eNews

#02 2025

ICSHMO special session – Advancing inclusion of the Global South in the Earth Sciences community: Recent efforts from the World Climate Research Programme

By Nicole du Plessis and Jenny Veitch, Egagasini Node, NRF-SAEON

The 14th ICSHMO saw the hosting of a special session on “Advancing inclusion of the Global South in the Earth Sciences community”. The session was co-hosted by NRF-SAEON, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Climate System Analysis Group (CSAG) and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) under the My Climate Risk programme. 

The session brought together early-career researchers and institutional representatives to explore the systemic barriers facing Global South scientists – and how the WCRP is working to build a more inclusive climate science community.  

Co-chaired by Alice McClure (CSAG) and Dr Jenny Veitch (SAEON), the session began with a keynote address from Dr Julia Mindlin, a PhD-trained atmospheric and ocean sciences researcher at the University of Leipzig, who shared insights from two WCRP-aligned projects focused on South-North imbalances in Earth sciences. Drawing from workshops, she illustrated how researchers from the Global South face systemic challenges in areas such as publishing due to “regional bias”, accessing high-quality data and computing infrastructure, and participating in international networks. Suggested solutions included double-blind peer review for publications, regional data hubs and open-source platforms, south-led funding and research agenda-setting, and multilingual conference resources and visa support. The emphasis was on building equitable collaborations and amplifying underrepresented voices in Earth system science.

Opening speakers during the WCRP special session. From left: Leandro Diaz, Julia Mindlin, Jenny Veitch and Alice McClure.

Participants during the WCRP information sharing session. From left: Bruce Hewitson, Chris Jack, Regina Rodriguez, Chris Lennard, Jenny Veitch and Alice McClure.

This was followed by a presentation from Dr Leandro Díaz, a researcher at the University of Buenos Aires, who presented outcomes from the WCRP Early- and Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR) Symposium. The symposium, part of the 2023 Kigali WCRP Open Science Conference, spotlighted research gaps in the Global South. Identified priorities included improved access to high-resolution climate models, regional funding frameworks (South-South collaboration) and focused early warning systems and capacity development.

Key programmes under the WRCP were highlighted from members including Dr Regina Rodriguez, co-chair of My Climate Risk, and members of the UCT/CSAG My Climate Risk Hub. This session was rounded off by a panel discussion moderated by two early-career researchers affiliated to SAEON and UCT, Tania Duba and Rabia Jacobs.

Key themes noted during the panel discussion included the need for ‘Global North’ champions to help amplify Global South voices, rethinking how performance is measured in collaborations, reframing “capacity development” as mutual learning and not deficit filling, and highlighting South-South collaborations as a vital path forward.  

The session highlighted the need for continuing the conversation on strengthening the inclusion of African and other Global South climate scientists, in international spaces. It is hoped similar events will be coordinated at future conferences.