By Buertey Francis BOYOR
The United Nations University Institute of Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA) in partnership with the Foreign Service Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MFARI), Ghana, has launched a short course on natural resource management- in an effort to address Africa’s climate change challenges and ensure sustainable management of its natural resources.
The 5-day certificate programme, titled, Natural Resource Management Leadership for Climate Change (NATURELEAD), aims to enhance the understanding of the intersectionality of natural resource management, climate change, economic development, and climate diplomacy in the transition toward low-carbon development.
Its objective is to enable stakeholders to acknowledge the significance of natural resources as catalysts for development, challenging the dominant discourse that frequently portrays Africa’s resources as a curse characterised by intrinsic extractive inclinations.
Additionally, it emphasises climate information services and makes a case for how enhanced understanding can help plan and build stronger resilience in managing climate impacts among others.
Course structure
The course is structured to provide an opportunity for both professionals and non- professionals in the subject area to acquire more practical knowledge and skills in managing and addressing natural resource and climate change problems with a focus on Africa.
Course Modules
The NATURELEAD course has three modules, including- Basics of Natural Resources Management and Climate Change, Climate Change and Diplomacy, and Natural Resource Governance.
Delivery approach
It employs an in-depth approach to examine a range of transitional and developmental challenges that affect the management of natural resources, with climate change serving as its central theme.
UNU-INRA Director, Professor Fatima Denton, in keynote remarks at the event held in Accra, on October 21, 2024, said managing the continent’s natural resources is a delicate balancing act, involving the need to address immediate vulnerabilities while also considering future scenarios.
“Effective resource management can unlock economic growth, drive sustainable development, and spur innovation, such as the transition to a green economy. But this also means confronting the risks posed by climate change, resource depletion, environmental degradation, and shifting global demands. Africa must find a way to balance these challenges while securing a resilient and prosperous future for its people,” she added.
UNU-INRA’s vision
According to her, the Institute’s vision is to realize the transformational potential of the continent’s natural resources for an inclusive and sustainable future.
“Over three decades, the UNU-INRA has supported the continent’s governments by embedding research into policy-making processes, addressing environmental and socio-economic challenges, and fostering sustainable development. We have been at the forefront of advancing evidence-based research, alerting policymakers to the opportunities and risks of sustainable development.
“For example, our research on stranded assets—such as oil, gas, and coal—has shown that while these resources are less likely to deliver broad-based development in the long term, they can play a crucial role in Africa’s transition to a low-carbon economy,” the Professor elaborated.
The UNU-INRA is one of the 15 Research and Training Centres of the United Nations University (UNU), focusing predominantly on Africa. It serves as a platform to amplify the continent’s voices and showcase made-in Africa solutions. It also strengthens and develops capacities by equipping the continent researchers, entrepreneurs and policy actors with the requisite knowledge to sustainably manage natural resources.
The institute’s NATURELEAD capacity-building programme provides an interdisciplinary curriculum and holistic perspective of issues on the relevance of natural resources and their links to various sectors.
