“Evolution of protected Area {PA} system with regard to climate change in the West Africa Region”
This project was developed during our sub regional planning meeting in Dakar in 2012 in preparation for the Duban Conference of parties (COP17) as one of our sub regional concern/ effort in addressing the rapid deforestation (recipe for Global Warming/climate change). The forest divisional heads of each country were invited to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where this project was formulated. Before the departure of the team, we gave our input from the metrological point of view to include the erection of weather/climate monitoring station in each of the protected areas, the collaborative undertaking of scientific research with other stakeholders in climate modelling and mapping for species movement and necessary control measures. The Meteorological department is a member of the steering committee that was set to monitor the implementation of the project and the project Document can also be a “United Nation programme- Evolution of protected Area (PA) system with regard to Climate Change in the West Africa region”
It is in the pilot phase that is being undertaking in Chad, The Gambia, Mali, Sierra Leone and Togo. It is a Global Environment Facilities (GEF) funded project that is under the direct supervision of the Environment protection Agency-Sierra Leone (EPA-SL) but with the forest division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFF) and the Meteorological Department as key players.
The various expert teams were given their respective task of data and information needed for presentation in the next meeting scheduled for October this year.