Windhoek: The Secretariat of the Climate Change and Futures in Africa Conference Series 2025 has announced that the upcoming conference will take place in Windhoek, Namibia, from 29 October to 1 November 2025. The conference will be convened under the theme ‘Risk in Time and Space’, emphasizing the variability of disaster risks over time and space.
According to South African Government News Agency, this year’s edition will place special emphasis on community-based participatory research (CBPR), an approach that empowers local communities to engage actively in risk assessment, decision-making, and the development of adaptive strategies. ‘By focusing on local knowledge and participation, CBPR offers powerful pathways for addressing the complex challenges posed by climate change and disaster risks,’ the secretariat said in a statement.
The Windhoek 2025 Conference will gather experts in climate change, disaster risk reduction, policymakers, practitioners, and community-based participatory research from around the world to share insights, exchange knowledge, and explore innovative solutions. The programme will feature interactive panel discussions, workshops, and breakout sessions designed to encourage dialogue and practical solutions to the complex challenges posed by climate change and disaster risks across disciplines and regions.
Participants will engage with case studies and research findings from Southern Africa and other climate-vulnerable regions, offering critical perspectives on the real-world impacts of climate change. More than 100 delegates are expected to attend, representing countries including Namibia, South Africa, Canada, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Kenya, Algeria, Japan, Greece, and Germany.
The conference aims to strengthen networks and partnerships that transcend geographical and disciplinary boundaries, promoting inclusive and forward-looking approaches to disaster risk management. Through collaborative efforts, this year’s conference seeks to contribute to the development of resilient, adaptive communities capable of navigating the evolving landscape of global climate challenges.
Discussions will explore themes such as risk analysis fundamentals, risk assessment, disaster risk management, risk perception, communication, governance, risk mitigation in sectoral policies, monitoring and coping with real risk problems, and risk and ethics. The event will be officially opened by the Prime Minister of Namibia, Dr Elijah Ngurare, alongside the Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Dino Ballotti.
The third edition of the Climate Change and Futures in Africa Conference Series is being organised collaboratively by the HSRC and several partners. These include the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology of Namibia, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, the National Research Foundation, the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement, Santam South Africa, the Department of Cooperative Governance, the University of Fort Hare, Walter Sisulu University, Midlands State University, the University of the Free State, Future Earth, and the Africa Institute of South Africa, along with Zimbabwe’s National University of Science and Technology.