Climate research alumni and postdocs in Africa (CLAPafrica) programme for the promotion of future leaders in the field of climate research and protection
Background
The DAAD has identified climate change as a global challenge and in its endeavours pursues the premise that a broad spectrum of measures is necessary for its research and management.
The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that Africa will be particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change on both humans and nature. This is especially true for the regions in western and southern Africa. CLAPafrica is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) and supports future leaders in climate research and climate protection. The programme strengthens the academic capacities of junior researchers and intensifies their networking with regional stakeholders. The aim is to expand local knowledge to create valid, professional foundations for decision-makers in the field of climate protection.
The CLAPafrica Programme is funded by the BMBF with a total of approx. 4.5 million Euros and is implemented scientifically and operationally by the DAAD. The DAAD cooperates with two BMBF-funded networks of climate research centres in western and southern Africa – WASCAL (West Africa Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use) and SASSCAL (Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management).
Programme objectives
CLAPafrica uses the commitment and expertise of German-funded African alumni in the field of climate research to support the innovative projects of highly-qualified junior researchers in joint working groups and to help establish experts for the implementation of practical and climate-relevant initiatives.
This is accomplished through:
- The networking of African alumni of German funding organisations through professionally oriented alumni events and integration into concrete projects;
- The promotion of scientific development and technical and professional development as well as the strengthening of the qualification of scientists to give policy advice through trainings in Science Policy Advising and
- The initiation of concrete initiatives for the identification, understanding and resolution of regional and supra-regional challenges in the field of climate change, climate protection and land use and their political implementation.
Focus topics
The programme focuses on climate change and:
- agriculture
- biodiversity
- climate systems
- economics
- education
- energy
- food security
- human security
- informatics
- (adapted) land use
- sustainability of tree savannahs and forests
- water security and water resources