Community-based epidemic and disaster preparedness

What if education systems not only prepared young people for the future, but also helped them to shape it? Join this dynamic session on ‘Empowering youth through education & innovation for climate action.’ 

This panel explores how cutting-edge educational models, digital tools, and research-based strategies are empowering the next generation of climate leaders. Hear how Southern Africa is transforming climate education into a force for systemic change, from ministries shaping national agendas to funders and tech innovators supporting action on the ground. Draw inspiration from real-world projects, smart partnerships, and the voices of educators and young people who are driving the movement forward. 

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is essential to address issues such as reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment (both embedded and operational), encouraging sustainable and resilient design and construction practices, and monitoring building performance.  

The required changes include adopting renewable energy sources, implementing rigorous standards and regulations for measuring and reporting material embedded carbon, accelerating the uptake of sustainable and climate-resilient design practices at building and city levels, and standardising performance monitoring and reporting methods. These changes can significantly mitigate the impacts of climate change while providing resilience. 

The SDG framework recognises the need for new technologies to address these challenges. These technologies include accessible renewable energy sources, tools and methods to support product life cycle assessments, technologies to support green buildings (such as decision support tools, water saving devices and waste management systems), and digital twin technologies to monitor building performance. These technologies contribute to the SDGs by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving natural resources, and fostering resilient infrastructure. They specifically target goals such as SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). 

This session consists of several deep dive presentations about the challenges related to the built environment’s response to climate change.

Access to clean water and reliable affordable energy remains a critical development challenge, particularly in rural areas and informal settlements around the world. Conventional centralised infrastructures often struggle to reach remote or poorly developed areas due to high costs, logistics and accessibility barriers. Against this backdrop, decentralised water-energy (WE) solutions, such as solar-powered water treatment and hybrid microgrids, are emerging as viable, scalable, and sustainable alternatives. These integrated systems allow to address water and energy scarcity and can offer broader socio-economic and environmental benefits, including improved public health, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and increased resilience to climate change.  

This session brings together practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to share knowledge, examine real-world experiences, and identify best practices for deploying decentralised WE solutions. We will focus on the outcomes and the best practices of decentralised, sustainable water and energy solutions funded by the Flemish International Climate Action Programme (FICAP), but we will also consider other initiatives. We will explore how technology providers can improve the sustainability of communities that are either off-grid or that face unreliable on-grid water and energy services. Participants will gain key insights into the effectiveness of decentralised WE systems, along with best practices to guide the development and scaling up of future projects. 

A quarter of the global disease burden is linked to an unhealthy environment. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is experiencing a disproportionate impact due to rapid urbanisation, agricultural intensification, industrial pollution, and climate change. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), urgent action is required to assess and mitigate environmental health risks. Recent progress in environmental health research is contributing to a more comprehensive exploration of the impact of the environment on health.  

This session will explore one of the developments that has greatly strengthened environmental health research efforts: human biomonitoring (HBM). However, HBM is still underdeveloped in Africa. Its use is fragmented and limited, despite some existing initiatives. There is a need for comprehensive health biomonitoring initiatives to track pollutant exposure, assess health impacts, and guide targeted interventions. 

We will also discuss air pollution, which is one of the most significant causes of environmental health issues worldwide. The session will focus on the growing importance of low-cost sensors (LCS), coupled with AI developments, and how these can accelerate the advancement of air quality assessment in Africa. Using LCS and AI together can generate more accurate, real-time data, enabling more targeted and effective interventions in the region. 

Which chemotherapy combination will work for you?  

How we are bringing personalised medicine to Africa 

For the first time in Africa, researchers are screening cancer tissue samples to find existing drugs that could be repurposed as effective chemotherapies for people of African descent. Dr Takwunda will explain how this research can help to ensure equal access to treatment options for African patients.

Read more in the #sustainability edition of the CSIR publication, ScienceScope: https://indd.adobe.com/view/331ae416-bb7a-4f6e-8df1-022b650ebb6d 

Herbal remedies for HIV from Zimbabwe and Eswatini  

Scientists and traditional healers join forces to improve care  

09:55 – 10:05 - Prof Ereck Chakauya, Network Manager of the African Union Development Agency NEPAD Southern Africa Network for Biosciences (AUDA NEPAD SANBio) 

Prof Chakauya will share a success story showing how Africa can develop and modernise its own medicines and healthcare solutions. 

Read more in the #sustainability edition of the CSIR publication, ScienceScope: https://indd.adobe.com/view/331ae416-bb7a-4f6e-8df1-022b650ebb6d 

A sliver of brown skin for a world of new medicines 

Research-ready cell lines from Black African donors 

10:20 – 10:30 - Dr Janine Scholefield, CSIR Research Group Leader in Bioengineering and Integrated Genomics  

Dr Scholefield will explain how and why the CSIR is converting skin cells donated by people of African descent into stem cells, and then into other types of cells used in medical research.  

