A Strategy for Mainstreaming Climate Information in Planning for Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals

Abstract

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Climate Information for Development Needs: An Action Plan for Africa was a joint initiative of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Secretariat,1 which took the lead in organizing the meeting, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), which hosted it. The US based International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) provided an analysis identifying gaps in the use of climate information. The meeting took place at UNECA headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 18-21 April 2006. The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) provided substantial support for the meeting and for the IRI Gap Analysis. The UN Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF) provided additional backing through its support of the GCOS Regional Workshop Programme. Approximately 100 people attended the Addis Ababa meeting, including senior representatives from a cross section of African regional institutions and political bodies (the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Indian Ocean Commission); potential development partners (the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Canada, UNDP, UNEP, and the European Commission (EC)); the user community (with strong representation from the health, water, agriculture, food security, disaster management, and marine sectors in particular); and the climate community (including, in particular, the GCOS Secretariat and the Secretariat and African Regional Association of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), ACMAD, OSS, and a number of Africa's National Meteorological Services). The objectives of the meeting were to bring together stakeholders—providers and users of climate information, the development community, and representatives of African political institutions—to discuss key gaps in the use of climate information from the perspective of users and decisionmakers, to identify starting points on demand-led integrated climate information tools, to develop plans jointly with the African regional cooperation structures, and to agree among all stakeholders on an integrated strategy for launching a climate and development programme for Africa. The first day of the meeting was devoted to a series of presentations demonstrating the links between climate and sustainable development. The presentations helped to provide a common understanding of problems and a common vocabulary with which to discuss them. The second day was devoted to consideration of the IRI Gap Analysis. The participants considered gaps in integrating climate into policy, gaps in integrating climate risk management into development practices, gaps in climate services, and gaps in climate observations and data management as perceived by the various user communities. The participants also considered ways to eliminate the gaps and identified selection criteria for inclusion of projects in an integrated strategy for addressing climate and development. Possible selection criteria for near term projects included gap-bridging projects that would allow for early progress, pilot projects that could be scaled up at a later date, and activities that could be incorporated into existing initiatives (e.g., in the health and food security sectors). Integrated projects that would address gaps at multiple levels (e.g., central government, local government, and community levels), EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Climate Information for Development Needs: An Action Plan for Africa was a joint initiative of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Secretariat,1 which took the lead in organizing the meeting, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), which hosted it. The US based International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) provided an analysis identifying gaps in the use of climate information. The meeting took place at UNECA headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 18-21 April 2006. The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) provided substantial support for the meeting and for the IRI Gap Analysis. The UN Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF) provided additional backing through its support of the GCOS Regional Workshop Programme. Approximately 100 people attended the Addis Ababa meeting, including senior representatives from a cross section of African regional institutions and political bodies (the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Indian Ocean Commission); potential development partners (the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Canada, UNDP, UNEP, and the European Commission (EC)); the user community (with strong representation from the health, water, agriculture, food security, disaster management, and marine sectors in particular); and the climate community (including, in particular, the GCOS Secretariat and the Secretariat and African Regional Association of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), ACMAD, OSS, and a number of Africa's National Meteorological Services). The objectives of the meeting were to bring together stakeholders—providers and users of climate information, the development community, and representatives of African political institutions—to discuss key gaps in the use of climate information from the perspective of users and decisionmakers, to identify starting points on demand-led integrated climate information tools, to develop plans jointly with the African regional cooperation structures, and to agree among all stakeholders on an integrated strategy for launching a climate and development programme for Africa. The first day of the meeting was devoted to a series of presentations demonstrating the links between climate and sustainable development. The presentations helped to provide a common understanding of problems and a common vocabulary with which to discuss them. The second day was devoted to consideration of the IRI Gap Analysis. The participants considered gaps in integrating climate into policy, gaps in integrating climate risk management into development practices, gaps in climate services, and gaps in climate observations and data management as perceived by the various user