Bridging the Bridging the GapGap

*Climate Studies and Modelling, Council for *Climate Studies and Modelling, Council for Scientific and Industrial ResearchScientific and Industrial Research

cdavis@csir.co.zacdavis@csir.co.za

Experiences of communicating climate information between producers and end-users in southern Africa

Katharine Vincent, Claire Davis*, Tracy Cull and Emma Archer

AfricaAdapt Symposium, Addis Ababa, 9-11 March 2011

• Climate change is a cross-cutting issue that will affect, and need to be addressed by, many actors• Different sectors• At different levels

• Understanding possible climate change impacts is essential to improve adaptation responses

• Key question has shifted from:

‘Will we have to deal with the consequences of climate

change’

‘How should we adapt to the changes which are most

likely to occur’.

Rationale

AfricaAdapt Symposium, Addis Ababa, 9-11 March 2011

Challenges for Adaptation

• Lack awareness around climate change at the local level

• Lack of data• Northern hemisphere research bias

• Africa: fewer scientists per capita

• Appropriate spatial scales

• Lack access to information• Demand for scientific products from on-the-ground

managers/planners/decision-makers in high but often seldom met

• Lack of understanding • Difficulty of communicating climate information

• Uncertainty

• Complexity

• Restricted by• Extent of human capital development and training

• Number of networks and partnerships in the region for co-learning

AfricaAdapt Symposium, Addis Ababa, 9-11 March 2011

Tackling the ChallengesImproving the science-practise dialogue

Stakeholder engagement:

two-way communication process between information producers and information users

• best facilitated by a “boundary organisation” or professional science communicator

Two examples Two examples from southern from southern

AfricaAfrica

1. Boundary organisation acting 1. Boundary organisation acting between between RIACSORIACSO and climate and and climate and weather scientistsweather scientists

2. Using a professional science 2. Using a professional science communicator in the development of communicator in the development of the the South Africa Risk and Vulnerability South Africa Risk and Vulnerability AtlasAtlas

AfricaAdapt Symposium,

Addis Ababa, 9-11 March

2011

1. RIACSO

AfricaAdapt Symposium, Addis Ababa, 9-11 March 2011Forum for humanitarian

organisations working in southern Africa to coordinate preparedness and response

activities

RIACSO process•I

ncorporate climate variability (droughts, floods, cyclones) into planning• Consultant from IRI undertook stakeholder mapping and user

needs consultation

•Boundary organisation introduced• Presented seasonal forecasts and facilitated evaluation of their

use and limitations

• Presented “wishlist” to scientists• Example: distribution of rainfall in the season versus amount

rainfall

• Scientists presented their

feedback on the current and

anticipated future viability of

the “wishlist”Source: Vogel, C.H. and O’Brien, K. 2006. Who can Eat Information? Examining the Effectiveness of Seasonal Climate Forecasts and Regional Climate-Risk Management Strategies. Climate Research 33: 111-122.

Source: Vogel, C.H. and O’Brien, K. 2006. Who can Eat Information? Examining the Effectiveness of Seasonal Climate Forecasts and Regional Climate-Risk Management Strategies. Climate Research 33: 111-122.

Evaluation and next steps

•Benefits of process

• Humanitarian organisations can be more effective through incorporation of climate risk in programming

• Scientists can amend their outputs and research focus based on demand

• Stakeholder engagement avoids “front end loader” approach to information transfer

•Dialogue continues, brokered by the boundary organisation

•Activities include commentaries on topical issues and training AfricaAdapt Symposium, Addis Ababa, 9-11 March

2011

AfricaAdapt Symposium, Addis Ababa, 9-11 March 2011

AfricaAdapt Symposium, Addis Ababa, 9-11 March 2011

Facilitate the science-policy-practice link

Provide decision makers at national, provincial and local levels in South Africa with information to make timely and informed decisions that will minimize sensitivity to climate change risks and improve the chances of adaptation.

