The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) has opened an office in Accra, Ghana, to improve its meteorological collaboration with communities in the region.
Future program of work
Examples of UKCEH’s forthcoming intended collaborations with partners in the region include working with scientists in West Africa to enhance monitoring of water resources and improve flood and drought risk assessment and forecasting; working with governments and environmental regulators to monitor metal pollution in watercourses, soil and food systems in mining areas; and collaborating with the Ghanaian government and the United Nations to develop a program that maps biodiversity across the country.
UKCEH’s long-term commitment
For more than 30 years, UKCEH scientists have collaborated with a range of partners in West Africa, such as environmental policymakers, meteorological services, water management authorities, universities and conservation organizations, to address the environmental challenges in the region.
Dr Stuart Wainwright, chief executive of UKCEH, said, “The opening of an office in West Africa demonstrates our long-term commitment to the region and its scientific communities, and we are excited about working more closely with our fantastic partners to tackle the major, complex environmental challenges that affect us all.”
New partnerships
Coinciding with the opening of the West Africa office, UKCEH has established two further partnerships, with the Ghana Hydrological Authority and the University of Cape Coast.
In related news, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) recently published a study that outlines how the 2022 UK drought evolved and its impacts on water resources, wildlife and people, comparing the situation with previous droughts and considering whether it is an indication of future events. Click here to read the full story.