By: Doreen Ampofo
Climate change researchers in the ECOWAS sub region have made a strong case for governments to fund the collection of climate change data which they say is crucial to developing climate resilient Policies.
The Interim Chief Executive of the West African Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use, WASCAL, Prof Kehinde Ogunjobi who raised the issue on behalf of the researchers said the lack of accurate data, poor infrastructure and internet make it difficult to conduct real time research which is necessary for the formulation of effective climate change policies.
Prof Kehinde Ogunjobi, was speaking at a post COP28 media engagement which focused on WASCAL’s CICLES project. CICLES is aimed at providing climate and environmental services for African countries that are prone to the effects of climate change.
The media engagement focused on highlights of COP28 and how countries like Ghana can improve on research to benefit from the negotiations. This is because collection of climate change data which is crucial to developing climate resilient policies are unavailable.
The Interim Chief Executive of the West African Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use, WASCAL, Prof Kehinde Ogunjobi said such infrastructure is lacking, making the work of researchers as well as the fight against climate change difficult.
He said a look at the Global climate data map shows that climate data on Africa is scarce. Prof Ogunjobi indicated that although WASCAL is beginning to fill in the gap using data from their research, there is need for more primary data for effective policies, a reason African governments must invest in acquiring that data.
“And we are calling on our governments to invest. Every other developing country has invested heavily in climate science data and our governments need to wake up to support development of infrastructure for data densification in our region. One of the major challenges is maintaining those infrastructures. The research conducted by WASCAL shows that 40 percent of infrastructure in terms of facilities for observation in the West African sub region are in very poor conditions”
Prof Ogunjobi said WASCAL’S CICLES project is a major initiative which will support African governments in acquiring that data. The 36-month initiative which started in August this year, will provide environmental services such as technologies to prevent post-harvest losses, early and accurate weather predictions to prevent floods as well as conduct research that can be used by countries to formulate policies that work. Regional Thematic Coordinator of Risks and Vulnerability to Climate Extremes Dr Senyi Salack explained that the project will be implemented on a case specific basis considering the peculiar climate change challenges facing countries.
“There is no way we at the regional level can replace what the national entities are supposed to do. If NADMO is capable of implementing activities to save lives with regard to extreme events, then technical support has come from this project towards that. In the case of the Ghana Meteorological Agency, if it is capable of precisely telling you when to expect the flood in a precise manner and portion in Kumasi, then support will technically come from this project” he noted.
The Customized and Integrated Climate and Environmental Services for Improved Resilience and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development in West Africa project, CICLES, whose implementation began in August this year, has the main goal of promoting climate change resilience, sustainable development, and improving livelihoods in West Africa.
It is expected to operationalize customized climate and environmental services at WASCAL, ensure interactive science-policy for action and sustainability, establish feedback loops and impact evaluations of environmental services for cost effectiveness for self-reliance in West Africa. Beneficiaries will include national governments, agencies, policy makers, researchers, students and the private sector.
The project is funded by BMBF, from the German Federal Ministry of Education Research.