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3-4 November 201, SAIIA - University of Witwatersrand, JohannesburgThe French Embassy in Pretoria and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), with the support of the French Agency for Development (AFD), the Research Institute for Development (IRD) and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), will be hosting a one and a half day conference on “Climate Change in Africa: Perspectives on Scientific Evidence, Public Policies and Leading Initiatives.” This will be held from 3-4 November 2014 at SAIIA, located in the Jan Smuts House Building University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.Ahead of the COP20 and COP21, research and public policy initiatives play a crucial role, in particular in mitigation and adaptation to climate change. The increasing number of integrated public policies and funding mechanisms speak to the growing importance of research and implementation. More specifically, successful initiatives depend on accessible research that can highlight how climate change affects strategic sectors; as well as how research contributes to the development and implementation of public policies. There is a constant need for shared information to all parties and for responsive tools (policy, funding and successful initiatives) in pursuing sustainable development.This conference will explore synergies between research, policy and leading initiatives on climate change, in four key areas: Energy; Sustainable Cities; Marine Resources and Coastal Ecosystems; and the Green economy. It will also aim to provide a platform for policymakers, scientists and other stakeholders from the African continent in order to facilitate a dialogue around African achievements. Drawing on the outcomes of the first day, the second day of the conference will be structured around two closed roundtables focusing on challenges and opportunities for the future negotiations. Please see the conference programme for further details: Programme Climate Change Conference&#160;3-4 November 2014SAIIA, Jan Smuts House Building - University of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgRSVP: comm.research@ifas.org.za&#160;