Climate change and environmental degradation have intensified the urgency for sustainable solutions worldwide. However, in Africa, where the impact of global warming is particularly severe, the shortage of professionals equipped with green skills remains a major obstacle. Recognizing this gap, a consortium of universities and research institutions from South Africa, Senegal, and Europe has embarked on a mission to equip students and professionals with nature-based solutions (NbS) expertise. Matthew Weaver, Sinetemba Xoxo, and Sukhmani Mantel from Rhodes University, along with their colleagues, are working to bridge the green skills gap in Africa through the Nature-based Solutions for African Resilience project.
The project at a glance
This ambitious initiative brings together Rhodes University and the University of Cape Town from South Africa, alongside Ecole Polytechnique de Thies and Université Cheikh Anta Diop from Senegal. European partners include TU Delft in the Netherlands, AgroParisTech in France, and the Institut National de Recherche Pour L’Agriculture, L’Alimentation et L’Environnement (INRAE) in France. The project aims to enhance the capacity of current students and practicing environmental professionals to implement climate-resilient infrastructure across Africa.
One of its key objectives is integrating Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into Higher Education Institution (HEI) curricula, ensuring that future professionals are well-versed in sustainable environmental practices. NbS aligns with global and continental priorities, including the European Union’s Green Deal and Africa’s Agenda 2063. However, building this capacity requires more than just classroom learning; it necessitates engagement with key stakeholders involved in infrastructure planning and environmental management.
Identifying the gaps in green skills education
Through extensive interviews and surveys with more than 50 experts from South African universities, consulting firms, and government bodies, the project identified critical gaps in existing training programs:
Design and implementation: There is a significant shortage of training programs for professionals designing environmental projects, such as wetland restoration and urban greening. These projects play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, flood control, and water purification.
Interdisciplinary knowledge: Key environmental sciences like ecology, hydrology, and climate science are typically confined to environmental science programs and have not yet been incorporated into engineering degrees. This has led to a shortage of environmental engineers with the expertise to integrate NbS into infrastructure projects.
Community engagement: Sustainable solutions require long-term community involvement. However, many professionals lack the necessary skills to conduct inclusive community meetings where all voices are heard.
Policy and funding: Many projects struggle due to inadequate policy frameworks and lack of financial support. Training in fundraising, policy development, and advocacy is essential for promoting and implementing NbS initiatives.
Ethics and indigenous knowledge: Effective environmental management must be culturally sensitive. Universities need to equip students with ethical engagement strategies and knowledge of Indigenous environmental practices.
Read more: Essential skills for addressing the climate crisis
Nature-based solutions in action
For example, wetlands are a natural resource for humans and create a habitat for wildlife. They filter water and control floods. But they’ve been degraded all over the world, which threatens biodiversity and human livelihoods. Wetland restoration is a nature-based solution. Other examples are reforestation and setting up green infrastructure in cities, such as urban forests and roof gardens.
Nature-based solutions are taking off all over the world. In Kenya, about 8,000 mangrove or coastal forests are being restored every year. These shield communities who live on the coast from storms and absorb large amounts of greenhouse gases. The Great Green Wall landscape restoration initiative in Africa’s Sahel region is also a nature-based solution.
In China, 30 pilot “sponge cities” have been set up. These contain bioswales (ditches filled with plants that absorb stormwater during heavy rains and prevent floods) and rain gardens made up of plants grown on hillsides that also soak up heavy rains. The Working for Wetlands project involves building packed rock baskets (gabions) to support wetland restoration. These structures slow down water flow, reduce erosion, and aid in ecological recovery.
However, nature-based solutions are not being established fast enough to decrease global warming. In Africa particularly, there is a shortage of people who have the green skills needed. Engineers with the skills to design green infrastructure, and environmental scientists who oversee environmental and social impact assessments, are in short supply. Nature-based solutions can’t be set up without them.
Until now, universities have not offered specific degrees in this field. And there are very few professional training courses for ecologists and scientists. The result is a green skills gap.
The project team comprises ecologists, engineers, sustainability scientists, hydrologists, and social scientists who are working on filling this gap by revamping curricula at South African and Senegalese universities.
Bridging the skills gap
In response to these gaps, the project developed targeted training programs for both students and professionals, focusing on:
Nature-based solutions for water management: Training in urban wetland restoration and stormwater management to mitigate urban flooding and improve water quality.
Climate Adaptation and Conservation Planning: Equipping professionals with skills to anticipate and manage climate risks.
Carbon sequestration strategies: Educating professionals on ecosystem preservation methods like reforestation and habitat restoration to enhance carbon absorption.
Impact monitoring: Developing skills to assess and measure the effectiveness of NbS projects over time.
To ensure these skills are effectively integrated into education systems, institutions will need to adapt their curricula by:
- Encouraging multidisciplinary learning, where students gain exposure to both engineering and environmental sciences.
- Establishing interdisciplinary modules that link NbS with water management and catchment conservation.
- Promoting practical field-based training to allow students to analyze and learn from real-world NbS projects.
Why Africa must act now
With Africa facing increasing threats from climate change, the need to adopt NbS is urgent. A United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report warns that without immediate adaptation, climate change will have devastating effects on the continent’s food, water, and agricultural systems. Furthermore, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has projected that without adequate adaptation, climate-related disasters could leave 200 million people in need of humanitarian aid by 2050—a sharp rise from the current 108 million.
Investing in green skills today is an investment in Africa’s sustainable future. By equipping professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to implement nature-based solutions, this project aims to build a climate-resilient Africa—one where ecosystems and communities thrive together.
