ABOUTCLEARNETWORK
CLEAR – CLimate, Environment and Agroecology Research is a VLIR/ARES Policy Supporting Programme (PSP) carried out by a consortium of researchers from Belgian and African universities on behalf of DGD, the Belgian Directorate for Development cooperation and humanitarian Aid.
WHAT WE DO
We produce actionable knowledge to support strategic and operational policymaking processes focusing on the nexus development-environment-climate change
OUR APPROACH
Our approach is rooted in the recognition that climate change, environmental distress and food security are not just scientific or technical problems, but social, political, and economic challenges. We bring a social science approach to questions at the instersection of sustainable development , climate change and ecology, in order to contribute to better informed development policymaking and interventions. We foreground community-based perspectives and aspire to produce knowledge which can help adress climate and environmental injustice.
Thematically, our work is a dialogue between insights from three main work packages:
Work Package 1 : Biodiversity & ecosystems
This work package explores the root causes of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. We aim to develop inclusive and sustainable conservation practices that align local community needs with global conservation targets.
Key issues in this work pakage are:
- Investigating the root causes and drivers of biodiversity loss and deforestation
- Filling knowledge gaps in partner countries
- Learning from community-based environmental impact assessments
Work Package 2: Agroecology & resilience
In this work package, we examine the potential of agroecological practices to enhance resilience and sustainability. By fostering dialogue between local knowledge and modern science, we address barriers to sustainable farming and promote climate-smart agriculture.
Key issues in this work package are:
- Local knowledge and/or/versus insights from ‘modern’ science
- Competing agrarian models and political choices
- Land, water rights and resilience to crises (including climate change)
Work Package 3: Climate change
This work package centers on incorporating social, political, and economic dimensions into climate policy, aiming to offer insights that support the integration of climate change within development initiatives. It emphasizes a comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions between ecological, social, and political factors, all framed through an inclusive, justice-oriented approach.
Key issues in this work package are:
- Climate just adaptation
- Averting, minimizing and adressing Loss and Damage
- The climate-conflict -migration nexu
Geographically, our work focuses on Belgian development partner countries, with a strong anchorage in the African Great Lakes and Sahel regions.
This website will showcase our work. Follow us on linkedin for more updates.
Join us in our efforts to create sustainable and equitable solutions for climate and environmental issues.
THE TEAM
Aymar Nyenyezi Bisoka
University of Mons
Aymar N. Bisoka is professor at the University of Mons where he teaches, among others, critical ecology and socio-anthropology of territory and environment.
An Ansoms
UCLouvain
An Ansoms is a professor in the social sciences at UCLouvain (Belgium). She heads a research group on rural transformations in Central and Eastern Africa (www.juwaresearch.org).
Sheila Médina Karambiri
Centre Universitaire Ziniaré, University Joseph KI-ZERBO
Sheila Médina Karambiri is a geographer and professor at the Centre Universitaire Ziniaré, University Joseph KI-ZERBO in Burkina Faso.
Leonard K. Mubalama
Higher Institute of Rural development (ISDR-Bukavu).
Leonard Mubalama is a professor in the environmental sciences at the Higher Institute of Rural development (ISDR-Bukavu).
Tomas Van Acker
Ghent University
Tomas Van Acker is a political scientist based at the Conflict Research Group/ department of Conflict and Development Studies, Ghent University.
Constanza Parra
Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven
Constanza Parra is an environmental social scientist with inter-and transdisciplinary interests in the ways societies relate to the environment and deal with contemporary sustainability challenges. Constanza leads the research group ‘Geographies of Sustainable Development’.
Mahamadou Bassirou Tangara
University of Social Sciences and Management of Bamako (Mali)
Mahamadou Bassirou Tangara is a researcher at the Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Social Sciences and Management of Bamako (Mali). His work focuses on poverty, the informal economy, and the socio-economic dynamics of armed conflicts.