AFAS organized a panel on the theme “Adapting to and combating climate change in Africa’s drylands” with AFAS staff members Dr. Gerda Kuiper and Prof. N’golo Koné as the convenors and Dr. Isimemen Osemwegie (ZEF, University of Bonn) as discussant. The panel interrogated the uncertain future of Africa’s drylands or savannas due to the combined threats of climate change and biodiversity loss. It assessed current problems, probable ecological outcomes and possibilities for African communities to adapt. The panel furthermore investigated the potential of the trend to look for localized measures and solutions for global and local environmental problems, e.g. nature-based solutions, that explicitly consider local and indigenous knowledge. Eight international speakers with various disciplinary and regional backgrounds presented their research on this theme, which led to fruitful discussions with the panel participants.