November 27, 2022

Global Oceans recently participated in the CLIVAR IORP/POGO Regional training workshop "Observing the coastal and marginal seas in the western Indian Ocean, including the Arabian/Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman” in Maputo, Mozambique, 7 June - 9 June 2022, where we met an impressive young scientist Adelina Langa who is completing her master’s degree in marine science at the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane. Listening to her concerns about critical marine issues in the region and her desire to contribute to new knowledge and solutions was an inspiration. We recently had the privilege of recommending and supporting Adelina’s attendance last month at a regional ocean science workshop at INCOIS in Hyderabad, India.

From: Adelina António Langa, Maputo, Mozambique

“Hello everyone; I’m Adelina Langa, an MSc student in applied oceanography at the School of Marine and Coastal Sciences at the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo, Mozambique. I’m developing my dissertation in the area related to the application of ocean observations (remote sensing and in situ) for the benefit of society with the theme: "Projecting changes in coastal ecosystems in the Bazaruto Archipelago". This topic is part of the research supported under the university's program on "Ocean Forecast Systems - Coastal Resilience and Disaster Risk and the Impacts of Climate Change".

Recently I had the honor of participating in the POGO - ITCOocean Training Program on "Ocean Observations to Societal Applications" 31 October - 05 November 2022 in Hyderabad, India organized by the International Training Centre for Operational Oceanography (ITCOocean) ESSO-INCOIS in collaboration with Andhra University in Visakhapatnam, India.

My participation was financially supported 100% by Global Oceans, without which I would not have been able to attend. As part of its mission Global Oceans is supporting students and scientists who are focused on solving environmental problems that impact society and encouraging them to bring sustainable solutions that encompass all stakeholders for the benefit of ocean health and society.

In this program we were able to share our experiences, knowledge, and culture and to network with other colleagues and experts in the marine sciences. It’s interesting that the workshop training was such a good match with the work I’m developing in Bazaruto Archipelago with local communities. At the workshop I presented my work to colleagues and gained good insights on improving and expanding my research. I’m now sharing my experience and knowledge from the workshop with my colleagues here in Mozambique and I really encourage them to apply for these kinds of courses to help expand their network, knowledge and get a different view of the world out there.

I plan to continue my studies in a marine sciences PhD program, focusing on biodiversity and forecasting coastal resilience, an area that’s extremely important for understanding how we can conserve marine and coastal ecosystems. I’m also interested in understanding how we can build sustainability and a more circular economy, focusing on waste management and recycling, and their contribution to the Blue Economy.

I’m also excited that Global Oceans has invited me to be part of an advisory group of scientists for a new project in development by Global Oceans and South African scientists for a ship-based research and training initiative in the Western Indian Ocean.

I see myself as being in the line of action, collaborating with organizations that disseminate information and education on environmental issues, through the media, in communities and schools. Every change begins with new knowledge and understanding, so this is the time to make a difference because if we don’t act now, tomorrow may be too late. I want to be a role model for young leaders. I intend to collaborate, engage and inspire them to embrace environmental causes and to be agents of change – driven by the desire to change the world and save the planet.

With Best Wishes,

Adelina António Langa, Maputo, Mozambique

More context from the 2022 CLIVAR IORP/POGO regional training workshop in Maputo, Mozambique:

The Western Indian Ocean (WIO), which includes East African countries and those surrounding the marginal and coastal seas, has more than 60 million people living on its marine coast. The coastal rural communities rely on marine ecosystems as a source of food and livelihood. The

ocean economy is also important for countries with foreign income from fisheries, tourism, etc. But the WIO is warming rapidly and is a marine “hotspot” for climate change. Extreme weather events including tropical cyclones, heat waves, and abnormal monsoons are becoming more frequent and intense, resulting in the destruction of coastal and marine habitats, ecosystems showing stress and less productivity, hence an impact on fisheries.

These in turn will impact people in the region who rely on coastal and marine ecosystems for food security and income. Similarly, biodiversity loss as a consequence of climate change is posing a challenge to the tourism industry in the WIO. Observational data are scarce in the WIO, in particular in the coastal and marginal seas where satellite products and numerical ocean models are limited. Mid- to long-term ocean observation systems are needed to monitor and understand marine processes and to validate satellite derived data and global model outputs for better prediction of day-to-day and future change in marine resources.