communities. The participants also considered ways to eliminate the gaps and identified selection criteria for inclusion of projects in an integrated strategy for addressing climate and development. Possible selection criteria for near term projects included gap-bridging projects that would allow for early progress, pilot projects that could be scaled up at a later date, and activities that could be incorporated into existing initiatives (e.g., in the health and food security sectors). Integrated projects that would address gaps at multiple levels (e.g., central government, local government, and community levels), EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Climate Information for Development Needs: An Action Plan for Africa was a joint initiative of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Secretariat,1 which took the lead in organizing the meeting, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), which hosted it. The US based International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) provided an analysis identifying gaps in the use of climate information. The meeting took place at UNECA headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 18-21 April 2006. The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) provided substantial support for the meeting and for the IRI Gap Analysis. The UN Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF) provided additional backing through its support of the GCOS Regional Workshop Programme. Approximately 100 people attended the Addis Ababa meeting, including senior representatives from a cross section of African regional institutions and political bodies (the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Indian Ocean Commission); potential development partners (the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Canada, UNDP, UNEP, and the European Commission (EC)); the user community (with strong representation from the health, water, agriculture, food security, disaster management, and marine sectors in particular); and the climate community (including, in particular, the GCOS Secretariat and the Secretariat and African Regional Association of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), ACMAD, OSS, and a number of Africa's National Meteorological Services). The objectives of the meeting were to bring together stakeholders—providers and users of climate information, the development community, and representatives of African political institutions—to discuss key gaps in the use of climate information from the perspective of users and decisionmakers, to identify starting points on demand-led integrated climate information tools, to develop plans jointly with the African regional cooperation structures, and to agree among all stakeholders on an integrated strategy for launching a climate and development programme for Africa. The first day of the meeting was devoted to a series of presentations demonstrating the links between climate and sustainable development. The presentations helped to provide a common understanding of problems and a common vocabulary with which to discuss them. The second day was devoted to consideration of the IRI Gap Analysis. The participants considered gaps in integrating climate into policy, gaps in integrating climate risk management into development practices, gaps in climate services, and gaps in climate observations and data management as perceived by the various user communities. The participants also considered ways to eliminate the gaps and identified selection criteria for inclusion of projects in an integrated strategy for addressing climate and development. Possible selection criteria for near term projects included gap-bridging projects that would allow for early progress, pilot projects that could be scaled up at a later date, and activities that could be incorporated into existing initiatives (e.g., in the health and food security sectors). Integrated projects that would address gaps at multiple levels (e.g., central government, local government, and community levels), EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Climate Information for Development Needs: An Action Plan for Africa was a joint initiative of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Secretariat,1 which took the lead in organizing the meeting, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), which hosted it. The US based International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) provided an analysis identifying gaps in the use of climate information. The meeting took place at UNECA headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 18-21 April 2006. The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) provided substantial support for the meeting and for the IRI Gap Analysis. The UN Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF) provided additional backing through its support of the GCOS Regional Workshop Programme. Approximately 100 people attended the Addis Ababa meeting, including senior representatives from a cross section of African regional institutions and political bodies (the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Indian Ocean Commission); potential development partners (the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Canada, UNDP, UNEP, and the European Commission (EC)); the user community (with strong representation from the health, water, agriculture, food security, disaster management, and marine sectors in particular); and the climate community (including, in particular, the GCOS Secretariat and the Secretariat and African Regional Association of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), ACMAD, OSS, and a number of Africa's National Meteorological Services). The objectives of the meeting were to bring together stakeholders—providers and users of climate information, the development community, and representatives of African political institutions—to discuss key gaps in the use of climate information from the perspective of users and decisionmakers, to identify starting points on demand-led integrated climate information tools, to develop plans jointly with the African regional cooperation structures, and to agree among all stakeholders on an integrated strategy for launching a climate and development programme for Africa. The first day of the meeting was devoted to a series of presentations demonstrating the links