Major regional workshop on climate change adaptation for African forestry stakeholders opens in Nairobi

Experts from at least 13 African countries are meeting in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, to deliberate pertinent issues touching on climate change, a few days before the United Nations climate conference in Egypt.

The experts are drawn from research institutions, forest administrations, extension agencies, community-based organizations, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the media. They have convened to discuss the relationship between forests, people, and climate change and how forests can be used to combat this phenomenon.

The meeting is taking place against a backdrop of extreme weather events globally, rising trends of carbon emissions, and an energy crisis among many other issues that are currently of great concern.

Some of the direct impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems that shaped talks during the first day of the forum include destruction or deaths after floods or drought, increased fuel loads, extended fire seasons, and increased forest fires as well as storms.

Climate change impacts in Africa have also been seen through increased flood events, droughts, and other extreme events that add stress to food security, water resources, infrastructure, and human health thus limiting development.

Speaking during the official opening of the training workshop Monday, Joshua Cheboiwo, the Director of Kenya Forest Research Institute and the chief guest during the event, lauded the forum noting it had been designed to strengthen the capacity of stakeholders to contribute to forest-based climate change adaptation policies, plans and actions.

Participants in the forum will acquire skills to be able to also take up opportunities that come with climate change through better management and use of forests and tree resources in various landscapes in ways that will enhance livelihoods, and national economies, sustain biodiversity, improve the quality of the environment and contribute to global efforts to contain climate change.