MMUST’s Dr. Rose Auma moderates the launch of Climate Mobility Africa Insights.
Experts have asked African States to incorporate adaptation strategies into laws and policies in order to address the adverse effects of climate change in the continent, including human mobility. On Tuesday, 8th August, 2023, the Climate Mobility Africa Research Network (CMARN) launched a new publication series, called ‘Climate Mobility Africa Insights’, a virtual event that drew experts from various parts of the world to discuss climate mobility in Africa. The event was jointly organized by CMARN and Africa Climate Mobility Initiative (ACMI), with support from Robert Bosch Stiftung and Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Sydney.
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology’s Dr. Nicodemus Nyandiko is the Co-Chair of CMARN’s Steering Group, and a featured author in the ‘Climate Mobility Africa Insights’. While discussing his Policy Brief during the launch, Dr. Nyandiko urged stakeholders to support African researchers and policy makers in regard to climate change. His Policy Brief, titled ‘Incorporating Human Mobility into Disaster Risk Reduction Laws, Policies and Strategies in African States’, is available on CMARN’s Website. The other featured authors are; University of Venda’s Prof. Ademola Oluborode Jegede, University of Lagos’ Dr. Oluwatoyin Adejonwo and Dr. Cheikh Tidiane-Wade of Assane Seck University.
Insights Policy Briefs available on the CMARN Website.
“There is a need for interventions from governments, as well as for conducting interdisciplinary research so as to tackle climate mobility and its adverse effects,” said Prof. Walter Kälin, Envoy of the Chair- Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), who was a guest speaker at the event. Prof. Kälin added that PDD will continue to support the agenda of CMARN. The other guest speaker, Mr. Lukmon Akintola of ACMI, reiterated that the Insights publication is crucial to addressing the issue of climate mobility in Africa, saying that it will help in making informed decisions. “We now have such a rich and vibrant policy research series in the form of Insights Policy Briefs and I commend all the authors whose works feature there,” added the Director of Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law (UNSW Sydney), Prof. Jane McAdam.
Next steps after the event.
The new Insights series aims at advancing evidence-based law and policy responses to climate mobility in Africa. Showcasing accessible factsheets and policy briefs, it serves to disseminate research to policy makers; foster dialogue between policy makers and researchers; and provide a platform for researchers to share their research and build their profiles. The series also aims at building capacity among researchers in Africa (especially early career researchers) by providing training and intensive editorial support to researchers seeking to publish their work in the series.
