18 February 2010: The Pan-African Workshop on “Decision-Making Support for Coastal Zone Management, Water Resources and Climate Change in Africa” was held in Cotonou, Benin, from 15-17 February 2010.
The event was a joint initiative of, inter alia, the Global Ocean Observing System in Africa (GOOSAFRICA) sponsored by the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) of UNESCO. Participants included marine, water, climate and environmental scientists and resource managers, from Africa and elsewhere.
One of the workshop’s objectives was to focus on identifying gaps in capabilities of Earth observation systems, as well as scientific and research infrastructures needs, to respond to concerns surrounding modeling of coastal oceans, water resources and climate change in Africa while addressing socioeconomic issues and fostering capacities for decision making. The event included a high-level Governance Forum, which provided a venue for African leaders to consider frameworks for addressing critical water issues in Africa, as well as to assess the results and implications for the economies and populations of Africa subsequent to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. [Workshop Overview and Documents] [Workshop Website]