Making Society Climate-Resilient: International Progress on Climate Services

Abstract:

The Earth’s climate has never been constant; a wide range of variations and changes in space and time, often leading to extremes, is its fundamental characteristic. An increased frequency and intensity of extreme events and impacts– has elevated concerns about the exposure of both developed and developing communities, economies and ecosystems. The resilience of society to increased climate risks depends on our ability to improve and integrate the physical and social sciences underpinning systems that monitor and research impact-oriented weather and climate services and the uptake of knowledge into decision-making processes. Traditional risk assessment and management strategies are increasingly challenged by systemic and evolving impacts of extremes, variability and change across time and space. Some socio-economic impacts could be unprecedented severity, while others with adequate forewarning and planning could offer benefits. There is therefore a pressing need for communities to have access to and to effectively use high-quality, accessible, relevant and credible climate information from seasonal to decadal and longer timescales to help craft better-informed options, policies and decisions. We refer to the development, provision and use of such information as climate services. The UN Global Framework for Climate Services identifies water, agriculture and food security, health, energy and disaster risk reduction as priority sectors in need of improved climate services at global, regional, national and local scales. The priorities cross an engagement, observations, assessment, and services continuum and aligns climate information needs for the Sustainable Development Goals, among others. Recognizing these urgent needs, this paper will highlight advances and opportunities in science to support services, and the WMO Climate Services Information System and other efforts, for informing the development and implementation of effective and sustained services in a changing environment. Emphasis will be placed on international examples from across the Americas including the Caribbean, East Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, Europe and especially as these might inform climate services development and practice for the United States.