CAPA Webinar Series - Kick off Webinar

The Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO), in collaboration with JPI Climate and the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) are pleased to invite you to the kick-off webinar of the series “Preparing African Experts for International Climate Assessments,” organised under the CAPA (Climate Action within the AU–EU Partnership in Africa) project.

Register now! →

About the webinar

CAPA aims to strengthen climate cooperation between Africa and Europe. As part of this initiative, Task 2.1, jointly coordinated by Belspo, in collaboration with JPI Climate and AAS, focuses on enhancing the participation of African researchers, institutions and policymakers in international scientific assessments, including those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

This first webinar will provide practical insights into how African researchers and experts can become involved in international climate assessments, drawing on the experiences of experts already engaged in these processes.

In particular, the session will explore:

• Understanding the IPCC process: How international climate assessments work and why African participation matters.
• Becoming an author or expert reviewer: Opportunities and practical steps to contribute to IPCC assessments.
• Integrating diverse knowledge systems: Strengthening the representation of African scientific expertise, Indigenous and local knowledge, and different disciplines.
• Learning from experience: Insights and lessons learned from experienced African IPCC authors.

Introduction

• Bart Rymen (Belspo) and James Mushori (African Academy of Sciences)

Moderation

• Petra Manderscheid (JPI Climate)

Speakers

• Bart van den Hurk – Co-Chair of Working Group II
• Andrew Okem – Head of Science, WGII Technical Support Unit
• Patricia Nying'uro – IPCC Focal Point for Kenya

Beyond sharing practical information, the webinar will provide an opportunity to connect African researchers and experts, exchange experiences, identify barriers to participation and contribute to building a stronger network of African experts engaged in international climate assessments.

The webinar comes at a particularly timely moment, as the first expert review of the IPCC Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) Working Group II contribution on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability is currently open, running from 9 October to 4 December 2026. This offers a concrete opportunity for African researchers and experts to engage directly in the IPCC assessment process. The webinar will therefore not only provide insights into future participation opportunities but also help raise awareness of an ongoing review process to which African experts can contribute.

Who should attend?

The webinar is open to researchers at all career stages, including early-career scientists, experts from different disciplines, policymakers, government representatives and other stakeholders interested in contributing to international climate assessments.

We warmly encourage you to join us and to share this invitation with colleagues and networks who may be interested.

We look forward to welcoming you to this first session and to engaging with you throughout the CAPA webinar series.