The following hypotheses are tested: (i) Hypothesis 1 ( improving political governance is negatively related to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions); (ii) Hypothesis 2 ( increasing economic governance is negatively related to CO2 emissions); and (iii) Hypothesis 3 ( enhancing institutional governance is negatively related to CO2 emissions). Results of the tested hypotheses show that the validity of Hypothesis 3 cannot be determined based on the results; Hypothesis 2 is not valid, while Hypothesis 1 is partially not valid. The main policy implication is that governance standards need to be further improved in order for government quality to generate the expected unfavorable effects on CO2 emissions.

scholarly journals Opportunities and Challenges in Realizing Universal Access to Obstetric Ultrasound in Sub-Saharan Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 03 (02) ◽  
pp. E52-E59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sikolia Wanyonyi ◽  
Charles Mariara ◽  
Sudhir Vinayak ◽  
William Stones
Keyword(s):  
Universal Access ◽  
Perinatal Outcomes ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Obstetric Ultrasound ◽  
Integral Component ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Sub Saharan

AbstractThe potential benefits of obstetric ultrasound have yet to be fully realized in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), despite the region bearing the greatest burden of poor perinatal outcomes. We reviewed the literature for challenges and opportunities of universal access to obstetric ultrasound and explored what is needed to make such access an integral component of maternity care in order to address the massive burden of perinatal morbidity and mortality in SSA. Original peer-reviewed literature was searched in various electronic databases using a ‘realist’ approach. While the available data were inconclusive, they identify many opportunities for potential future research on the subject within the region that can help build a strong case to justify the provision of universal access to ultrasound as an integral component of comprehensive antenatal care.

scholarly journals THE ROLE OF FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL QUALITY ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN COUNTRIES

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 156-177
Author(s):  
Aliyu Alhaji Jibrilla
Keyword(s):  
Financial Development ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Institutional Quality ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Pooled Mean Group ◽  
Sub Saharan

This study addresses the question of financial development and institutional quality influence on the environmental sustainability of some 13 countries from the sub-Saharan Africa. Relying upon pooled mean group (PMG) for panel data, we provide evidence which suggest that both financial development and institutional quality are statistically significant determinants of per capita carbon dioxide emissions in the region. More specifically, we found that without healthy institutions and sound financial system sub-Saharan African countries might not avoid environmental degradation experienced by advanced nations during their early stage of economic progress. Our results also support the EKC hypothesis in the region.  In addition, the paper also shows that more openness to FDI inflows is good for the environment across the SSA. These findings suggest the need for institutional and financial service reform that supports robust environmental conservation.

Green Human Resource Management

2022 ◽  
pp. 2103-2120
Author(s):  
Richard Afedzie ◽  
Richard Brace ◽  
Fidelis Quansah ◽  
James Attah-Panin
Keyword(s):  
Human Resource ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Employee Relations ◽  
Environmental Responsiveness ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Green Human Resource Management

This chapter explores the vital role of human resource departments in organisations and their contributions towards environmental sustainability in the nations of sub-Saharan Africa. It posits that the role of HR in recruitment, training and development, learning, rewards, employee relations, and appraisal of employee performance should be conducted with environmental sustainability in mind. It affirms that instilling a culture of environmental awareness into every activity of organisations has a great return on productivity, attracting the best talents, and minimizing the harm of environmental degradation. It contends that organisational policies and behaviour on environmental responsiveness should be of greatest priority to the 21st-century businesses in sub-Saharan Africa.

Assessing the Monophyly of Alectra and its Relationship to Melasma (Orobanchaceae)

2009 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 561-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffery J. Morawetz ◽  
Andrea D. Wolfe
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Species ◽  
Widespread Species ◽  
Tropical America ◽  
Agricultural Weed ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Out Of Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
India And China

Alectra (Orobanchaceae) consists of primarily hemiparasitic herbaceous species distributed mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, with two species native to tropical America, and two widespread species extending out of Africa into India and China. Despite containing an economically important noxious agricultural weed, Alectra has never been the subject of a phylogenetic analysis. The monophyly of Alectra was assessed using DNA sequences from the nuclear (internal transcribed spacer) and chloroplast (rpl16, trnT-L) genomes, including 11 of 12 species. One of two holoparasitic species, Alectra alba, was placed outside of Alectra, supported as sister to a lineage containing the Asian holoparasitic genera Aeginetia + Christisonia. Two highly supported lineages of Melasma were revealed: one containing the two included African species, and the other comprising the tropical American Melasma rhinanthoides and the single accession of the tropical American Escobedia. The placement of the Madagascan endemic Alectra fruticosa was shown to be unresolved in relationship to the remaining Alectra species and the two lineages containing Melasma. The monophyly of the remaining species of Alectra was highly supported.

scholarly journals Corporate governance reforms in banks: Lessons from Nigeria?