One-stop shop for relevant environmental risks and related

information

Process•S

takeholder engagement • Workshops

• Questionnaires

•Development of spatial data portal

•Development of hard copy Atlas

•Local sector based case studies• demonstrate how information in the

Atlas can be used to facilitate decision-making around climate change

AfricaAdapt Symposium, Addis Ababa, 9-11 March 2011

Case Study: Kruger to Canyons Biosphere

Region

Development of climate change handbook

•Projections for the region:

Rainfall, min and max temperature, evaporation, rain days, duration of dry periods

Development of climate change handbook

•Projections for the region:

Rainfall, min and max temperature, evaporation, rain days, duration of dry periods

Possible adaptation responses

Sector Impact of concern Time frame of concerns

Potentially achievable adaptation strategies

Agriculture

Increase of extreme heat events

Immediate Erect protective shelters e.g. shadecloth for livestock and vulnerable crops

Reduction in crop suitability and productivity Medium –

long

Crop switching in the long term Subsidies for subsistence/emerging farmers Improved agricultural extension network

Conservation

Species range shifts Long

Expand the protected area network through formal and informal conservation efforts

Assisted plant movement for endangered plants Impacts on ecosystem services Medium Translate scientific findings and information into

policy and law

Alteration of key ecological process drivers

Short-medium

Alter key management strategies Introduce clearly defined adaptive management

Increased extent of malaria and heat stress will impact eco-tourism

Short-medium

Increase malaria control programs Intensify marketing strategies for cooler winter

times when malaria risk is lowest Enforce clean energy requirements

Water

Variability in water quantity Short-medium

term

Set up ‘drought’ committees to disseminate information and make decisions for the long and short term

Reductions in water quality Short-medium

Invest in existing efforts e.g. Working for Water

Provincial and local

Municipality

Disaster management; increases in extreme events Short -

long

Regulate and enforce developments that will buffer against disasters e.g. water storage

Improve disaster management plans based on future predictions

Risks require improved facilities

Immediate Maintain and develop existing infrastructure e.g. maintain sewage works and waste facilities

Local community

Food and economic security threatened by climatic extremes

Immediate Encourage sustainable harvesting and use of

plants by community Need to explore alternative energy sources

Forestry

Health of work force; malaria, heat stress and respiratory / immune conditions

Immediate More research and development of hybrids

Species site matching Immediate Unknown

Cross-Sectoral

Concerns

Uncertainty of the extent of change and the lack of baseline data Immediate

Increased capacity and budget for baseline monitoring

More precise models and accurate information More directed research and development

Increased presence of pests, pathogens, alien plant invasion and bush encroachment Immediate

Use existing resources e.g. Working for Water and Working for Fire

Research into land management plans to reduce tree cover

General adaptation

options

Capacity, funding and knowledge dissemination Increased awareness and climate change education in local communities Local adaptive capacity (e.g. municipalities) needs to be strengthened Input short term climate predictions into existing management strategies and promote scenario

planning

Multiple benefits

Process cont.•S

takeholder engagement • Workshops• Questionnaires

•Development of spatial data portal

•Development of hard copy Atlas

•Local sector based case studies

•Engagement with business

•User Workshops• SALGA

•Human capital developmentprogrammes

•Extension into SADC(including capacity building)

AfricaAdapt Symposium, Addis Ababa, 9-11 March 2011

Some lessons learnt so far• Working with a professional science communicator:

• Allows scientists to spend more time on the “science”

• Teaches scientist key lessons in translating their work into a format understandable

• Climate change adaptation is already underway (not termed adaptation):

• Stakeholder engagement has proved essential in ensuring that the outcomes reflect the information needs

• Plan enough time for effective stakeholder engagement

• A variety of techniques need to be employed to understand the range of stakeholder views

• Important to remember that people give their own views and identify what the potential issues are for them – value laden statements

• Be prepared to listen

• Importance of tracking stakeholders uptake of climate information

Some successes so far1. Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) is now developing an climate

change response strategy:

• Drive research to address knowledge gaps by supporting MSc and PhD students

• Focus on ex-situ conservation vs. expansion protected areas

2. Provincial policy is being influenced – Gauteng Climate Change Response Strategy

3. Data and information provided through this project is being used in reports (Regional Forestry Strategy) and in local studies (ground water and private conservation management)

4. Started a dialogue between stakeholders in the region

• Share common goal: sustainability of the region

Altas Project is ongoing

Continued engagement and follow-up and evaluation

Thank YouThank YouContact DetailsContact Details

www.rvatlas.org.zawww.rvatlas.org.za

Email: Email: cdavis@csir.co.zacdavis@csir.co.za

Tel: +27 - (0)11 - 358 0168Tel: +27 - (0)11 - 358 0168

Fax: +27 - (0)11 - 726 5405Fax: +27 - (0)11 - 726 5405

AfricaAdapt Symposium,

Addis Ababa, 9-11 March

2011