Congo Basin Science Initiative highlighted at COP28 events

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CBSI Network

Building on our successful launch, the Congo Basin Science Initiative contributed to important discussions at a range of COP28 events.

At side events hosted by CBSI in the Gabon Pavilion (3 December 2023) and the DRC Pavilion (10 December 2023), co-chairs of CBSI, Profs Raphael Tshimanga (University of Kinshasa, DRC) and Simon Lewis (University of Leeds/UCL, UK) presented the CBSI Science and Capacity Plan, highlighting the need to invest in science and scientists in the Congo Basin region. At the Gabon pavilion, the main presentations were followed by a panel discussion with Profs Bonaventure Sonké (University of Yaoundé II, Cameroon) and Suspense Averti Ifo (Marien N’Gouabi University, Republic of Congo).

At a high-level event hosted by the Congo Basin Climate Commission, “Results and next steps after the Summit of the Three Basins” (9 December 2023), it was recognised that Congo Basin-focused structures, including the Congo Basin Science Initiative, have a crucial role to play in informing the global policy agenda.

With high-level discussions ongoing on the need for greater investment to support scientific training in central Africa, the Francophone Pavilion event “Responding to climate change in central Africa: strengthening scientific capacity and addressing deforestation and forest degradation” (10 December 2023) shared a series of initiatives aimed at capacity building and developing solid frameworks for scientific training. Raphael Tshimanga and Simon Lewis presented the contribution that the Congo Basin Science Initiative stands to make, alongside colleagues working on related initiatives from FORETS (Formation, Recherche et Environnement dans la Tshopo), R2FAC (Réseau de Recherche sur les Forêts d’Afrique Centrale) and RESSAC (Applied Research in Ecology and Social Sciences in Support of Sustainable Management of Forest Ecoystems in Central Africa).

Header image shows an aerial view of the Congo Basin. Photo credit: Simon Lewis