between climate and sustainable development. The presentations helped to provide a common understanding of problems and a common vocabulary with which to discuss them. The second day was devoted to consideration of the IRI Gap Analysis. The participants considered gaps in integrating climate into policy, gaps in integrating climate risk management into development practices, gaps in climate services, and gaps in climate observations and data management as perceived by the various user communities. The participants also considered ways to eliminate the gaps and identified selection criteria for inclusion of projects in an integrated strategy for addressing climate and development. Possible selection criteria for near term projects included gap-bridging projects that would allow for early progress, pilot projects that could be scaled up at a later date, and activities that could be incorporated into existing initiatives (e.g., in the health and food security sectors). Integrated projects that would address gaps at multiple levels (e.g., central government, local government, and community levels), EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Climate Information for Development Needs: An Action Plan for Africa was a joint initiative of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Secretariat,1 which took the lead in organizing the meeting, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), which hosted it. The US based International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) provided an analysis identifying gaps in the use of climate information. The meeting took place at UNECA headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 18-21 April 2006. The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) provided substantial support for the meeting and for the IRI Gap Analysis. The UN Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF) provided additional backing through its support of the GCOS Regional Workshop Programme. Approximately 100 people attended the Addis Ababa meeting, including senior representatives from a cross section of African regional institutions and political bodies (the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Indian Ocean Commission); potential development partners (the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Canada, UNDP, UNEP, and the European Commission (EC)); the user community (with strong representation from the health, water, agriculture, food security, disaster management, and marine sectors in particular); and the climate community (including, in particular, the GCOS Secretariat and the Secretariat and African Regional Association of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), ACMAD, OSS, and a number of Africa's National Meteorological Services). The objectives of the meeting were to bring together stakeholders—providers and users of climate information, the development community, and representatives of African political institutions—to discuss key gaps in the use of climate information from the perspective of users and decisionmakers, to identify starting points on demand-led integrated climate information tools, to develop plans jointly with the African regional cooperation structures, and to agree among all stakeholders on an integrated strategy for launching a climate and development programme for Africa. The first day of the meeting was devoted to a series of presentations demonstrating the links between climate and sustainable development. The presentations helped to provide a common understanding of problems and a common vocabulary with which to discuss them. The second day was devoted to consideration of the IRI Gap Analysis. The participants considered gaps in integrating climate into policy, gaps in integrating climate risk management into development practices, gaps in climate services, and gaps in climate observations and data management as perceived by the various user communities. The participants also considered ways to eliminate the gaps and identified selection criteria for inclusion of projects in an integrated strategy for addressing climate and development. Possible selection criteria for near term projects included gap-bridging projects that would allow for early progress, pilot projects that could be scaled up at a later date, and activities that could be incorporated into existing initiatives (e.g., in the health and food security sectors). Integrated projects that would address gaps at multiple levels (e.g., central government, local government, and community levels), EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Climate Information for Development Needs: An Action Plan for Africa was a joint initiative of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Secretariat,1 which took the lead in organizing the meeting, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), which hosted it. The US based International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) provided an analysis identifying gaps in the use of climate information. The meeting took place at UNECA headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 18-21 April 2006. The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) provided substantial support for the meeting and for the IRI Gap Analysis. The UN Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF) provided additional backing through its support of the GCOS Regional Workshop Programme. Approximately 100 people attended the Addis Ababa meeting, including senior representatives from a cross section of African regional institutions and political bodies (the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Indian Ocean Commission); potential development partners (the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Canada, UNDP, UNEP, and the European Commission (EC)); the user community (with strong representation from the health, water, agriculture, food security, disaster management, and marine sectors in particular); and the climate community (including, in particular, the GCOS Secretariat and the Secretariat and African Regional Association of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), ACMAD, OSS, and a number of Africa's National Meteorological Services). The objectives of the meeting were to bring together stakeholders—providers and users of climate information, the development community, and representatives of African political