CSAG is a leading international climate research centre based in Africa with broad research skills and competency in both physical and social dimensions of climate, a strong experience in engaging with society, and an excellent track record in capacity development. We prioritize societally relevant research to support responses to climate variability and change.

The recent blogs on this site discussed the need for individual action around climate change – amongst other thoughts.  Today I was reading the news articles and browsing Facebook and it got me thinking about how the awareness around these issues get propagated and why some causes/ideas/events seem to move much faster than others.  Yes… Read more »

The email discussion recorded below ensued after a link was shared which spoke about “20 things YOU can do to address the climate crisis“.  Read that article first! This conversation is a valuable starting point to thinking about what you can do … have more conversations! [Edited to remove too many personal aspersions, and spell… Read more »

It was a dark and stormy night… I always wanted to write something that started that way, so here goes, exerts from a gritty, tongue in cheek film noir adaptation of issues inherent in the ethics of climate services given limits to predictability. I would like to remind that in true film noir tradition, these… Read more »

This post was triggered by the thought of a cold shower. I react to triggers. I guess we all do. I saw a vlog about someone with Trichotillomania who was negatively triggered by the new Doctor Who (whereas Doctor Who should, of course, trigger lots of positive reactions)! Not long after this I was in… Read more »

It feels like time to write another post that challenges myself as much as anyone else. I know there has been a lot of positive press about the recent climate marches around the world with the march in New York gathering somewhere close to 400,000 people. There was a march here in Cape Town though… Read more »

Thanks to cultivation of a slackline hobby, I have been recently spending sunny afternoons in one of the Cape Town parks, amongst suburban dog-walkers, young parents and their offspring. It all does seem rather idyllic, but have no doubt, the activity can frequently turn unpleasant. This is thanks to the dog walkers, or in fact… Read more »

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I… Read more »

On Tuesday the German national team defied several historical precedents in the course of their world cup semi-final with Brazil. Like a tropical cyclone that intersects with an upper atmospheric instability, the conditions aligned for an extreme, and to many, devastating, event. Could this have been expected? Of course in retrospect we have proof that… Read more »

In order to celebrate all those who have contributed to the CSAG blog over the past few years, and to pay homage to the most interesting, entertaining and thought provoking blog posts, the Joe Blogs Award for the CSAG blog of the year has been established. It may be a little overdue but this morning… Read more »