Opportunities for an African greenhouse gas observation system

Abstract

Global population projections foresee the biggest increase to occur in Africa with most of the available uncultivated land to ensure food security remaining on the continent. Simultaneously, greenhouse gas emissions are expected to rise due to ongoing land use change, industrialisation, and transport amongst other reasons with Africa becoming a major emitter of greenhouse gases globally. However, distinct knowledge on greenhouse gas emissions sources and sinks as well as their variability remains largely unknown caused by its vast size and diversity and an according lack of observations across the continent. Thus, an environmental research infrastructure—as being setup in other regions—is more needed than ever. Here, we present the results of a design study that developed a blueprint for establishing such an environmental research infrastructure in Africa. The blueprint comprises an inventory of already existing observations, the spatial disaggregation of locations that will enable to reduce the uncertainty in climate forcing’s in Africa and globally as well as an overall estimated cost for such an endeavour of about 550 M€ over the next 30 years. We further highlight the importance of the development of an e-infrastructure, the necessity for capacity development and the inclusion of all stakeholders to ensure African ownership.

Drivers and impacts of Eastern African rainfall variability

“…Understanding quantitative changes in hydrology and the carbon cycle across Eastern Africa is currently limited to very few surface sites and broad inferences from satellite observations 120,217 . Given the importance of water flows across the regions, and subsequent impacts on water and food security and the carbon cycle, there is a clear need for a more coordinated and sustainable measurement network to monitor variations 218 . More collaboration between African and international hydrologists, ecologists and carbon-cycle scientists will help this kind of activity.…”

Research Progress on Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Livestock in Sub-Saharan Africa Falls Short of National Inventory Ambitions

“…For example, the Mazingira Centre at the CGIAR's International Livestock Research Institute has established a hub for scientific research, capacity building, and cutting-edge research infrastructure on the environment in SSA with a focus on livestock in East Africa. Such initiatives may provide a blueprint for upscaling to other regions, and recent analysis shows that the cost of developing a pan-African GHG monitoring infrastructure is relatively low (estimated at $630M USD over the next 30 years) (31). To meet government objectives on livestock and climate, such initiatives could benefit from greater coordination at the science-policy interface through enhanced collaboration and institutional arrangements between and within the research community and African governments (111,112).…”

“…Higher Tier inventories may also be useful because they potentially allow for more accurate identification of emissions hotspots, targeting of mitigation interventions, and carbon payment schemes (4,29). But, development of national inventories from IPCC Tier 1 to higher IPCC Tiers has been hampered by the lack of resources and unavailability of data (30,31). As a result, only six countries in SSA have thus far developed IPCC Tier 2 inventories (Benin, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa) (Mwape, pers.…”