African Universities Called to Lead Climate Research and Knowledge Production on Global Challenges

“I'm a very strong advocate for the deliberate development of the research capacity of our historically disadvantaged institutions, and for them to develop and be supported to be at the centre of knowledge production in our country and indeed globally,” he said.

African-led climate research

The minister was speaking at the third International Conference on Earth and Environmental Sciences (ICEES 2025), a collaboration between the University of Zululand and China’s Chang’an University.

“While we value collaboration. We do not want our historically disadvantaged universities to be comfortable with simply being consumers of knowledge that others produce.

“Universities on the African continent must make their own distinct contribution to the global knowledge project,” Nzimande said, calling for a sovereign Research and Development Agenda for Africa.

The conference comes against a backdrop of severe environmental challenges.

According to the 2023 World Meteorological Organisation report, African countries are losing 2% to 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP) to climate change, with some nations diverting up to 9% of their budgets to climate response efforts.

The report also states that up to 118 million extremely poor people living on less than $1.9 per day will be exposed to drought, floods, and extreme heat and Africa.

Triple planetary crisis

Nzimande also touched on the “triple planetary crisis” of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, emphasising the urgency of prompt, well-thought-out actions.

“There is an unparalleled peak in climate-related crises, and no continent remains unaffected. We are increasingly witnessing life-threatening heatwaves, floods, disappearing species and the severe pressures on water as well as ecosystems.”

He warned that without coordinated action, “the outcomes for future generations will indeed be devastating”.

In the South African context, he made examples of extreme weather events and their impact on farmers and rural communities.

“All of this threatens the safety and the livelihoods of citizens, especially those who live in agriculturally dependent rural settings where biodiversity is the cornerstone of everyday survival.”

He announced that the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) has put in place instruments to enable research and development and build state capacity, which is very important in various fields.

“We have developed what we call a science mission. We've got a number of these science mission focus areas. We have developed one on global change and biodiversity science, because we firmly believe that this needs to be strengthened.”

Some of the programmes under this science mission include South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), the Alliance for Collaboration on Climate and Earth System Science (ACCESS) and the Centre for Global Change, which plays a crucial role in sustainable global change.

SA research roadmap

They are also working on the initiative that focuses on climate change and environmental sustainability.

Nzimande also discussed the South African Research Infrastructure Roadmap, which includes 13 research infrastructure initiatives, including the National Equipment Programme, South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) and Centres of Excellence (CoEs).

South Africa also participates in global platforms like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

He announced the upcoming Global Change National Conference, which will be hosted this year, aiming to strengthen capacity in climate change and environmental sustainability.

He also stressed student involvement, with him encouraging young researchers to “grab this opportunity with both hands”, viewing youth empowerment as a critical investment in Africa’s scientific future.

The conference also seeks to provide participants with the opportunity to share their experiences and research findings, challenges and solutions, with the view to establishing productive new academic and industry research collaborations.

The conference features keynote lectures by distinguished experts from various parts of the world and will bring together scientists and industry experts from over 70 countries across Africa, Asia, North and South America, Europe, and Australia.