The University Foundation for the Development of Education (FUNDE), in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the Biodiversity Conservation Foundation (BIOFUND) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), organized a public debate last Thursday (April 27) on the theme "Climate Change and the Water Cycle: Rivers that Flow - The Backbone of Conservation Areas". The event had over 60 participants (in person and virtually) representing different institutions ranging from academia, government and civil society.
The event was moderated by Dr. Anabela Rodrigues, and had three main sessions. The first consisted in the presentation of the results of the pre-feasibility study for a payment system for environmental services associated with water in the Chimanimani National Park, led by Professor Antonio Honguane from the Mozambique Oceanographic Institute (InOM). The second session focused on sharing experience on river management in the context of the Niassa Special Reserve (REN) led by Dr. Madyo Couto from the National Fund for Sustainable Development (FNDS). The third and last session focused on the presentation of the preliminary results of the study on the situation of rivers within the Conservation Areas, led by Dr. Chelsea Langa, lecturer at the Polytechnic University.
It should be noted that this is the second major event that FUNDE has organized on climate change, and it is a continuing program that will culminate next year with a conference on climate issues, with a focus on the water cycle.