22 A Look over the Horizon at Climate Change

Climate change is posing considerable threats to the development aspirations of African countries. The forestry sector on the continent has not been particularly active in the climate change discussions, yet the concerns for forestry are significant. Following an overview of climate change in Africa and the significance of this for the forestry profession, I outline a research agenda for Africa to support better responses to climate change in the forestry sector. Subjects outlined include the role of African forests in the global C cycle and the potential for improved forest management and agroforestry to increase the resilience of rural Africans. A short discussion on the likely costs of adaptation and mitigation, and the possible role of carbon markets in improving rural livelihoods is presented. The paper concludes by underlining the need for new knowledge and the need to integrate climate related information into the training of the next generation of African forestry professionals. Over the past two decades, climate change has become an overriding environmental issue