Scientific Cooperation Projects in Southern Africa
Adaptation to Complex Earth System Processes
The nine SPACES II projects contribute to the formulation of science-based recommendations for the management of the Earth System and the sustainable use and conservation of the region’s various ecosystem services. German research institutions and universities are working in cooperation with partner institutions in Namibia and South Africa. SPACES II is funded by the BMBF with approximately 19 million euros.
In southern Africa, observed temperature increases are high compared to the rest of the world. They are coupled with changes in rainfall patterns, as well as increases in the likelihood of extreme weather phenomena, droughts, and floods. The regional climate and weather patterns are significantly influenced by changes in the currents of the South Indian Ocean, South Atlantic and Southern Ocean. The interactions between climate change and anthropogonic impacts, such as slash-and-burn agriculture and overfishing, are particularly strong, because a major proportion of the population depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. Major economic and social challenges related to climate change include compromised food and water security.
The research programme SPACES II – Science Partnerships for the Adaptation to Complex Earth System Processes in Southern Africa establishes collaborative research projects between German, Namibian and South African research institutions and universities. The programme intends to contribute to the formulation of science-based recommendations for Earth System management and to ensure the sustainable use of the multiple ecosystem services of the region.
The following priority themes for the projects were set together with the South African Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) (previously the South African Department of Science and Technology (DST)), and the Namibian National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST):
Priority themes for terrestrial projects:
- Functions of diverse landscapes in terms of sustainable land use, land use change, carbon and water flows, and their impact on biodiversity, habitats and ecosystem services;
- Management options for multifunctional landscapes and societal resilience to environmental change;
- Development and implementation of measures for the restoration and sustainable use of degraded ecosystems for resilience, adaptation and mitigation objectives.
Priority themes for marine/coastal projects
- Seasonal and interannual variability and trends in coastal current systems, their role in land-ocean-atmosphere interactions in southern Africa, their impact on biogeochemical cycles, and the management of marine natural resources;
- The transport of carbon, water, nutrients and pollutants, their transformation mechanisms and dynamics in rivers, estuaries and coastal areas, and their importance as ecosystem services and for biodiversity.
