Title: Professor

Name: Pius Zebhe Yanda

Institute of Resource Assessment

Position: Professor

Current Summarized CV/Profile

Pius Zebhe Yanda is a Research Professor in Physical Geography at the University of Dar es Salaam. He has served the University of Dar Es Salaam in different academic positions for more than 36 years. Professor Yanda has worked extensively in natural resources management, environment and climate change related studies in the African region as well as in Tanzania. Professor Yanda has a track record in leading multi-disciplinary international team’s research projects and programs in natural resources management, environmental as well as climate change.  During this period, Professor Pius Yanda has coordinated Africa-wide programs on research and capacity building in collaboration with a number of other academic institutions in Africa and beyond.

Between 2005 and 2007, Professor Yanda served as one of the international experts in the panel that made a scientific review of state of art on climate change in the globe. He was one of the Lead Authors for Chapter 9 (Africa Chapter) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). IPCC is a UN organization charged with global assessments on Climate Change. This chapter attracted attention of the international community as well as African states on the magnitude of climate change challenge in the continent.

Between 2009 and 2013 Professor Pius Yanda served as a lead author for Chapter 8 of the IPCC Special Report on Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation. The report was published in March 2013.

In 2016 Professor Yanda was elected for the position of IPCC Vice-Chair Working Group II.  Professor Yanda will serve in that capacity for seven years. Chairs and Vice Chairs’ role is to oversee IPCC scientific assessments by thousands of scientists drawn from different continents.

Between 2010 and 2018, Professor Yanda served as a member of the high profile Joint Scientific Committee. This is a high level committee under World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The committee consists of 18 scientists representing different continents (Prof. Yanda represented African continent) as well as different disciplines. The committee is charged with the responsibility of developing a global research agenda on climate change

In 2011, Professor Pius Yanda took a leadership role in establishment of Centre for Climate Change Studies and a Masters as well as PhD Programs in Climate Change and Sustainable development at the University of Dar Es Salaam. The Centre for Climate Change Studies is now in place, and MSc and PhD programs is now operational serving Tanzania and other students from within and outside Africa. During this period, the Centre under the leadership of Professor Pius Yanda was able to attract donor funds to support training program. About 20 PhD students and 80 MSc students were fully sponsored to undertake their studies.

In year 2019, Professor Pius Z. Yanda was hired by the government of South Sudan with funding from African Development Bank to conduct a comprehensive study to Assess Drivers of Deforestation and Forest Degradation in South Sudan. In year 2020 the same government engaged Professor Pius Yanda to prepare REDD+ strategies/Action Plan for South Sudan.

Professor Pius Yanda has published extensively in the field of natural resources, environment and climate change.

Professional Details

Bachelor: University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es salaam, Tanzania

Masters: As, Norway

PhD: Stockholm, Sweden

Specialized areas of teaching: Natural Resources Management, Climate Change

Research interests: Natural Resources Management, Climate Change

Recent projects

Title: The role of rural-urban linkages for enhanced climate resilience in rural Tanzania (RUL4CLI)

Donor: DANIDA

Role: Co-PI

Year: 2022- 2027

Title: Climate Change, Energy, Sustainability: Transformations and Governance (CENSU) project

Donor: NORAD

Role: Co-PI

Year: 2021- 2026

Title: Vulnerability, Resilience, Rights and Responsibilities:  Capacity Building on Climate Change in Relation to Coastal Resources, Gender and Governance in Coastal Tanzania and Zanzibar

Donor: NORAD

Role: PI

Year: 2013- 2020

Title: Building Capacity f or REDD+ in East Africa for Improved Ecosystem Health and for Sustainable Livelihoods in Eastern Africa (REEDD-EA)

