Climate science, information and services in Africa status, gaps and needs

Abstract

Building resilience against the negative impacts of climate and maximizing the benefits from favorable conditions will require designing and implementing effective climate risk management strategies.These strategies must address vulnerability to current climate variability as well as the risks induced by climate change. Resilience can be built when climate considerations are mainstreamed into development planning and practice. Climate information and services are critical inputs for effective climate risk management. Science-informed policy, planning, and practice will ensure that development is more resilient and less vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate, thus fostering sustainable development. However, the use of climate information and science in Africa has been limited.