Africa and its Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are on the frontline of climate change, facing both long-term shifts and short-lived but destructive extremes. Marine and inland heatwaves are now more frequent, devastating ecosystems such as mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrasses. Fisheries are collapsing, food security is threatened, and millions are being pushed into vulnerability. Meanwhile, droughts, extreme rainfall, floods, landslides, accelerating sea-level rise, and water scarcity are disrupting the lives and livelihoods of over 1.4 billion people. From the Sahel to the coastal SIDS, every community is feeling the strain, and none can be left behind.

One major barrier to understanding and addressing these changes is the lack of robust in-situ geodetic and oceanographic infrastructure across Africa. The continent has too few rain gauges, GNSS stations, tide gauges, gravimetric sensors, and ocean monitoring systems to capture the full scope of environmental transformation. Without a stable and accessible terrestrial reference frame, even the best satellite data cannot be fully exploited. The result is biased estimates, weaker predictive capacity, and limited ability to design effective, locally relevant adaptation strategies.

Geodesy and its applications through oceanography and climate dynamics provide a powerful path forward. They form the scientific foundation for measuring how the Earth system evolves. By linking land, ocean, atmosphere, and cryosphere into one coherent framework, geodesy allows us to detect sea-level rise, groundwater loss, crustal strain, land subsidence, landslides, and gravity changes with precision. These insights are crucial for anticipating hazards and shaping science-based resilience strategies.

The Africa Geodesy Summer School, the first of its kind for Africa and its SIDS, will be held in limbe, Cameroon, from June 29 to July 3, 2026. The program will primarily train African participants, with possible openings for international candidates, including early- and mid-career researchers, NGO leaders, climate advocates, and policy stakeholders. Through hands-on sessions and exposure to cutting-edge methods, participants will develop advanced skills in satellite data processing, reference frame applications, and geodetic analysis. The goal is simple: equip Africa’s next generation with the tools to understand, monitor, and respond to environmental change.

Ultimately, this Summer School aims to strengthen the scientific and technical capacity of Africa’s research and climate communities. It will foster collaboration, reduce dependence on external expertise, and support the rise of African-led solutions. This is a decisive step toward ensuring that the continent and its island nations can protect their people, resources, and ecosystems in a rapidly changing world