Donor: NORAD

Role: Co-PI

Year: 2013- 2020

Recent publications

1. PM Rogers, M Fridahl, P. Z. Yanda, A Hansson, N Pauline, H. Simon (2022): Socio-Economic Determinants for Biochar Deployment in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Energies 2022, 15(1), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15010144
2. Yanda PZ, Mabhuye EB, Mwajombe AR, Msambichaka SJ. Tracking Pathways to Recovery from Climate Shocks and Resilience Enhancement. Environ Manage. 2021 Nov 29. doi: 10.1007/s00267-021-01569-5. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34845535.
3. Yanda PZ, Mabhuye E, Mwajombe A, Johnson N, Yamat LE. (2021): Dynamics of Land Management and Implications on Pastoral Livelihoods in Northern Tanzania. Environ Manage. 2021 Nov 26. doi: 10.1007/s00267-021-01568-6. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34837100.
4. Yanda, P.Z., Mabhuye, E.B. & Mwajombe, A. (2020): Linking Coastal and Marine Resources Endowments and Climate Change Resilience of Tanzania Coastal Communities. Environmental Management (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-021-01553-z
5. Peter Healey, Robert Scholes, Penehuro Lefale and Pius Yanda (2021): Governing Net Zero Carbon Removals to Avoid Entrenching Inequities. Front. Clim., 25 May 2021. https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2021.672357.
6. F Machumi, E Innocent, P Yanda (2021): Seasonal impacts on antifungal activity and chemical composition of extracts from medicinal plants Turraea holstii and Clausena anisata. - Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 2021. Academic Journals.
7. Yanda, P.Z., Mung’ong’o, C. G. and Mabhuye, E.B. (Eds) (2020). Climate Change Impacts and Sustainability: Ecosystems of Tanzania, 244p. CABI International, UK.
8. Hansson, A., Haikola, S., Fridahl, M. Yanda, P., Mabhuye, E., Pauline, N. (2020): Biochar as multi-purpose sustainable technology: experiences from projects in Tanzania. Environ Dev Sustain 23, 5182–5214 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-00809-8
9. Mabhuye, E.B. and Yanda, P.Z. (2020). Locally Based Responses to Impacts of Climate Change in Pastoral Landscapes of Northern Tanzania. In: Change Impacts and Sustainability: Ecosystems of Tanzania. 101-121pp. DOI : 10.1079/9781789242966.0101
10. Yanda, P.Z., Mabhuye, E.B. Mwanjombe, A.R. and Johnson, N. (2020). Community livelihoods and ecosystem integrity in makere forest reserve, Western Tanzania. In: Climate Change Impacts and Sustainability: Ecosystems of Tanzania, 194 – 214pp. CABI International.
11. Yanda, P.Z., Mung'ong'o, C.G. and Mabhuye, E.B. (Eds.) (2020): Climate Change Impacts and Sustainability - Ecosystems of Tanzania. CABI Climate Change Series 12. 264 pp | 9781789242966.
12. Insarov, G.E., Semenov, S.M., Méndez, C., Yanda, P.Z. (2020): Concept of risk and visualization of its changes in the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. January 2020. DOI: 10.21513/2410-8758-2020-2-06-34.
13. Lilian Mulamula, Patrick Valimba, Pius Yanda (2020): Variability in Rainfall Onset, Cessation and Duration in Lukuledi River Catchment, Southern Coast of Tanzania. Journal of the Geographical Association of Tanzania.
14. Yanda, P.Z., Bryceson, I., Mwevura, H., Mung'ong'o, C.G. (Eds.) (2019). Climate Change and Coastal Resources in Tanzania - Studies on Socio-Ecological Systems’ Vulnerability, Resilience and Governance. Springer International Publishing. XXIII, 216. DOI 10.1007/978-3-030-04897-6.
15. Yanda, Pius Zebhe, & Mung’ong’o, C. G. (2019). Researching climate change and socio-ecological systems’ vulnerability in the coastal areas of Tanzania: Some theoretical perspectives. In Springer Climate. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04897-6_
16. P.Z Yanda, I Bryceson, H Mwevura, W Othman, B Beymer-Farris, CM Peter (2019). Building capacity for the management of coastal resources in Tanzania and Zanzibar. SHARING KNOWLEDGE TRANSFORMING SOCIETIES, Norhed Book.
17. Yanda P.Z. and Mung’ong’o C. G. (Eds) (2018): Pastoralism and Climate Change in East Africa. Mkuki Na Nyoka. 274 pp. https://www.amazon.com/Pastoralism-Climate-Change-East-Africa/dp/9987753922.
18. Torsten Grothmann, Maximilian Petzold, Patrick Ndaki, Vincent Kakembo, Bernd Siebenhüner, Michael Kleyer, Pius Yanda and Naledzani Ndou (2017): Vulnerability Assessment in African Villages under Conditions of Land Use and Climate Change: Case Studies from Mkomazi and Keiskamma. Sustainability 2017, 9(6), 976; doi:10.3390/su9060976
19. Kangalawe, R. Y. M., Mung’ong’o, C. G., Mwakaje, A. G., Kalumanga, E., & Yanda, P. Z. (2017). Climate change and variability impacts on agricultural production and livelihood systems in Western Tanzania. Climate and Development, 9(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/17565529.2016.1146119.
20. Yanda P.Z., E Mabhuye, N Johnson, A Mwajombe (2019): Nexus between coastal resources and community livelihoods in a changing climate. Journal of Coastal Conservation 23 (1), 173-183. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-018-0650-9.

Membership and Registration

Professional: Climate Change Expert

Councils/Boards/Committees: IPCC Vice Chair for Working Group II

Member of the Board of the Marian University College of St. Augustine University

Important Contribution

1. Patents, major awards, prizes, projects and other recognition: Contributed the IPCC Award of Nobel Peace Prize in 2007
2. University Awards in Research