Prof Johanes Belle holds a PhD in Environmental Management with a focus on Eco-DRR/CCA, Master’s degree in disaster management, Advanced University Diploma in Disaster Management, BA Honours in Geography, BA + Ed, Diploma in Marketing and other qualifications.

Prof Belle has worked for thirty-four (34) years in three different countries in Africa (Cameroon, Lesotho and South Africa) as an educator, administrator and manager. He is currently employed as an Associate professor at the University of the Free State-Disaster management Training and Education Centr for Africa (UFS-DiMTEC).

In the same institution he served as  Programme Director (2018-2021), the Acting Director of UFS-DiMTEC (2019-2022)

Prof Belle has published more than 53  articles in International Peer Reviewed and DHET accredited journals; three book chapters and has supervised and graduated more than 50 Master`s students and six  PhD students.

He is a Disaster Risk Management Professional and an Environmentalist; specialized in Biodiversity and Conservation with special interest Nature based Solutions (NbS) and  Eco-DRR/CCA and wetlands.

Prof Belle is a long outstanding councilor and Board Member of Disaster Management Institute of Southern Africa (DMISA) and he was the DMISA-FS Regional Chairperson from 2013-2020. He is a trained assessor with SAQA in Disaster Management and holds the “Disaster Management Professional” designation of DMISA. He is also affiliated to many professional bodies.

Prof Belle is a member of the G20 Working Group on Disaster Risk Management and member of the Academic of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) Standing Committee on Health

Prof Belle speaks two international languages (English and French) and he likes soccer and gardening as hobbies.

BOOK CHAPTERS

1. Belle, J.A.; Oxley, M.; Velásquez, C. & Getiashvili K. 2024. Understanding and Integrating Systemic Risk (SR) into Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Risk Informed Development (RID) for Long-Term Resilient Development In Climate Change and Risk Management-Strategies, Analysis and Adaptation. Intechopen DOI 10.5772/intechopen.111028. ISBN 978-0-85466-559-4. ISSN 2753-6580

2. Orimoloye, I.R.; Belle, J.A.; Olusola, A.; and Ololade, O.O. 2022.  Space-Based Drought Disaster Risk and Climate Change Assessments: Strategies for Environmental Conservation. In: Lackner M., Sajjadi B., Chen WY. (eds). Handbook of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation. Third Edition. Springer, Switzerland.. ISBN 978-3-030-72578-ISBN 978-3-030-72579-2 (eBook). ISBN 978-3-030-72580-8 (print and electronic bundle). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72579-2

3. Orimoloye, I.R., Belle, J.A, Ololade, O.O. (2022). Spatio-environmental distribution of drought disaster events: A space-based approach using Terra-MODIS Vegetation Index. Published in the book title Re-envisioning Advances in Remote Sensing Urbanization, Disasters and Planning. Taylor and Francis” ISBN 9780367502393. https://www.routledge.com/Re-envisioning-Advances-in-Remote-Sensing-Urbanization-Disasters-and-Planning/Singh/p/book/9781032124575

4. Belle, J.A; Nkhetheni, M. 2021. Environmental risks and impacts of sand mining in Vhembe District in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Published in the Book; Environment as risk and emergency: After 20 years of assessing the impact of risk factors on the environment in the School of Environmental Engineering at Babes-Bolyai University. Ion Mari? (Editor). Romania: Babes-Bolyai University. ISBN 978-606-8834-42-9

5. De Jager, A., Peláez, S., Belle, J.A., Blauhut, V., Krausmann, E., Nikolic, N., Pilli-Sihvola, K., La Notte, A., Cortina, J., ‘Environment and eco¬system services’, in: Casajus Valles, A., Marin Ferrer, M., Poljanšek, K., Clark, I. (eds.), Science for Disaster Risk Management 2020: acting today, protecting tomorrow, EUR 30183 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2020, ISBN 978-92-76-18182-8, doi:10.2760/571085, JRC114026 p436-470

