“Our ambition is to build a comprehensive concept for an African research infrastructure. We will identify key players to operate the research infrastructure, search for sustainable funding, and build a solid strategy for implementation.”
Developing an African greenhouse gas observation system is crucial for addressing climate change, promoting sustainable development, and protecting Africa’s agriculture, food security, and air quality.
To achieve this, investment is needed in data, capacity development, governance, and scientific expertise, along with the establishment of continental policies and agreements for coordination and data exchange.
The societal benefits of a comprehensive environmental observation system in Africa will be significant, as it enables better understanding of the global carbon cycle, facilitates climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, and supports the reduction of aerosol emissions and improvement of air quality.
Pilots
In this pilot, we will work on the evaluation and specific improvements of the parametrisations of land-surface attributes of the first African Earth System Model that provides many climate services. The model consists of three main components, namely the conformal-cubic atmospheric model (CCAM) developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia, … Continue reading “Earth System Modeling as a tool for data and knowledge”
In this pilot we will work on quantifying key elements of the coastal carbon cycle relevant to usage of the ocean and the role the coastal ocean plays in regulating global climate. We will use monitoring stations at key sites along the coast of South Africa in Algoa Bay, adjacent to Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha … Continue reading “Coastal bio-geochemistry as a crucial part of the climate and carbon system”
In this pilot we will take a closer look at the local climate service infrastructures and solutions for rapidly growing cities of Africa. We explore how observations of for example greenhouse gas emissions, air quality and heat can be combined with other critical data of human and natural assets for integrated urban climate services in … Continue reading “Cities as complex societal systems for climate services”
In this pilot we aim to summarise, integrate, and assess the value of existing long-term climate observations in order to provide a guidebook of the lessons learned. These are expected to be an essential part of a future climate observation research infrastructure in Africa. We have chosen Kenya as the ideal showcase for this pilot, … Continue reading “Experiences as an inevitable part of the human dimension of research infrastructures”
News
KADI Dar es Salaam stakeholder workshop gathered together 25 participants from various backgrounds. The workshop day was not just full of dialogue, but also good food, laughter, team building activities, brief presentations, and new connections. One of the KADI project aims is to co-design climate services for urban context in three African cities – Abidjan, … Continue reading “Community-based approaches for transformative climate services”
The conference organisers are pleased to open the Call for Abstracts to ICOS Science Conference 2024! The conference takes place 10-12 September in Versailles Palais des Congrès, France, and online. With the overarching theme “From GHG observations through science to services”, the sessions cover ICOS’s three domains – Atmosphere, Ecosystem and Ocean. Abstracts from KADI participants are … Continue reading “ICOS Science Conference 2024: Call for Abstracts is Open!”
Late last year, over a hundred ocean carbon scientists from around the world met at Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) in Oostende, Belgium, to review the status of the Surface Ocean Carbon Value Chain and decide on specific improvements to the structure, process and information sharing. Now they have released a declaration for focused international and … Continue reading “Ocean scientists call for increased efforts towards a global surface ocean carbon observing system”
Earlier in January, a new review article written by Mounia Mostefaoui and colleagues was published in Earth System Science Data. The aim of the publication was to assess African anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and removals by using different data products, including inventories and process-based models, and to compare their relative merits with inversion data coming … Continue reading “New publication on the greenhouse gas emission trends across Africa over the last 3 decades”