This item is now in your saved documents.
 |
Introduction
Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), through the Climate Services Centre, is organizing the Sixteenth Southern Africa Regional Climate Outlook Forum (SARCOF-16), in Harare, Zimbabwe, 23-24 August 2012. SARCOF-16 is a collaborative effort between the Zimbabwe Meteorological Services Department (MSD), SADC Climate Services Centre, SADC Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Unit, African Development Bank (AfDB) World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/ Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), and other partners. SARCOF-16 is preceded by a nine-day Climate Experts Capacity Building Workshop of SADC National Meteorological/Hydrological Services (NMHSs) only, for the purposes of developing the critical inputs for the 2012/13 seasonal climate forecast.
Proper interpretation of seasonal climate forecasts and their application across various socio-economic decision-making processes still remains a challenge in the region.It is, therefore, necessary that there is widespread stakeholder participation in the SARCOF process. This is a major priority of the process as it provides mutually beneficial interface between the practitioners in the areas of production of climate information and prediction and provision of services and partners that need to apply the products across a wide spectrum of socio-economic sectors. The SARCOF process continues to transform itself into an effective and reliable source of climate information and prediction services in order to fully exploit their potential for enhancing multi-sectoral, social and economic development.
Objectives
The main objective of SARCOF-16 is to develop a consensus climate outlook for period October 2012 to March 2013 which is the upcoming rainfall season for the SADC Member States. The forum will also discuss the potential impacts of the consensus seasonal climate outlook on other socio-economic sectors including disaster risk management, food security, health, water resources and hydropower management, among others.The forum will also review the October 2011 to March 2012 rainy season for the SADC region.
Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
This event will be used to consult participants and their views on post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, led by The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR).
Participants to SARCOF-16 will include climate prediction experts from the national Meteorological/Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in the SADC region and climate scientists from universities, research institutions, as well as regional and international organizations engaged in climate modeling, prediction and applications for the region.Various regional and international governmental and non-governmental organizations and development partners are also expected to attend.Due to inadequacy of the necessary resources, the SADC Climate Services Centre will not be in a position to fund those wishing to attend SARCOF-16.
Those wishing to attend can express their intention to do so through completing the attached request-for-participation form and sending it to:
The Coordinator,
SADC Climate Services Centre,
P/Bag 0095 Gaborone,
Botswana.