Professor Pius Zebhe Yanda, from the University of Dar es Salaam, has been appointed to the advisory board of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). He will provide strategic guidance and recommendations on evaluation of Climate and environment in Norwegian Development cooperation. NORAD operates as a professional body under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Norway. When it comes to Norway's climate and forestry initiatives, NORAD falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Climate and Environment (KLD). Prof Yanda, will work along with other six members of the advisory board namely:- Juha Illari Uitto (Director of the Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) of the Global Environment Facility since 2014); Solveig Aamodt (Senior researcher and political scientist focusing on climate policy processes in large developing countries); Nils Anders Røkke (Executive Vice President Sustainability at SINTEF and the President of EERA (the European Energy Research Alliance); Michael Wells (Independent consultant in environmental conservation and sustainable economic development, mainly in developing and emerging countries); Alejandro Parellada (Senior advisor to the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) ; Siri Ellen Hallstrøm Eriksen (Professor working at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) at the Department of Public Health Science).
Prof. Yanda is a distinguished expert in Climate Change at UDSM, where he previously held the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Professorial Chair in Environment and Climate Change. He has also served as the Director of the Institute of Resource Assessment and founded the Centre for Climate Change Studies. Professor Yanda made significant contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. He then served as Vice Chair for Working Group II within the IPCC for 7 years from 2016 to 2023. In this capacity, he oversaw the scientific assessments conducted by thousands of scientists from various continents.
During his tenure at UDSM, spanning over 36 years, Professor Yanda has not only served as an academic but has also held various academic positions. He is renowned for his leadership in multidisciplinary international research projects and programs related to natural resource management, environmental issues, and climate change. Additionally, he has coordinated Africa-wide initiatives focused on research and capacity building, collaborating with numerous academic institutions in Africa and beyond.
We, at IRA, extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof. Yanda once more for receiving this esteemed recognition, and for consistently upholding the reputation of both the University and our Institute of Resource Assessment (IRA).
September 12, 2023