Read more in the #sustainability edition of the CSIR publication, ScienceScope: https://indd.adobe.com/view/331ae416-bb7a-4f6e-8df1-022b650ebb6d 

The ocean covers over 70% of the Earth’s surface and contains 95% of its biosphere. It plays a vital role in regulating the climate by absorbing 25% of anthropogenic CO₂ and 90% of excess heat. It also produces over half of the planet’s oxygen, and supports billions of people through providing food, livelihoods, and cultural resources. However, climate change, pollution, and overexploitation are degrading marine ecosystems, threatening biodiversity, food security, and climate resilience. 

The ‘Blue One Health approach’ builds on the ‘One Health concept’ by incorporating marine and coastal ecosystems, and promotes integrated solutions for human, animal, and environmental health.  

This session will bring together experts and policymakers to explore how Blue One Health can help to achieve the SDGs, especially SDGs 3 (Health), 13 (Climate), and 14 (Life Below Water), and inform strategies for achieving the 2030 Agenda. 

Most countries in the global south are considered “Build” or “Grow” countries under Circle Economy’s Circular Gap Report 2023 Framework. These countries are in desperate need of infrastructure development to improve their quality of life. However, under current development models, this would require significant resource use, which is constrained by growing scarcity of resources, exceeding planetary boundaries, and increasing climate uncertainty. The circular economy offers a different development trajectory for the Global South: a more resource efficient, low carbon, just and climate-resilient growth path. 

During this session, the speakers will explore how we can rethink the use of resources within urban environments to create cities that are more liveable, resilient and circular. 

In Africa and many other climate-vulnerable regions, innovative solutions to adaptation often stall before they can be implemented on a large scale — not because they are irrelevant or lacking in ambition, but because early-stage support is fragmented, underfunded, and high-risk. Community-based early warning systems, nature-based infrastructure, water-saving technologies, and climate-smart agricultural tools all face the same hurdle: they must prove their viability at a local level before they can attract significant support from larger funders. 

This session focuses on the crucial yet frequently overlooked early stages of the climate innovation pipeline, including technical assessments, feasibility studies, RD&I, and demonstration projects. These are the essential steps where public and philanthropic capital can reduce the risk of innovation, demonstrate its impact, and build investor confidence. 

We will explore how smaller government, bilateral, and foundation programmes can play a significant role in accelerating the local deployment of technologies and approaches, creating a solid proof of concept that can unlock larger follow-on funding from development banks, DFIs, and multilateral climate funds.

As climate-related disasters become more frequent and intense, there is a critical need for actionable, and high-resolution early warning systems (EWS), whether to protect citizens from heatwaves and floods or to safeguard the agricultural sector against droughts and storms. However, many parts of the world still lack reliable climate information, predictive models, and integrated warning infrastructure.  

This session will explore existing challenges and needs in dealing with extreme climate events in Africa and how science, technology, and innovation can help to address these issues. We will highlight the role of space-based observation, climate modelling and EWS through recently launched initiatives, and demonstrate the impact of climate extremes and the integration of climate and health data into preparedness strategies using national case studies and action plans. By connecting diverse insights across sectors and geographies, the session will highlight opportunities to enhance resilience through addressing the impact of extreme climates, which could pave the way for data-driven and science-based early warning systems. 

In the current context, where the global situation regarding resources and the environment is becoming increasingly severe, exploring the path of sustainable development has become a common mission for all of humanity. Biomass resources are abundant and valuable renewable resources on Earth. Their efficient, green, and highly selective conversion and utilisation offer new hope in solving energy and environmental problems. 

The conversion and utilisation of biomass resources have broad prospects and application potential in many fields, including energy, materials, and chemical engineering. Biofuels can partially replace fossil fuels, and biomass-based materials can be used in the packaging and construction industries. However, the current development also faces many challenges. High costs, immature technologies, and unstable raw material supplies are issues that need to be urgently addressed. 

Therefore, the focus of our discussion will be on how to replace fossil resources with biomass resources in a green, efficient, and sustainable way. 

Access to clean water and reliable affordable energy remains a critical development challenge, particularly in rural areas and informal settlements around the world. Conventional centralised infrastructures often struggle to reach remote or poorly developed areas due to high costs, logistics and accessibility barriers. Against this backdrop, decentralised water-energy (WE) solutions, such as solar-powered water treatment and hybrid microgrids, are emerging as viable, scalable, and sustainable alternatives. These integrated systems allow to address water and energy scarcity and can offer broader socio-economic and environmental benefits, including improved public health, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and increased resilience to climate change.  

This session brings together practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to share knowledge, examine real-world experiences, and identify best practices for deploying decentralised WE solutions. We will focus on the outcomes and the best practices of decentralised, sustainable water and energy solutions funded by the Flemish International Climate Action Programme (VIKAP), but we will also consider other initiatives. We will explore how technology providers can improve the sustainability of communities that are either off-grid or that face unreliable on-grid water and energy services. Participants will gain key insights into the effectiveness of decentralised WE systems, along with best practices to guide the development and scaling up of future projects. 

