An article titled African universities urged to spearhead climate research, published on BizCommunity.com on August 19, highlighted key sections from the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande’s keynote address at the third International Conference on Earth and Environmental Sciences (ICEES 2025), a collaboration between the University of Zululand and China’s Chang’an University. He announced that the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation has put in place instruments to enable research and development and build state capacity. Some of the programmes under this science mission include SAEON, the Alliance for Collaboration on Climate and Earth System Science (ACCESS) and the Centre for Global Change. Prof. Nzimande moreover discussed the South African Research Infrastructure Roadmap, which includes 13 research infrastructure initiatives.

Daily News and Cape Town Today also reported on the conference on August 18 and 19 in articles titled Collaboration between South African and Chinese universities to tackle climate challenges and Earth and Environmental Sciences in Africa: Shaping the Future Through Collaboration and Innovation – Cape Town Today respectively.

The Minister’s keynote address can be viewed on the official website of the South African Government: Minister Blade Nzimande: Third International Conference on Earth and Enviromental Sciences | South African Government.

Arid Lands Node

Beetling the heat, an article on the Namib beetle, Onymacris plana, co-authored by SAEON research associate Dr Joh Henschel, was published Open Access and is the lead article in the Journal of Experimental Biology (August 14). Namib beetles are active during the heat of the day in a desert with insufficient water to afford evaporative cooling. These energy-efficient beetles manage to beat the heat by developing a strategy all their own: they run to keep cool.

The story has also found its way into popular science media:

• Researchers went into the oldest desert on Earth and discovered something “really unique” about the way beetles run | Discover Wildlife
• This desert beetle runs to cool off

For more information on these desert beetles, read Dr Joh Henschel’s article, Running out of heat, in this edition of SAEON eNews.  

Egagasini Node

SAEON’s Ocean and Polar Coordinator, Dr Tammy Morris, was one of three panellists contributing to the HSRC Connect panel discussion on YouTube, Women and the Oceans – Towards Inclusive and Equitable Ocean Governance.

The session focused on power, participation and protection in ocean governance, highlighting why gender equity is critical for sustainable marine development. The participants highlighted the need for inclusive ocean governance that values women’s knowledge and leadership in building a just and sustainable blue economy. The session also unpacked how women’s voices and knowledge could reshape the future of our oceans.