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| Dr. Abdourahamane Konare University of Cocody, COTE D’IVOIRE Climatic Feedbacks of Dust and Biomass From Burning Aerosols over Africa Africa is a major source of aerosols that originate as desert dusts and combustion particles. These aerosols have the potential to cause direct and indirect environmental impacts on regional and global climates, and perhaps are an agent for climate change. As a result of this research project, a new emissions inventory for aerosols that originate as a result of biomass burning over Africa has been developed and tested. It has been compared to past inventories. This research project provided opportunities to train additional African scientists to refine the models that were created in the past. It also provided infrastructure that will be used for training the students who will be the scientists to continue the monitoring in the decades to come. Dr. Konare’s report Funding from a US CCSP / US NSF grant administered by START. |
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| START is responding to the challenge of global environmental change by building human and institutional capacity and generating knowledge to support decisions that enable sustainable development in developing country regions. Through a framework of regional research centers, research nodes, science committees and secretariats, START · Conducts research on regional aspects of global change; · Provides fellowship and education opportunities · Shares knowledge, expertise and data; · Bridges between science and society to support decision making; and · Mobilizes financial, institutional and human resources. |
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THE AFRICAN CLIMATE CHANGE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM A new program of African Climate Change Fellowships is being launched to offer experiential learning, education, research and training opportunities to African professionals, researchers and graduate students. Participating Fellows, their home institutions, and their host institutions will gain capabilities and institutional linkages for advancing and applying knowledge for climate change adaptation in Africa. Fellowship opportunities are being offered for Policy Fellows, Doctoral Research Fellows, Post-Doctoral Fellows, and Teaching Fellows. The program is coordinated by START, the Institute of Resource Assessment (IRA) at the University of Dar es Salaam, and the African Academy of Sciences (AAS). The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) funds the Fellowship program under its Climate Change Adaptation in Africa program. To learn more about this exciting opportunity, please visit the Pan-African START Secretariat’s website at http://www.pass-africa.org/.
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| Advanced Institute on "The Asian Monsoon System: prediction of Change and Variability In collaboration with the APN, International Pacific Research Center (IPRC) based at the University of Hawaii, and East-West Center, START sponsored an Advanced Institute entitled, “The Asian Monsoon System: Prediction of Change and Variability.” The Institute made contributions to the Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR) project of the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) and the Monsoon Asia Integrated Regional Study (MAIRS). It was held at the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii (Honolulu, HI) from 2-12 January 2008. |
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| Advanced Institute for African Scientists on Global Environmental Change and the Vulnerability of Water Resources in the Context of the Millennium Development Goals
The START-sponsored three-week intensive seminar session of the “Advanced Institute for African Scientists on Global Environmental Change and the Vulnerability of Water Resources in the Context of the Millennium Development Goals” was held during 21 September through 07 October 2007 at the headquarters of UNESCO-IHE in Delft, The Netherlands. Twenty one young scientists, representing 8 African countries, spent three weeks learning about water issues in seminars, field trips,intensive one-on-one mentoring and by making presentations to one another. Each attendee prepared a research proposal. The scientists whose proposals are accepted will receive a grant from IFS to conduct a one-year research project. A final synthesis workshop willbe held in October 2008. The summary report of the Advanced Institute can be found on the START website. |
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| Download the latest edition of the START Briefing Notes May 2008 Briefing Notes |
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This book synthesizes the current knowledge of global change processes and impacts in Africa. It is the result of a collective effort by young scientists from Africa commissioned by the Pan-African Regional Committee of START. It was made possible by funding from a NORAD grant administered by START. Soon to be available in limited quantities. For more information contact cskauffman@agu.org
START to sponsor Young African Scientists’ Session
at the 4th IGBP Congress: ‘Sustainable Livelihoods in a Changing Earth System’ 5-9 May 2008, Cape Town, South Africa
START will sponsor 9 young African scientists to attend the 4th IGBP Congress and to present papers at Working Group Session B5, entitled “Young African Scientists’ Session on Global Environmental Change (GEC) Research in Africa” to take place on Thursday, 8 May 2008. This session is meant to showcase the research on GEC being conducted by young African Scientists who have benefited from START PhD Fellowships (8) or were participants in the Advanced Institute for African Scientists on Global Environmental Change and the Vulnerability of Water Resources in the Context of the Millennium Development Goals (1). This session will also promote interaction between young African scientists and ESSP family representatives and enhance networking and collaboration. Session participants are former or current recipients of START funding who were selected by committee based on the submission of abstracts.
More information | More on START's African Doctoral Fellowships
This baseline assessment report was produced with funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as a product of the joint project between START and the Institute for Resource Assessment (IRA) for building African Capacity for conserving Biodiversity in a Changing Climate. It includes an examination of climate change and biodiversity in Africa as well as of the existing capacity and current status of research and training programs in the Albertine Rift countries. The assessment was performed through literature review and consultations with key institutions in the region.
Dr. Gordon McBean’s Visit to SARCS Secretariat
Dr. Gordon McBean, the START SSC Co-Chair, visited the SARCS Secretariat on November 30th, 2007. He was warmly welcomed to SARCS Secretariat which is located in the National Central University by Prof. Jough-Tai Wang and a few other colleagues from the university.
SARCS Secretariat
National Central University
Chung-Li, Taiwan 320
E-mail: sarcs@sarcs.org.tw
URL: http://www.sarcs.org
START at COP 13, Bali, Indonesia
START was represented at the 13th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC by Anond Snidvongs, Suppakorn Chinvanno, Lisa Schipper of the of the Southeast Asia START Regional Center (SEA-START), Olga Huang of the Southeast Asia Regional Committee of START (SARCS), Neil Leary from the International START Secretariat and Kiki Kartikasari of Bogor Agricultural University. Neil participated in a UNEP sponsored press conference to release the final report of the AIACC project and two new book publications from AIACC. He was quoted in the press saying "Adaptation is not an option; it is essential, just as is mitigation, if we are to avoid the most serious impacts of human caused climate change."
While much of the developing world is highly vulnerable to climate change, these regions have been too little studied and gaps in knowledge are impeding effective adaptation. Two new books from the START-TWAS-UNEP managed AIACC project help to fill these gaps by presenting results of case studies in Africa, Asia and Latin America that explore the nature and causes of climate change vulnerability, current practices for managing climate risks, and strategies for adapting to climate change. The case studies were co-sponsored by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and made a major contribution to the recent 4th Assessment Report of the IPCC.
