Climate change and population conference on Africa- at Rio +20

Background:

The new reality of development facing scientists and policymakers is the understanding of the impacts of climate change and variability on society. In Africa, the challenge is heightened by enormous gaps in scientific and institutional capacity linking vulnerability to climate impacts, adaptation and mitigation, and also the continent which is least prepared to adapt.

It is against this backdrop that the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) which has become an important learning and knowledge centre of climate change adaptation in Africa is making its capacity available to further discussions on climate change and variability. Whilst gaps in various development strategies on the continent represent part of this challenge, high population, weak adaptation action plans and capacity self assessments are at crossroads with development especially in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The interpretations of how the impacts of climate change and variability influence the coupled human-environment systems interacting within different political, environmental, historical, and socio-economic contexts will lead to better understanding of changes in resource use, management and development.

The vulnerability of humans to such changes constitutes a core challenge to science, management and productivity. As a result, several knowledge sharing gatherings at the global and national levels have been continuously organised towards providing better meaning of, and lessons on adaptation to the impacts of climate change and variability.

Aim:

The meeting in Ghana is expected to scale down global climate change scenarios and issues to local and regional levels.