Pointe-Noire (Republic of Congo), 17-19 March 2010 - was held the second open science conference organized by CarboAfrica project on the topic: "Towards a biophysical quantification of carbon stock in Africa and perspectives for REDD and CDM". This conference was an opportunity for knowledge improvement of researchers in quantification, comprehension and prediction of the cycle of carbon, and other Greenhouse Gases effect (GHG) in sub-Saharan Africa.

While reminding the reason of the conference which is of great value, His Excellency André Ossebi, Minister of Research of Congo raised the potential position of sub-Saharan Africa as a whole and the Congo Basin in particular to be carrying a leadership as regards scientific answer to a certain number of questions that the people are raising on climate warnings, carbon sequestration; questions having an direct impact on the future of our planet. Thus, His Excellency Ossebi laid emphasis on the particular role of courageous answers from the institutions so that Africa does no more seek for help , but brings the scientific answers by mutualizing its expertise with that of the researchers coming from the whole world.

(Photograph - opening ceremony  @CarboAfrica).

Following this opening ceremony, the conference continued in plenary debate with many communications and presentations. The participants listened to talks  focused on the topics namely: (1) Impact of vegetation fires on African GHG budget; (2) Terrestrial Carbon Observations in Africa and Ecosystem fluxes; (3) Soil and Vegetation: Carbon and GHGs emissions in Africa (4) Biogeochemical Modeling; (5) CDM and REDD in Africa; and (6) Demonstration projects and developing capacities in Africa. All These sessions were co-chaired by a Congolese Researcher from DGRST. As outcome from the presentations, a poster session was organized on issues that allowed participants to intensively exchanges and  fully embrace biophysical carbon quantification in Africa and perspectives for REDD and CDM.

At the end of the conference, a field visit at the local scientific measuring stations of CarboAfrica further enhanced the intensive and more dynamic exchanges between participants during two days from Saturday to Sunday, 20-21 March 2010.

Please download:

Agenda

The List of abstracts (18 pages)

For more details, view the workshop's documentation here

In press:

Dépêches de Brazzaville, March 26th, 2010: CarboAfrica Project:  Researchers in Seminar in Pointe-Noire

For further information, please kindly contact CarboAfrica@fao.org or Sandrine.Gerboin@fao.org or Paola.Cardenas@fao.org or Antonio.Bombelli@fao.org

Participants at the Pointe-Noire CarboAfrica Open Science conference (17-19 March 2010  - @CarboAfrica

List of Participants