The UCAR Africa Initiative: Recent insights, challenges, and opportunities to foster collaborative research for environmental sustainability
Tang, W., Kumar, R., Méndez, A. d. M., Ahafianyo, F., Akinsanola, A. A., et al. (2026). The UCAR Africa Initiative: Recent insights, challenges, and opportunities to foster collaborative research for environmental sustainability. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, doi:https://doi.org/10.1175/bams-d-24-0118.1
| Title | The UCAR Africa Initiative: Recent insights, challenges, and opportunities to foster collaborative research for environmental sustainability |
|---|---|
| Genre | Article |
| Author(s) | Wenfu Tang, Rajesh Kumar, Anna del Moral Méndez, F. Ahafianyo, A. A. Akinsanola, Agbeli Ameko, M. Dekker, R. Fu, Benjamin Gaubert, S. Hagos, Cenlin He, Forrest Lacey, K. M. N. Ocasio, Isla R. Simpson, K. Ture, Christopher D. Wirz, Ronnie Abolafia-Rosenzweig, E. O. Audu, Shima Shams, S. Bililign, Roelof T. Bruintjes, Cyndi Vail-Castro, B. Demoz, I. Diallo, R. D. Dixon, Jimy Dudhia, A. A. Fakoya, R. M. Garland, Cynthia Halley Gotway, Y. Huang, A. Hussain, D. Idowu, Y. Jiang, A. H. Kazimierczuk, Peter J. Lawrence, Danny M. Leung, Samar Minallah, Naoki Mizukami, I. R. Orimoloye, Paul A. Kucera, Kwesi Akumenyi Quagraine, A. Semie, Simone Tilmes, D. M. Westervelt, D. Zhang, Zhe Zhang, Helen M. Worden, Pieternel Levelt |
| Abstract | Africa is increasingly being exposed to the negative impacts of climate and envi- ronmental change, while having less capacity to respond compared to other continents. The vulnerability partially results from unprecedented demographic growth, urbanization, and in- dustrialization. However, the continent has still largely been underserved by the broader Earth system science (ESS) community, as evidenced by the limited amount of ESS data and research that cover Africa compared to other areas of the world. Here, we present the recent University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Africa Initiative that aims to enhance environmen- tal sustainability in Africa by fostering international collaborative research partnerships coled by African scientists. Specifically, we outline urgent challenges and opportunities identified through an international workshop in six areas of ESS, namely, 1) air quality and health, 2) weather, 3) climate, 4) land and water, 5) social science perspectives, and 6) developing equitable col- laboration and sustainable infrastructure. We highlight examples of successful partnerships and conclude with recommendations to advance collaborative, actionable ESS research that addresses Africa’s critical environmental challenges. |
| Publication Title | Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society |
| Publication Date | Mar 1, 2026 |
| Publisher's Version of Record | https://doi.org/10.1175/bams-d-24-0118.1 |
| OpenSky Citable URL | https://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d71c22fn |
| OpenSky Listing | View on OpenSky |
| EOL Affiliations | RSF |