Impact Global Location: Gabon

REF impact found 9 Case Studies

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Case 4 - Influencing international climate mitigation strategies by understanding the role of tropical forests

Summary of the impact

Research led by the School of Geography at the University of Leeds has enabled, for the first time, the use of on-the-ground observations to evaluate directly the role of tropical forests in the global carbon cycle and to assess their sensitivity to change. Findings from the research have had a significant impact on international debates on the future trajectory of climate change and appropriate policy responses, and are influencing national-scale efforts across the tropics to manage forests in the face of climate change and to reduce carbon emissions resulting from deforestation [D, E, G, H, J]. The success of this Leeds-led initiative has been achieved through the extensive network of scientists involved in this global forest observatory: more than 250 scientists from over 50 institutions across more than 30 countries are now involved.

Submitting Institution

University of Leeds

Unit of Assessment

Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Environmental Sciences: Environmental Science and Management
Biological Sciences: Ecology, Other Biological Sciences

6 - DNA Barcoding of Life: Development of DNA-based Species Identification Technologies

Summary of the impact

Taxonomy is of key relevance to the environment, agriculture, food production, and human health. However, describing all living organisms is such a daunting task that it calls for new approaches. A DNA-based system for species identification, called 'DNA Barcoding', is one such solution. Imperial researchers identified DNA barcodes for plants in 2008, which have since had impacts on the environment, health and welfare and in commerce. The plant DNA barcodes have been endorsed by the Consortium for the Barcoding of Life and have led to multiple applications ranging from facilitating biodiversity inventories, helping authentication of material (herbal medicine) for trade control in Malaysia, South Africa, India and Nigeria, and combating invasive species and smuggling in Africa.

Submitting Institution

Imperial College London

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Biological Sciences: Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics

Global Sea Turtle Conservation

Summary of the impact

Research on the status, distribution and ecology of sea turtles at the University of Exeter has driven national and international conservation policy, engaged millions of people worldwide and raised substantial funding for conservation. Governments including the UK, Cayman Islands, Cyprus and Gabon have used this research in making legislation and multi-million pound management decisions. Development of open-access animal tracking tools has facilitated a global network of over 135 countries, with more than 300 projects tracking thousands of animals from 118 species. The ability to adopt tracked animals online has attracted millions of visitors and raised funding for conservation projects world-wide.

Submitting Institution

University of Exeter

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Environmental Sciences: Environmental Science and Management
Biological Sciences: Ecology
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences: Fisheries Sciences

Management of the Bushmeat Industry in Gabon

Summary of the impact

Work by University of Stirling staff has contributed directly to improved wildlife resource management in the Central African region. Innovative research into the status and trends of key wildlife populations, ecological impacts, resource harvests and trade, drivers of resource use and assessing management success have contributed directly to new thinking on the issue, revisions of laws and policy and to success in attracting foreign aid for management issues. Stirling staff members now advise the Government of Gabon on resource management policies, National Park management and biodiversity issues.

Submitting Institution

University of Stirling

Unit of Assessment

Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Environmental Sciences: Environmental Science and Management
Economics: Applied Economics

Providing healthcare training and increasing public awareness of neglected tropical diseases via national and international engagement activities

Summary of the impact

WHO estimates that 600 million school-age children need deworming treatment and preventive intervention.

The University of Manchester (UoM) Immunology Group delivered an educational programme on the immune response and biology of parasitic worm infections in areas where worm infections are most prevalent, including Uganda and Pakistan, and with UK immigrant communities.

International benefits include health worker and educator training, which is critical for improving the understanding of worm infection and distribution of health education messages to endemic communities. Nationwide engagement activities provided immigrant communities and school pupils with improved awareness of global health issues and a greater understanding of immunology, and have inspired some participants to pursue careers in science.

Submitting Institution

University of Manchester

Unit of Assessment

Biological Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Immunology

Stimulating new exploration strategies for copper mining in Africa

Summary of the impact

The Zambian Copperbelt is the largest known repository of copper on Earth. Research at the University of Southampton has transformed the exploration landscape in the region, providing the world's mining companies with new opportunities for mineral exploration in Zambia and other sedimentary basins in Africa. This inward investment has contributed to rapid economic growth in Zambia and boosted local employment. Southampton's research model has contributed to the discovery of two world class copper deposits, impacted on the earnings of global mining companies, as well as ensuring a flow of highly skilled geologists from academia to industry.

Submitting Institution

University of Southampton

Unit of Assessment

Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Earth Sciences: Geochemistry, Geology

ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND POLICY FORMATION RELATED TO MONITORING SUB-SAHARAN FOREST DEGRADATION

Summary of the impact

Impacts: I) Economic benefits derived from carbon credit and land-use schemes in sub-Saharan Africa. II) Multi-national developments in public-policy related to Reducing Emissions for Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD). III) Recommendation for launch by the European Space Agency (March 2013) of the first ever forest-specific monitoring mission.

Significance and reach: Public policy developments have occurred over the period 2011 - June 2013 in Malawi, Mozambique and Gabon. Increases of more than 20% in the level of rural employment pre and post 2008 have been documented for one project in Mozambique.

Underpinned by: Research into quantifying tropical forest biomass stocks and their degradation, undertaken at the University of Edinburgh (2004 onwards).

Submitting Institution

University of Edinburgh

Unit of Assessment

Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Environmental Sciences: Ecological Applications, Environmental Science and Management
Biological Sciences: Ecology

Promoting environmental justice and social sustainability in the Congo Basin

Summary of the impact

Dr Jerome Lewis's research defining how to implement free, prior and informed consent has led to effective and equitable relations between indigenous forest people and FSC-certified forestry companies operating in the Congo Basin (over 4 million ha). It enabled forest people to monitor illegal logging and improve forest governance and has been adopted by forestry organisations in the region. It was instrumental in setting up the Centre d'Excellence Social which recruits students from the region to train a new generation of forest managers with the skills required to put the newly defined social principles into practice, as well as Radio Biso na Biso, a community radio station which disseminates indigenous views on local issues, logging and conservation.

Submitting Institution

University College London

Unit of Assessment

Anthropology and Development Studies

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences: Forestry Sciences
Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Studies In Human Society: Sociology

Providing the evidence base for conserving tropical forests

Summary of the impact

Since 2005 there has been a surge of interest in reducing tropical deforestation as a means of mitigating global climate change, as well as enhancing the protection of tropical biodiversity and contributing to sustainable rural development. Ways of achieving this include the REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC), and also non-governmental ("voluntary") forest carbon sequestration projects being established across the tropics. The Ecosystems Group, led by Malhi, in the Oxford School of Geography and the Environment, has been actively engaged in natural science and policy/governance research directions, all of which have had impacts on both REDD+ and voluntary forest carbon sequestration projects. The group's natural science research has developed scientific methodologies for measuring tropical forest biomass, through in situ plots and satellite imagery, and they have been actively involved in establishing pilot REDD+ projects in several countries. On the policy and governance side, the Forest Governance Group, created in 2009, has played a key role in establishing global databases on the effectiveness of protected areas in conserving forests, provided international comparative analyses of forest policies outside protected areas, and actively engaged in global, regional and local REDD+ policy-making fora.

Submitting Institution

University of Oxford

Unit of Assessment

Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology

Summary Impact Type

Environmental

Research Subject Area(s)

Environmental Sciences: Ecological Applications, Environmental Science and Management
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences: Forestry Sciences

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