There is a growing recognition that empowering communities through data innovation is essential for developing long-term climate resilience. Data innovation involves novel methods of collecting, analysing, and applying environmental data with and by communities, blending new technologies with local knowledge. Equipping communities with the necessary tools, skills, and capacity to collect and utilise their own data enables them to transition from passive recipients of aid to active agents of change. 

This workshop will explore these questions and themes through interactive discussions, case studies, and collaborative problem-solving activities. Participants will have the opportunity to share their experiences and explore innovative approaches to community-driven data collection, analysis, and application for climate resilience. the workshop will focus on participation from social enterprises and environmental organisations, together with community leaders, data scientists and technologists focused on community-based solutions, researchers and academics specialising in climate adaptation. Other participants may include local government representatives, policymakers, and other relevant organisations.

On-the-go ultrasound reduces rural stillbirths 

Umbiflow point-of-care device now in clinical trials

11:15 – 11:25 - Tiyani Mathebula, CSIR quality manager for medical devices

Although Doppler ultrasound and sonar are not new technologies, integrating them into a low-cost, easy-to-use device is innovative. Tiyani Mathebula will explain how the Umbiflow device can improve maternal health in areas with limited resources. 

Read more in the #sustainability edition of the CSIR publication, ScienceScope: https://indd.adobe.com/view/331ae416-bb7a-4f6e-8df1-022b650ebb6d

Scaling First Aid through smartphones

Blended learning app saving lives across Sub-Saharan Africa

11:40 – 11:55 - Olivier Rogie, Technical Project Manager at the Belgian Red Cross-Flanders

Olivier Rogie will show how a smartphone app makes first-aid training accessible in regions with limited connectivity, diverse devices and multiple languages — offering offline access, local context and measurable impact. Read more in this Red Cross publication: https://redcross.eu/projects/first-aid-blended-learning-with-a-first-aid-application 
First Aid in Africa - Apps op Google Play 
First Aid in Africa on the App Store

In the race against climate change, innovation is paramount. Emerging economies are brimming with innovative solutions to climate and development challenges, ranging from community-based resilience tools to locally produced clean technology. However, even the best solutions can stall and struggle to progress beyond the pilot phase without the right financial and policy environment, as well as a national innovation ecosystem to support them.  

Both technology push mechanisms, which support RD&I to identify breakthrough technologies and long-term gains, and demand pull facilitators, which create a market demand that can de-risk green tech investments and encourage private sector scaling, are needed. But how do you align both? What policies are needed to enable a complete pathway that has both elements aligned in such a way that public finance can fund scaling up and unlock private investments to their fullest potential? 

This session will examine the situation in South Africa. The speakers will focus on how to build an effective innovation pipeline with clear implementation opportunities, how to de-risk finance across the full innovation cycle and connect the public R&D agendas with private market signals.

The agricultural sector in Africa faces increasing productivity challenges due to localised climate risks and frequent natural disasters, which are intensified by climate change and irregular weather patterns. 

This session will explore the innovative risk management technologies used across Africa to bolster agricultural resilience. The panel discussion will cover the use of Earth observation tools for crop monitoring, risk identification, damage assessment, early warning systems, and new approaches to risk transfer and mitigation of climate change effects. 

A key focus will be on practical implementation of innovative technology solutions and facilitating appropriate regulatory framework that supports the effective use of such technologies in insurance and disaster risk financing. The session will also highlight how these innovations can contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). 

Energy storage plays a crucial role in the energy transition by enabling the efficient use of renewable energy and balancing supply and demand to ensure a stable power grid, even with intermittent sources such as solar and wind power. In South Africa, where coal dependency and power outages are major concerns, large-scale battery storage systems are essential for integrating additional renewable energy into the grid and improving energy security. 

This session will explore how energy storage can contribute to a fair and sustainable energy transition. Key challenges for energy storage in South Africa include ensuring equitable access to clean energy, reducing costs, improving scalability, and minimising the environmental impact of battery production and disposal. Overcoming these challenges requires supportive policies, enhanced research and development, and the development of infrastructure for microgrids and energy storage systems. 

Invited speakers will address the South African energy storage landscape from research and industry perspectives. VITO will discuss battery technology in terms of safety, performance testing, battery management, monitoring, and microgrids. 

With health emergencies, climate impacts, and social inequities on the rise, locally driven epidemic and disaster preparedness is crucial. Although national systems are important, it is communities that lead frontline responses. This session will explore how community-based strategies, which are rooted in trust, local knowledge and science, technology and innovation (STI), can strengthen health systems and reduce vulnerabilities. It will examine how STI can bridge gaps in early warning systems, surveillance, diagnosis, and response, particularly in the context of climate crises and emerging diseases.  

Using examples from Brazil, Africa, and Europe, the session will highlight the integration of STI into community health systems to boost resilience, equity, and rapid response. The session aims to showcase the role of STI in community preparedness, highlight success stories, and discuss ways to ensure that health systems remain resilient and equitable during crises.