Lay summary
The Congo River is the world’s second largest river, and its seasonally navigable channels allow transport through its vast basin, which has few roads. Decades of war have left this region as one of the least studied in the world.
This research will provide up-to-date scientific knowledge of the river channels and wetlands using satellites, computer models and field measurements, which will be vital for making decisions on post-war reconstruction and climate change resilience within the basin.
Proposed benefits to researchers and institutions
- Access to and influence over large scale development projects as a result of demonstrating timely relevance and engagement with the pressing needs of the society in the region
- Increased institutional capacity to undertake robust scientific measurements as a result of the equipment gained from this project and the skills gained through training and workshops
- Building capacity of African researchers by giving them access to the latest river remote sensing data and methods and research models
- New connections for obtaining local knowledge of the river system and easier field work access for international researchers
- Links to the francophone research community, who are already active in the region, and access to historical data that has previously been gathered but is not readily available on the internet
Proposed benefits of research to society
- New scientific knowledge and understanding of large river systems, which will drive major future study within the basin and can be applied worldwide
- Data and knowledge from this research project will be made freely available to aid river management authorities, consultants developing models, infrastructure design, and boost economic development while allowing careful management of natural resources