Inaugural scientific committee meeting set's climate research agenda

 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 28 March 2015 – Members of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of the Climate Research for Development in Africa (CR4D) initiative which met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia recently and agreed on a 15-member committee that will steer the initiative into full action, guided by a 5-Year (2016-2020) CR4D strategic plan.

The Climate Research for Development (CR4D) in Africa initiative was launched in 2015 to strengthen links between climate science research and climate information needs and thus enhance integrating climate change into policy and development planning in Africa. It is an African-led initiative supported by partnership between African Climate Policy Center (ACPC) of Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS).

The overarching mission of CR4D is to facilitate a pan-Africa collaborative platform and network of African climate science, services, policy, and practice communities as well as development partners and other stakeholders to co-explore, co-design, co-produce and co-communicate climate information and services, thus improving access, quality, and usability as well as mainstreaming of climate information into development planning in Africa.

The CR4D SAC will be led by two co-chairs - Dr. Judith Omumbo of USAID and Prof. Amadou Gaye who is Director of the Physics Laboratory of the Atmosphere and the Ocean at the Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD) in Dakar, Senegal.

The meeting agreed on a number of key issues including; the  process for developing the 5-Year CR4D Strategic Plan (2016-2020) that will steer the initiative and; on a  framework for a post Paris 2oAfrica 2020 Assessment, taking into consideration other related initiatives, but on ways of building synergies with these initiatives. The SAC proposed that the impacts of 2o on critical socio-economic sectors be a signature CR4D activity every five years, in tandem with the Paris Climate Change Agreement’s 5-year review cycle for the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). 

The SAC also explored the best options for a dedicated outlet for publishing work on climate science, services, policy, and practice by African and international scientists whose work focuses on Africa, especially early career and junior scientists.  Several options were discussed to ensure that an African climate research and development journal is sustainable.

Launching the meeting, the Director of the Special Initiatives Division (SID) of the ECA said the outcomes of the SAC meeting are critical not just for the evolution of the initiative, but also for its credibility as an important tool for advancing climate science research in Africa.

Ms. Fatima Denton, who is also the Coordinator of the ACPC said the SAC should provide the impetus for the effective deployment of CR4D’s activities across Africa.

Ms. Jay Wilson, Programme Officer at AMCOMET emphasized AMCOMET and WMO’s commitment to working with ACPC to ensure success of CR4D initiative who’s Secretariat is located at the African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC).  

 

Issued by:

Africa Climate Policy Centre

Special Initiatives Division

UN Economic Commission for Africa

Keyword: 
CR4D