Mon | Dec 12, 2022 | 16:15 – 17:45 CET
Public Lectures Series:
Robert Marchant (University of York)
Tracing the past, present and future evolution of social-ecological-environmental systems in East Africa.
Given the rich, diverse, and connected past, what will the future be like for East African societies, ecosystems, and landscapes? There are many pressures, particularly surrounding issues such as climate change, population growth, rapid development, and changing international relationships and trade. These external drivers coincide with cultures moving away from traditional livelihoods such as nomadic pastoralism, hereditary land passing to the sons, and the growing of crops with traditional land and water management. These future changes will lead to massive challenges, and also opportunities. Pressures on these landscapes and ecosystems come from increased human activity, land use, human settlement, and migration, alongside the evolution of the use of water resources that feed the mainly subsistence economy; be it focused on agriculture or tourism. The increasing impact of climate change will be discussed in regard to specific changes and challenges and how these may evolve. Linkages between environmental change, economic development, and socio-ecological sustainability will be framed to emphasise how the future may play out and why it is vital an appreciation of the past underpins this. Potential futures will be defined by exploring a range of modelling and mapping tools. Concepts of working with nature will be considered and the possibility of nature-based solutions to address several challenges explored. Some of the external, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and how to place nature- based solutions at the heart of the development agenda, such as for the purposes of the 2063 mandate of the African Union. Some of the external drivers of change, such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2063 mandate of the African Union, and how to place nature-based solutions at the heart of the development agenda, will be explored.
Venue:
Südbau, Übungsraum 3
University of Cologne, Institute of Geography
Otto-Fischer-Straße 4
50674 Cologne
