Belmont Forum would like to invite you to participate in our upcoming scoping workshops, led by Belmont Forum Member the National Research Foundation in South Africa, to help develop/define a new African Regional Belmont Forum Collaborative Research Action (CRA)

According to the Climate Change Vulnerability Index for 2017, four of the five countries most at risk from environmental change are in Africa. Twenty-seven African countries are categorized as in Extreme risk while fourteen and twelve African countries are classified as High and Medium risk respectively. Over the past 25 years, the number of weather-related disasters, such as floods and droughts has doubled, resulting in Africa having a higher mortality rate from droughts than any other region. Other regional effects of environmental change include: impacts on water supply and quality, reduction in crop yields and livestock productivity, adverse impacts on human health to include heat stress related diseases & increased and spatially novel vector borne diseases, decreased shelter availability, exacerbation of national security issues and international conflicts as well as changes in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. These effects have resulted in entire economies suffering and an increased burden on vulnerable populations such as women and children.

This CRA aspires to foster the development of a network of cutting edge transdisciplinary scientific capacity in a region that is inadequately accessed by the Forum while supporting African countries to:

• reduce vulnerability, strengthen adaptive capacity and build resistance to the impacts of environmental change through ecosystem-based adaptation
• define, build support for, and launch pathways for low-emission, climate resilient and resource efficient growth
• promote the development of novel innovations of sustainable approaches for climate mitigation efforts
• build capacity and provide decision makers with a greater understanding of African climate and environmental change, including its causes and impacts, evoking appropriate policy responses.

Take part in shaping the research programme for the Africa Regional call to help promote the development of novel innovations & sustainable approaches for climate adaptation & mitigation in Africa. Researchers, experts, and stakeholders from all global regions are invited.

Register for the upcoming virtual workshop nearest to your timezone below:

• 20 October 07:00 – 09:00 (GMT)/09:00 – 11:00 (SAST) (Register)
• 20 October 14:00 – 16:00 (GMT)/10:00-12:00 (EST) / 4:00 – 6:00 pm (SAST) (Register)

***SAVE the Date!!!! ***

Going to be in Cape Town, South Africa for the World Science Forum? Join us for an in-person expert scoping for the Africa Regional CRA on Thursday 8 December 2022!  Mark your calendars and keep this in mind when booking travel!

Additional information to follow!  Watch this space.