The IPCC unveils its 6th report on climate change

Focus on the work of Siméon Diedhiou, recipient of the Cuomo Foundation scholarship program.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is set to unveil the synthesis of its 6th report on climate change on Monday, March 20, 2023. This "summary" spans over 10,000 pages, summarizing the organization's work published since 2014, the year of its previous report.

The Cuomo Foundation has been a partner of the IPCC since 2013. Alongside the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, we contribute to the funding of the IPCC scholarship program. Founded in 2007, this initiative supports researchers from developing countries in conducting research on various aspects of climate change related to their home countries.

Siméon Diedhiou is one of the recipients of the 2021-2023 cohort of this program, which received support from the Cuomo Foundation. The young Senegalese doctoral student is currently working on a thesis entitled "The Impact of Biochar on Soil Hydrodynamic Properties, Water Economy, and Tomato Yield in the Context of Climate Change in the Niayes Zone, Senegal."

As a reminder, biochar is a carbonaceous material produced through the combustion of biomass (such as wood residues, agricultural waste, etc.) and is used as a soil amendment. It can also act as a carbon storage agent. The Niayes, the geographic region studied by Siméon Diedhiou, is located on the west coast of Senegal, between Dakar and Saint-Louis. This semi-arid climate zone is known for its horticultural production, particularly tomatoes, which are an important economic activity for the region. Water is a major issue there, and it is also at the core of Siméon Diedhiou's study, measuring the ability of biochar to retain water in the Niayes' soil, which, due to its high drainage, requires significant irrigation.

We take this opportunity of the publication of the IPCC's 6th synthesis report to present to you the recent scientific work of Siméon Diedhiou, whom we met in Dakar in February 2023.

Interview of Siméon Diedhiou, Senegal