institutions—to discuss key gaps in the use of climate information from the perspective of users and decisionmakers, to identify starting points on demand-led integrated climate information tools, to develop plans jointly with the African regional cooperation structures, and to agree among all stakeholders on an integrated strategy for launching a climate and development programme for Africa. The first day of the meeting was devoted to a series of presentations demonstrating the links between climate and sustainable development. The presentations helped to provide a common understanding of problems and a common vocabulary with which to discuss them. The second day was devoted to consideration of the IRI Gap Analysis. The participants considered gaps in integrating climate into policy, gaps in integrating climate risk management into development practices, gaps in climate services, and gaps in climate observations and data management as perceived by the various user communities. The participants also considered ways to eliminate the gaps and identified selection criteria for inclusion of projects in an integrated strategy for addressing climate and development. Possible selection criteria for near term projects included gap-bridging projects that would allow for early progress, pilot projects that could be scaled up at a later date, and activities that could be incorporated into existing initiatives (e.g., in the health and food security sectors). Integrated projects that would address gaps at multiple levels (e.g., central government, local government, and community levels), EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Climate Information for Development Needs: An Action Plan for Africa was a joint initiative of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Secretariat,1 which took the lead in organizing the meeting, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), which hosted it. The US based International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) provided an analysis identifying gaps in the use of climate information. The meeting took place at UNECA headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 18-21 April 2006. The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) provided substantial support for the meeting and for the IRI Gap Analysis. The UN Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF) provided additional backing through its support of the GCOS Regional Workshop Programme. Approximately 100 people attended the Addis Ababa meeting, including senior representatives from a cross section of African regional institutions and political bodies (the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Indian Ocean Commission); potential development partners (the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Canada, UNDP, UNEP, and the European Commission (EC)); the user community (with strong representation from the health, water, agriculture, food security, disaster management, and marine sectors in particular); and the climate community (including, in particular, the GCOS Secretariat and the Secretariat and African Regional Association of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), ACMAD, OSS, and a number of Africa's National Meteorological Services). The objectives of the meeting were to bring together stakeholders—providers and users of climate information, the development community, and representatives of African political institutions—to discuss key gaps in the use of climate information from the perspective of users and decisionmakers, to identify starting points on demand-led integrated climate information tools, to develop plans jointly with the African regional cooperation structures, and to agree among all stakeholders on an integrated strategy for launching a climate and development programme for Africa. The first day of the meeting was devoted to a series of presentations demonstrating the links between climate and sustainable development. The presentations helped to provide a common understanding of problems and a common vocabulary with which to discuss them. The second day was devoted to consideration of the IRI Gap Analysis. The participants considered gaps in integrating climate into policy, gaps in integrating climate risk management into development practices, gaps in climate services, and gaps in climate observations and data management as perceived by the various user communities. The participants also considered ways to eliminate the gaps and identified selection criteria for inclusion of projects in an integrated strategy for addressing climate and development. Possible selection criteria for near term projects included gap-bridging projects that would allow for early progress, pilot projects that could be scaled up at a later date, and activities that could be incorporated into existing initiatives (e.g., in the health and food security sectors). Integrated projects that would address gaps at multiple levels (e.g., central government, local government, and community levels), EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Climate Information for Development Needs: An Action Plan for Africa was a joint initiative of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Secretariat,1 which took the lead in organizing the meeting, and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), which hosted it. The US based International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) provided an analysis identifying gaps in the use of climate information. The meeting took place at UNECA headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 18-21 April 2006. The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) provided substantial support for the meeting and for the IRI Gap Analysis. The UN Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF) provided additional backing through its support of the GCOS Regional Workshop Programme. Approximately 100 people attended the Addis Ababa meeting, including senior representatives from a cross section of African regional institutions and political bodies (the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Indian Ocean Commission); potential development partners (the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Canada, UNDP, UNEP, and the European Commission (EC)); the user community (with strong representation from the health, water, agriculture, food