In a world that is looking less likely to stay within 2 °C of global warming compared to the pre-industrial levels, individuals need to make choices between a range of possible actions. To do so, they require information on past, present and potential future climate conditions. On 2 June, WMO hosted a webinar exploring how climate information can enhance climate action.
Mr Chris Hewitt of the Met Office (United Kingdom) addressed the role of climate information in climate action planning, highlighting the importance of user engagement and the challenges faced by climate service providers. Methods and tools for integrating climate science information into climate action were further explored by Mr Guillermo Podesta, an independent scholar from Argentina, who provided an inspiring overview linking climate information to societal benefits and value. Regional examples of climate risk information supporting climate action were presented by Mr Jorge Vazquez-Aguirre of the University of Veracruz and Mr Rupa Kumar Kolli of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology.
The webinar attracted many who work on integrating climate science information into policy processes and documents such as National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally-Determined Contributions (NDCs). Thus, the 200 participants included a wide range of professionals and students from more than 80 institutions in 48 countries.
The webinar was organized by WMO as part of a collaborative project with the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Mr Max Dilley (Director of Climate Services, WMO Secretariat) introduced the project to the audience, explaining its aims – to strengthen the delivery of global and regional climate services. Mr Yinka Adebayo (Director of Education and Training, WMO Secretariat) highlighted that the project will deliver a training package for trainers through the WMO Regional Training Centres (RTCs), which will greatly contribute to increasing the number of trainers available to support regionally-based capacity development activities.
The webinar was recorded and is available on Vimeo.
