EMA African Chapter represented at the COP17 conference in Durban, South Africa

Three of the African Chapter Board members (and three other alumni) arrived in Durban, South Africa to take part in the Emerging Scholars Symposium on Climate Change and Book Launches. The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 7th Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (CMP7) to the Kyoto Protocol.

The opening cocktail reception was held in the Docklands hotel and was a great icebreaker for the organizers and delegates. The Erasmus Mundus African Chapter members; Cosmas Kombat (the Vice-Chairman), Shingi Mutanga (the Events Coordinator) and Marli Geldenhuys (the South African Regional Coordinator) also met each other for the first time at this event. Everyone was welcomed by Dr. Thokozani Simelani; the head of the Science and Technology Unit at AISA. 

Day 2 of this particular Cop17 Side Event focused on the works of the Emerging African Scholars in the field of climate change. Four sessions took place with the following focus areas; green economy, indigenous knowledge systems and climate change, energy security and development in Africa, climate change mitigation and adaptation. Four Erasmus Mundus Alumni members presented high quality papers on this day; 
•    Mr. Cosmas Kombat presented a paper titled ´Role of local and indigenous knowledge in addressing climate change in Sub-Saharan Africa
•    Mr. Youssef Melka presented a paper titled ´The use of traditional knowledge in coping with climate change variability: Indicators of change and coping strategies of rural communities in central rift valley of Ethiopia 
•    Mr. Justice Tambo  presented two papers titled ´Agricultural technology adaptation in a changing climate: Evidence from rural Nigeria´ and Views from the vulnerable: Small holder farmers´ perceptions and adaptation to climate change in North East Nigeria´
•    Mr. Shingirirai Mutanga presented a paper titled ´Defining parameters for sustainable hydropower generation in light of climate change: A case study of Zambia´s Kafue Flats´

After all the symposium presentations there was also time for Cosmas Kombat to deliver a presentation about the Erasmus Mundus programmes. A discussion session was held after the presentation and from the amount of questions asked it seemed that there was much interest in these programs. The day concluded with further networking at a Gala Dinner event with Mmampei Mabusela as the keynote speaker. 

The third and final day of the COP17 Side Event involved three book launches. A presentation session and discussion took place for each of the three books launched. The day was concluded by a word of thanks from the CEO of AISA Dr Matlotleng Matlou and another cocktail event. Some of the Erasmus Mundus members also had time for a brief discussion with the Public Diplomacy Officer of the European Union Delegation to the Republic of South Africa.

By Ms. Marli Geldenhuy (South African Regional Coordinator)