Youba Sokona, a distinguished climate scientist from Mali, talks about his journey and what the science says about Africa’s needs
In episode two of the Hali Hewa podcast, Abigael Kima interviews Malian climate scientist Youba Sokona.
Professor Youba Sokona, from Mali, is vice-chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC is the United Nations body tasked with assessing the latest science related to climate change. Regular scientific assessments from the IPCC play a critical role in shaping the international communities’ response to the climate crisis.
In this episode, Sokona takes us through his journey at the IPCC and explains what the best available science currently tells us about climate risks and impacts faced by countries across the African continent. He also tells us what gaps in climate science and the governance of climate change he sees that must be addressed if the needs of African countries are to be met on key issues such as energy access.
Sokona signs off this episode by sharing his call to action to world leaders ahead of the Cop27 climate talks, to be hosted in Egypt in November this year.
Find all episodes of the Hali Hewa podcast here.
