Event Summary
Organization: International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies; Columbia University, International Research Institute for Climate and Society; Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre; European Space Agency - ESRIN: Earth Observation Science & Applications
Speakers
- Sofie Sandström, World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
- Abdishakur Othowai, Igad Climate Predictions and Applications Centre (ICPAC)
- Pietro Cecatto, Columbia University
- Ladislus Changa, Tanzania Meteorological Association
- Erin Coughlan de Perez, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre
- Andrew Kruczkiewicz, Columbia University/Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre
- Pierre Philippe Mathieu, European Space Agency - ESRIN; Earth Observation Science & Applications
Description
Can climate services decrease risk of climate and weather disasters? How can open data and remote-sensing enhance climate services to improve decision-making? We explore opportunities provided by open data and services and discuss partnerships/actions already in place or needed to support development of climate-resilient communities. Scientifically, this includes production of data, information and services from multiple sources – satellites, in-situ networks, and models. Application-wise, accessing these data, infusing local knowledge and interpreting them into simple, easy-to-understand-and-apply interventions at the grassroots level is the goal. Doing so would contribute to more climate-resilient communities, averting or minimizing the humanitarian-developmental costs associated with climate and weather hazards. Addressing them requires timely, reliable data and information about our changing environment and knowledge of its evolution.
Participants tendered opinions and critiques on the development of such programmes and potential improvements of existing ones (conception, financing design, operation scaling-up). We also explored how rapid advances in digital technologies and observing systems combined with Open Data policies generate a true “Data revolution” and “Data Democratization” as called for by the UN for the post-2015 development agenda