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 47-50
Author(s):  
Emeka Offor
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
New Governance ◽  
Base Reference ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
National Governments ◽  
Governance Architecture ◽  
Corporate Governance Reforms ◽  
Governance Reforms

In Sub-Saharan Africa, and indeed in most emerging economies, national governments have in one way or the other (in varying degrees) intervened in the running of corporations. These interventions (usually referred to as reforms) have been eliciting discourses on whether Governments should show interest, be involved in the running of corporations, and also on the effectiveness of those interventions. This paper reviews the subject of this discourse with base reference on banking reforms initiated by various administrations in Nigeria over the decades, articulates lessons from the reforms, raises questions for further research and argues that corporations and markets should be self regulated. National governments should provide operational guidelines, enabling framework and put in place a sustainable mechanism for monitoring, and intervene only when the need arises. The paper also calls for the development of new governance architecture for banks and corporations in order to address emerging corporate governance realities.

scholarly journals The Energy Crisis and Environmental Concerns in Sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria): A Perspective on Public Governance for Climate Action

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 134
Author(s):  
Abdulhamid Ozohu-Suleiman
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
State Capacity ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Energy Crisis ◽  
Public Governance ◽  
Climate Action ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Global Agenda

The inextricable relationship between environment and development is unarguable, and the literature is replete with scientific evidence of the interdependence between the two phenomena. However, as the interaction between man and nature proceeded from the condition of conviviality to that of belligerence, there has been a marked decline in the resilience of nature to accommodate human avarice. It is nature’s reactions to this unfair transaction that is today called climate change. In Sub-Saharan Africa, climate change remains an intractable problem, or to borrow the words of Pollitt (2016), “a very wicked issue” that challenges state capacity to contain its scourge. Finding a way around this wicked issue has been the preoccupation of public policy scholars and practitioners. Incidentally, combating climate change is a cross cutting issue in the 2030 global agenda for sustainable development which inevitably touches on access to affordable and sustainable energy, protection of the ecosystem to halt biodiversity loss. Consistent with this global agenda is the Africa agenda 2063 with the overarching aspiration of “a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development”. These multinational initiatives suggest a growing consensus on environmental sustainability as the desideratum of development. In Nigeria, the energy crisis and its attendant consequences on the environment has made the country one of the most vulnerable to climate change in the region. This paper seeks to offer a perspective on public governance for climate action. It argues that lack of state capacity to address the energy requirement of the economy has had grave consequences on environmental resourcefulness. While consensus on multinational agenda is given, the point at issues is for national governments to domesticate this agenda and mobilize the requisite resources to translate them into measurable achievements. The paper observes that apart from the huge deficit in furnishing the energy need of the real sector, the energy crisis poses existential threats such as food insecurity, environmental pollution/degradation through deforestation, flooding and pollution. The paper recommends, among others, that the Nigeria-Germany bilateral cooperation on the power sector should be implemented to its logical conclusion, and that a program of public enlightenment is urgently required to arrest traditional practices that are harmful to environmental sustainability.

Comparative Law and African Customary Law

2006 ◽  
pp. 640-674 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. W. Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Oral Tradition ◽  
Customary Law ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Family ◽  
International Diplomacy ◽  
Customary Laws ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Normative Order

Customary law grows out of the social practices which a given jural community has come to accept as obligatory. It is a pervasive normative order, providing the regulatory framework for spheres of human activity as diverse as the family, the neighbourhood, the business of merchant banking, or international diplomacy. This article looks at the customary laws of sub-Saharan Africa. It deals with the preservation of the law in an oral tradition and how it has been influenced by certain social, economic, and political structures. This focus requires, in turn, that particular attention be paid to factors influencing the production of texts on customary law. Because information on the subject is limited, outdated, and somewhat subjective, readers must be made aware of how changes in the theories of jurisprudence and anthropology have affected ideas and preconceptions.

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