PROJECTS EXECUTED

1. Developing a Scientific Risk Assessment and Contingency Plans for the Alfred Nzo District Disaster Management Centre in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa (2024)
2. Developing a Level 1 Disaster Management Plan (DMP) for the South Africa Department of Mineral Resources and Energy. (January 2024-December 2024)
3. Integrating the Enabling Environment for Risk Informed Development into the Water, Energy, Food and Natural Resources nexus in the SADC Region- a Cluster Approach. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) sponsored project under the Global Initiative for Disaster Risk Management (GIDRM) Phase IV (2024-2026)
4. Intra Africa Mobility Grant from the EU (Project number 614641-MOBAF-2019-1-1). 2020. Fostering Research and Intra-African knowledge transfer through Mobility and Education (FRAME). (2020-2026).http://frame.nust.na/
5. Development of a Risk Informed Development and the Enabling Environment in the Water Sector in Lesotho.The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) sponsored project under the Global Initiative for Disaster Risk Management (GIDRM) Phase III (2021-2023)
6. Informal Enterprises, Employment and Small-Town Economies: The case of Rammulotsi Township in Viljoenskroon. Project number UFS-HSD2021/1186/21
7. Water Research Commission (Project number C2019/2020-00239).2020. THREATS OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS: IMPROVING THE RESILIENCE OF QWAQWA TO THE MULTIPLE RISKS OF CLIMATE CHANGE (2020-2023)
8. United Nations University-Institute for Environment and Human Security and UFS-DiMTEC (UNU-EH/DiMTEC) project on training and capacity building in disaster management for Congo Brazzaville
9. DST-NISL & the NDMC Bursary and Studentship Programme for capacity building in disaster management at post graduate degree level in South Africa

 Research Focused Areas

- Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) and Climate change adaptation (EbA)

- Nature based solutions (NBS)

-Disaster Risk Management

- Risk Informed Development

-Environmental emergencies including droughts and fire

- Conservation and biodiversity

Modules taught

1. Postgraduate Diploma

- DIML5810

- DIMI 5810

- DIMR 5800

-DIMS 5825

2. Master

- DIMD7910

-IWRM7965

3. PhD

DSMT9100

Engaged Scholarship and community service

1. Member of the Academic of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) Standing Committee on Health
2. National Councilor and Board Member of the Disaster Management Institute of southern Africa (DMISA)
3. Permanent member of the Free State Provincial Disaster Management Advisory Forum (2013 to date)
4. Editorial Board Member of Social Sciences ISSN 2326-9863/2326-988X
5. Editorial Board Member of Special Journal of Geology, Ecology and Climate Change.https://sjecol.spparenet.org/board/
6. Reviewer of many international journals
7. Member of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality Disaster Management Advisory Forum
8. Board Member of the Free State Umbrella Fire Protection Association (FSUFPA)
9. Member of the Free State Provincial Wetlands Advisory Forum
10. External examiner of Stellenbosch University, Northwest University, the University of Western Cape & Wits University
11. National Focal Person and Regional Advisory Group Member of the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR) (world largest humanitarian network of Civil Society Organisation for Disaster Reduction) for South Africa
12. Member of the Research Institute for Sustainability and Disaster Management High Performance Computing (ISUMADECIP), University of Babas Bolyai, Cluj Napoca, Romania
13. Member of the South Africa Wetland Society (SAWS), membership number 612672
14. Permanent member of the Provincial committee for the development of the Free State Climate Adaptation and Response plan (Ongoing)
15. Board Member and Councilor of the Disaster Management Institute of Southern Africa (DMISA)
16. Board Member of the Free State Umbrella Fire Protection Association (FSUFPA)
17. Chairperson of the Catholic Men Association (CMA) of the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bloemfontein, Free State Province
18. Regional Chairperson of the Disaster Management Institute of Southern Africa; Free State Region (2013 to 2020)
19. Member of the Post Graduate Council of the University of the Free State (2015)
20. President of Association of Cameroonians living in Lesotho (2002 to 2008)
21. President of the Cluster Group Environmental Education Teachers (CGEET) (1993-1997)
22. 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. Served as an accreditation officer
23. Lesotho Red Cross Society (2002-2010). Served as a volunteer
24. South Africa Red Cross Society (2013- to date). Volunteer on the rooster list

INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES

1. The Euro-Mediterranean Conference for Environmental Integration (EMCEI) 02-05 October 2023 University of Calabria, Rende-Italy
2. Africa Climate Submit (4-6 September 2023, Nairobi Kenya). Keynote Speaker and Moderator side event of GIZ-Connective Cities on Flood Risk Management, the essential role of cities and importance of municipal preparedness (5 September 2023)
3. Panelist on Learning Process on Flood Management for Risk-Informed Urban Development workshop organized by GIZ- Connective Cities & Global Initiative for Disaster Risk Management (GIDRM) in Windhoek Namibia (18-20 April 2023)
4. Environment and Emergencies Forum (EEF) 22-23 March 2023 Albert Borschette Conference Center in Brussels, Belgium
5. Panelist- Global Network of Civil Society Organisations (GNDR) webinar. Responding to climate change impacts and conflicts in Africa: Local experiences of resilience building to accelerate SDG 13 and 16 (13 July 2021)
6. National University of Public Sservice-Budapest. The International Scientific Conference on Fire Engineering and Disaster Management (23 February 2021). Evaluating the effectiveness of Fire Protection Associations (FPAs) as a veld fire management strategy in the Northern Cape, South Africa
7. Disaster Management Institute of Southern Africa, (17 – 18 March 2021). Presented a paper on Turning hazards into opportunities through Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation: a case study of Moolmanshoek wetland; Free State Province in South Africa
8. Key note speaker- Wetlands webinar, Free State Province (24 February 2021)- Topic: Wetlands and disaster risk reduction in South Africa
9. Institute of Risk Management; Southern Africa virtual conference17 November 2020 on the theme The Risk Profession in the New Normal. Topic presented:“Climate Change and Preparedness”.
10. Digital Global Summit of the Global Network for Disaster Risk Reduction (GNDR), 06-22 October 2020. Oral virtual presentation. https://wtvglobal.6connex.eu/event/gndr/login
11. 45th Natural Hazard virtual Workshop and Disaster Researchers Meeting (2020). Natural Hazard Center, University of Colorado, USA. Oral virtual Presentation
12. 44^th Natural Hazard Workshop and Disaster Researchers Meeting (2019). Natural Hazard Center, University of Colorado, USA. Panel Presentation and Book of Abstracts
13. African Capital Cities Sustainability Forum (2019). Pretoria, South Africa
14. Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility Exchange Professor (STA) (2018). Faculty of Science of Public Governance and Administration; Institute for Disaster Management of the National University of Public Service; Budapest-Hungary. Lectures and workshops
15. Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility Exchange Professor (STA) (2017). Faculty of Science of Public Governance and Administration; Institute for Disaster Management of the National University of Public Service; Budapest-Hungary. Lectures and workshops
16. Southern Africa Society for Disaster Reduction (2016). Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
17. A Community of Ecosystem Services (ACES) (2016), ESP, UF/IFAS Jacksonville, Florida, USA. Oral presentation and Book of Abstracts.
18. International workshop/Conference on Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (Eco-DRR/CCA) (2014) UNEP, CNRD, UNU-EHS, ICIAR-LIPI Bogor-Indonesia. Oral Presentation
19. Disaster Management Institute of Southern Africa (DMISA) Annual Conference (2011-2018) DMISA, South Africa. Oral Presentation.
20. First and Second Annual Disaster Risk Reduction Conference (2008 and 2009) UFS-DiMTEC, South Africa. Participant

     

    JOINT CONFERENCE PAPERS PRESENTATIONS

21. Orimoloye, I.R., Ololade, O.O. Belle. J.A (2021). Leveraging Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) and Remote Sensing information for drought disasters appraisal. American Association of Geography 2021 Annual Meeting, 7 to 11 April 2021, Seattle United States of America
22. Orimoloye, I.R., Belle. J.A, Ololade, O.O (2020). Remote Sensing of Drought Disaster Events over Free State Province, South Africa. Applied Geography Conference 2020, 18-20, October 2020 (http://agc2020.appgeogconf.org/full-program.html)
23. Orimoloye, I.R., Belle. J.A, Ololade, O.O (2020). Space-based drought disaster risk and climate change assessments: Strategies for environmental conservation. 2020 Summer Academy on World Risk and Adaptation Futures: Social Protection, 21-25 September 2020, Bonn, Germany (https://www.munichre-foundation.org/en/Climate_change_and_education/Summer_Academy/2020-summer-academy-download-center.html#700865141)