Driving Sustainability in Africa

June 12, 2021

The Future Africa Institute at the University of Pretoria, in collaboration of FEROSA (Future Earth Regional Office for Southern Africa) is hosting the Sustainability Research & Innovation Congress 2021 (SRI2021) Future Africa Virtual Satellite Event on 14 and 15 June 2021. The SRI2021 Future Africa UP Virtual Satellite Event session takes place together with three sessions from countries in Africa, all of which will be livestreamed from the Future Africa Campus.

The session is part of the Future Africa Science-Policy Dialogues, promoting new sustainability science and transformative knowledge that offer scalable solutions, policy interventions, regulatory and governance frameworks and sustainable financial systems. The satellite event, themed: Innovation for Sustainable Development: Perspectives from the Global South aims to develop recommendations on African priorities. Future Africa and FEROSA look forward to amplifying existing efforts and conversations in sustainability, creating spaces for the sustainability community and for the dissemination of innovative sustainability solutions. Ultimately, SRI2021 at Future Africa will contribute to the establishment of a sound community on sustainability that guides growth in sustainability-forward communities, while encouraging best practices in stakeholder engagement, legacy activities and accessibility of outcomes.

Some of the questions that will be addressed:

  • What are the new opportunities for sustainable innovation? What are good examples we can already learn from?
  • Actors from private and public sectors need to develop new practices and new collaboration – do we have compelling success stories? Science has to work closely with stakeholders from government, civil society, and business, enabling mutual, accelerated learning processes – is science prepared for that?
  • Which are the major challenges to innovation in the context of the fourth industrial revolution?
  • In which fields can sustainability research impacts can already be observed?

According to Professor Cheikh Mbow, Director of the Future Africa Institute, who stated: “To realize the transformation towards sustainability and innovation, it is not sufficient to discuss proof of concepts but more importantly, the practical solutions. Environmental sustainability must be respected, while at the same time keeping in mind social inclusion”.

For more information: http://bit.ly/SRI2021FutureAfricaUPInfo

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The Sustainability Research & Innovation Congress 2021 (SRI2021) is the world’s first transdisciplinary gathering in sustainability. This annual event unites global sustainability leaders, experts, industry, and innovators to inspire action and promote a sustainability transformation. For the first time, the Congress will launch as a live virtual event with a diverse and innovative online program from 12-15 June 2021.