During the first reporting period, ALBATROSS has successfully established the foundation for accelerating climate adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa through the creation of the Climate Resilience Development (CRD) Network and the co-design of innovative climate services (CS) and nature-based solutions (NbS). A total of 29 deliverables and 12 milestones have been achieved, marking substantial progress across all Work Packages and consolidating strong collaboration between African and European partners.
In synthesis, seven CRD Hubs have been established in five countries—Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar and South Africa—each representing distinct climatic, ecological and socio-economic contexts. Together, they form an operational network of Living Labs that engage local communities, research institutions and policymakers in co-developing and testing context-specific adaptation solutions.
Across the Hubs, more than 530 multi-actor interviews and seven focus group discussions were conducted, leading to the production of the first Climate Resilient Development Pathways, which identify priority NbS, related ecosystem services, data needs, and barriers to implementation. This work has advanced scientific understanding of equitable NbS deployment and co-production practices in Sub-Saharan contexts.
During this period, the project has initiated the development of a portfolio of prototype climate services, aligned with the local adaptation needs identified by the CRD Network These services include: (i) a hybrid rainfall prediction system for East Africa, combining statistical and dynamical modelling approaches; (ii) multi-hazard early warning prototypes, integrating community-based observations and impact tables to make warnings more actionable; (iii) an impact-based forecasting system and a decision-support dashboard for land, water, and agricultural management.
In parallel, ALBATROSS has advanced the design of nature-based solutions addressing key adaptation challenges—such as mangrove restoration, sustainable agricultural practices, and urban ecosystem-based adaptation—linking these to the identified Climate Resilient Development Pathways.
The project also delivered the ALBATROSS Citizen Science Toolkit, accessible via voices4climate.org enabling participatory data collection. Work has advanced on the Needs-Based Adaptation Toolkit and the Policy Observatory, both conceived as integrated resources within the ALBATROSS portal to support decision-making and policy coherence.
Capacity-building and educational activities progressed through the design of the ALBATROSS Mentorship Programme, which will connect early/mid-career African scientists and practitioners with European and African experts during the next reporting period. In addition, the project successfully completed two SDG Olympiads, an educational initiative engaging African students and young professionals in developing creative, solution-oriented approaches to sustainability and climate adaptation challenges.
The project also laid the groundwork for policy engagement by delivering a comprehensive multi-level policy analysis across Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar and South Africa, with findings informing future policy tools and briefs, and shared through international forums and stakeholder consultations.
Finally, ALBATROSS implemented its Communication and Dissemination Plan, launched its project website and social media channels, and produced a wide range of outreach materials—including newsletters, infographics and videos—to increase visibility and stakeholder engagement across Africa and Europe.
These achievements demonstrate significant progress towards the project’s ambition to co-create actionable, inclusive and sustainable climate adaptation pathways for Sub-Saharan Africa.