security, disaster management, and marine sectors in particular); and the climate community (including, in particular, the GCOS Secretariat and the Secretariat and African Regional Association of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), ACMAD, OSS, and a number of Africa's National Meteorological Services). The objectives of the meeting were to bring together stakeholders—providers and users of climate information, the development community, and representatives of African political institutions—to discuss key gaps in the use of climate information from the perspective of users and decisionmakers, to identify starting points on demand-led integrated climate information tools, to develop plans jointly with the African regional cooperation structures, and to agree among all stakeholders on an integrated strategy for launching a climate and development programme for Africa. The first day of the meeting was devoted to a series of presentations demonstrating the links between climate and sustainable development. The presentations helped to provide a common understanding of problems and a common vocabulary with which to discuss them. The second day was devoted to consideration of the IRI Gap Analysis. The participants considered gaps in integrating climate into policy, gaps in integrating climate risk management into development practices, gaps in climate services, and gaps in climate observations and data management as perceived by the various user communities. The participants also considered ways to eliminate the gaps and identified selection criteria for inclusion of projects in an integrated strategy for addressing climate and development. Possible selection criteria for near term projects included gap-bridging projects that would allow for early progress, pilot projects that could be scaled up at a later date, and activities that could be incorporated into existing initiatives (e.g., in the health and food security sectors). Integrated projects that would address gaps at multiple levels (e.g., central government, local government, and community levels), and/or that would promote sharing of acquired knowledge regionally were considered to be of particular importance. On the third day of the meeting, prospective development partners expressed their views. The greatest challenge, as seen by some, is to have the climate experts work with sectoral development experts in a way that influences both policy and practice to provide what poor people need. An additional challenge is to engage governments and donors in dialogue on the likely impact of climate change on national poverty reduction strategies and on planning for the adaptation that inevitably will be necessary. Development experts seek to be able to add a new tool, climate risk management, to their planning toolboxes and thus help ensure that the development gains they have helped foster will not be lost as a result of climate change. All agreed on the need for a common framework for action based on the Gap Analysis, the Regional Action Plans, and expressions of support for the process by the G8 countries. Identification of a common framework for action was thus the subject of the last day of the meeting. The participants considered, revised, and reached consensus on an overall strategy for a programme to help deliver and sustain those Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that are climate sensitive. The programme, to be known as “Climate for Development in Africa,” or ClimDev Africa, involves four inter-related thrusts or Result Areas: · Policy: awareness raising, accountability, and advocacy; · Climate risk management; · Climate services; and · Climate observations, data management, and infrastructure (based on priorities and projects proposed in the GCOS Regional Action Plans). It was agreed that implementation of the Strategy should proceed via a set of clearly defined, focused, and costed projects in each of the four Result Areas coordinated through, or in close consultation with, the various responsible regional and national organizations. In the case of the Result Areas focused on Policy and Climate Risk Management, it was proposed that the responsible regional organizations begin by commissioning a rapid audit of action already completed or underway at regional and national levels with a view to formulation of a set of initial projects for addressing the highest priority needs. In the case of the Result Areas focused on Climate Services and Observations and Data Management, it was proposed that implementation proceed, within the overall framework of GCOS Africa, on the basis of an integrated set of updated, elaborated and re-costed priority projects from the Regional Action Plans and including, in the case of Climate Services, additional projects based on an initial audit of existing climate service capabilities under the overall framework of the World Climate Applications and Services Programme (WCASP). All four programme thrusts should be implemented in 3 phases over a 10-year period in order to assist in achieving the MDGs by 2015. Phase 1 should initiate several demonstration projects, focusing on a limited number of countries. Phase 2 should focus on scaling up demonstration projects, and Phase 3 should undertake full-scale implementation on a continent-wide basis. The essential conditions for successful implementation of the strategy for "Climate for Development in Africa" will be adequate donor funding in line with the G8 Gleneagles commitment and strong commitment from the responsible regional and national organizations in Africa. This will involve the following 'Next Steps,’ as agreed at the Addis Ababa meeting: · DFID and GCOS will help identify additional funding partners; · UNECA, AfDB, and the AUC will jointly endorse letters to the G8 countries for assistance with implementation of the Strategy; · GCOS will approach the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) Secretariat with a view to securing European Commission (EC) funding for Phase 2; · The National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of Africa will develop a coordinated approach, with WMO assistance, to improve climate observations and services necessary for achieving the MDGs; · The IRI will prepare a document on best practices for demand-led climate information services for development in Africa, for use as an information and advocacy tool.