Climate information services, integrated knowledge systems and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Abstract

This commentary explores the role of climate information services in supporting the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. At the centre of the commentary is a discussion of how integrated knowledge systems are critical in the formulation of high quality climate information services towards the successful achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The paper drives home two major points. Firstly, that a climate service built on integrated knowledge systems will be better positioned to match user needs in terms of skill, scale and lead time. Secondly, that integrating diverse knowledge systems for effective climate information services in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will present an auspicious platform for 'leaving no one behind' in contributing ideas towards the achievement of the targets outlined under the 17 SDGs, contributing to the inclusive approach at the centre of Agenda 2030. The commentary also advances the idea that climate information services built upon integrated knowledge systems present opportunities for more adequately addressing the needs of the global poor, including informing agricultural decision-making in rural communities to reduce malnutrition, facilitate disaster preparedness, and tackle human diseases linked to climate change-from cardiovascular deaths and respiratory illnesses, to altered transmission of infectious diseases.

Youth Start Social Entrepreneurship Program for Kids: Portuguese UKIDS-Case Study

“…From another perspective, Manigova and Bogueva 2019, Machingura et al (2018) and Newman (2018) refer to the need to create systems that collaborate for education in the objectives of sustainable development. For these authors, the most urgent objectives are climate change, the eradication of poverty and making the entire world population inclusive in achieving these goals.…”

The role of farmers and organizational networks in climate information communication: the case of Ghana

“…Thus, the understanding of the structure and cohesion of the collaborative network existing among the organizations in the climate change and agriculture sectors has become critical (Kalafatis et al, 2015). Until recently, the communication of information to local farmers in Ghana follows the traditional pattern whereby scientific information generated through nationally managed information generation activity (with little or no input from local farmers) are disseminated via a topdown approach in which organizational structures and field extension workers are used to broker information to local users (Dayamba et al, 2018;Machingura et al, 2018;Ofoegbu and New, 2020). The efficiency of this model of climate information dissemination is hampered by the disproportionate ratio of local farmers to extension workers (Dayamba et al, 2018;Kemausuor et al, 2011).…”

Exploring the Need for Developing Impact-Based Forecasting in West Africa

“…Effective integration of weather and climate information into societal decision making processes can build resilience to climate shocks across Africa (Jones et al, 2015;Nkiaka et al, 2019). The development of fit-for-purpose CIS is crucial for managing risk in climatesensitive sectors such as agriculture, water resources, disaster risk reduction (DRR), and health (WMO, 2017;Machingura et al, 2018). Although developing countries have been slow to develop and implement strategies to mitigate natural disasters such as droughts, floods, storms and extreme temperatures, they are already more affected by weather and climate-related disasters as a result of their vulnerability and lack of adaptive capacity (Padli et al, 2018).…”