Walker Institute annual lecture (2012): Climate change and development in Africa

Background


Many of the world's poorest communities are already vulnerable to climate and weather extremes and climate change is increasing these risks. Africa is likely to see some of the greatest impacts from climate change, but there is currently considerable uncertainty on where they will occur, the impact on development and the best solutions. There is a need both to find ways to improve resilience to the effects of climate change as part of adaptation to inevitable changes, and to allow a low-carbon growth path which does not slow the trajectory of development in African countries. This is taking place on a background of rapid social change.

Presentation

The Walker Institute Annual Lecture 2012 is being presented by Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Scientific Adviser and Director of Research and Evidence at the Department for International Development. Prior to joining DFID he was Professor of International Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where he continues to collaborate on research into diseases of poverty. He has worked and undertaken research in several countries in Africa and Asia.

Chris will discuss some of these complexities, showing that there are solutions to some of the challenges across a range of research disciplines, with particular emphasis on the effects on health. He will highlight some of the major knowledge gaps and discuss how we can maximise the impact of mulch-disciplinary research on policy and practice in what is one of the most difficult development challenges we face