Climate Change

Are you concerned about the future of the Okavango Delta in the midst of climate variability and change? The Climate Change programme at ORI presents you with an opportunity to preserve this site of international importance for future generations. We exist to improve understanding of the changing climate in relation to environment and society in the Okavango Delta and other wetlands. Our highly specialized multi-disciplinary team provides you with a diverse pool of specialisations for collaboration or graduate supervision.

Be a part of this RAMSAR and world heritage site. Come study with us or enhance our research by funding our work. Contact us at climatechange@ub..ac.bw for more information on how we can team up.

Current Projects

  1. Model based high resolution climate scenarios for Botswana:  Precipitation and surface temperatures for the 21st century.  
  2. Analysing the resilience of tourism-dependent communities to climate change in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.
  3. Closing the global methane budget project.
  4. Assessing the vulnerability of Sitatunga to climate variability in Northern Botswana.

Core Members

Name Position Department
Dr. Mangaliso John Gondwe Senior Research Fellow Okavango Research Institute
Dr Olga Laiza Kupika Senior Research Fellow Okavango Research Institute
Dr. Kelebogile (B) Mfundisi Research Scholar in Physical Geography Okavango Research Institute
Dr. Oliver Moses Senior Research Scholar Okavango Research Institute

Selected Publications

  1. Mfundisi, K.B. Mudabeti, A.M., and Makati, A. (2018) Integrating geoinformatics and remote sensing data to assess impacts of flooding on land productivity in the Zambezi River floodplains, Namibia. In Maphanyane et. al (Eds), Handbook of research on geospatial science and technologies, pages 201-212. IGI Global. https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/integrating-geoinformatics-and-remote-sensing-data-to-assess-impacts-of-flooding-on-land-productivity-in-the-zambezi-river-floodplains-namibia/187728. DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-3440-2.ch013
  2. Gondwe, M.J. and W.R. Masamba. 2014. Spatial and temporal dynamics of diffusive methane emissions in the Okavango Delta, northern Botswana, Africa. Wetlands Ecology and Management 22(1): 63-78.                                      
  3. Masamba W.R.L., M.J. Gondwe and M. Murray-Hudson. 2015. Physicochemical controls of diffusive methane fluxes in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Wetlands Ecology and Management 23(4): 617-635
  4. Moses, O. and B.P. Parida. 2016. Statistical modelling of Botswana’s monthly maximum wind speed using a four-parameter Kappa distribution. American Journal of Applied Sciences 13(6): 773-778
  5. Moses, O., E. Lungu and B.P. Parida (2017)  Transfer function-noise modeling of the dynamic relationship between Botswana's monthly maximum temperature and evaporation. American Journal of Environmental Sciences, DOI: 10.3844/ajessp.2017
  6. Moses O. & Hambira W.L. (2018). Effects of climate change on evapotranspiration over the Okavango Delta water resources. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 105, 98-103
  7. Hambira, Wame L. (2011). Screening for Climate change vulnerability in Botswana’s tourism sector in the bid to explore suitable adaptation measures and policy implications: A case study of the Okavango Delta. International Journal of Tourism Policy,4(1), 51-65.
  8. Hambira Wame L & Saarinen Jarkko (2015): Policy-makers’ perceptions of the tourism–climate change nexus: Policy needs and constraints in Botswana, Development Southern Africa, DOI: 10.1080/0376835X.2015.1010716

In pursuit of academic excellence

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