Voluntary Climate Observers Network (Volunclima) Initiative
Volunclima is a citizen science initiative managed by CIIFEN in which volunteers report precipitation, extreme hydrometeorological events, and drought. Reports are sent in near-real time via an IT platform to an open database. Network members strengthen their climate resilience through training, monitoring, and access to climate products.
Description
Volunclima is a network of volunteers that monitor rainfall using a rain gauge, drought impacts and the occurrence of extreme hydrometeorological events in areas primarily lacking weather stations. Using an Android application and other digital tools, reports are digitized and transferred in near real time to a centralized database, accessible via internet. In return, members have access to climate training, services and products.
Volunclima's mission is “To create climate-resilient communities through climate literacy and monitoring of hydrometeorological parameters” and contributes to CIIFEN’s mission of building resilience to climate variability and global change in developing countries.
This initiative contributes to Priority 1 of the Sendai Framework, as its members provide reports of hydrometeorological variables in near real-time that are used by institutions associated with climate risk management, including national meteorological services, to improve climate monitoring, verify weather forecasts, predict and monitor extreme hydrometeorological events to take preventive or response actions. Rainfall monitoring plays a crucial role in risk assessment, as the data collected can contribute to community early warning systems, as is the case of Coca River and Babahoyo Canton in Ecuador. Volunteers, which are often local leaders, have access to climate services and products and to a climate literacy program that empowers communities with knowledge about climate risks.
CIIFEN conducts the following actions with Volunclima members:
1. It provides support and guidance on network-related issues and consultations on climate variability
2. It provides access to climate products and information
3. It maintains a capacity-building and exchange program for climate resilience
4. It promotes the use of network reports and the exchange of experiences with other community monitoring initiatives
CIIFEN is committed to maintaining the network and its activities until December 2025, which are:
1. The generation of the Volunclima's monthly bulletins from March 2023 to December 2025: 34 monthly national newsletters for each country (170 in total)
2. The organization of at least 1 workshop and 3 webinars per year starting in 2024
3. Maintaining the network's IT platform operational
Did the Sendai Framework change or contribute to changes in your activities/organization? If so, how?
The Volunclima network has been strengthened through the implementation of various projects funded by multiple international cooperation donors. In this context, the Sendai Framework plays a fundamental role by promoting in-situ climate observations, knowledge transfer, and the use of community engagement and citizen science as key tools to empower people in risk management.
The actions defined in each Sendai Framework priority provide guidance for improving the protocols, objectives, information, and products generated by the Volunclima network. This contributes to strengthening the climate resilience capacities of both volunteer observers and users of the information produced by the network, mostly organizations involved in climate risk management.
What led you to make this commitment/initiative?
What was your position before making this Voluntary Commitment / prior to the Sendai Framework?
Volunclima started in 2019 in the department of Caldas, Colombia. Its implementation responded to the need of rainfall data from areas lacking coverage by meteorological networks.
In 2021, in the "Euroclima+: Droughts and Floods - Andes" project, the network expanded to Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Chile and the IT platform was modernized and perception of drought intensity monthly reports and extreme events reports were enabled.
CIIFEN recognizes the importance of keeping observers motivated. To achieve this, a key strategy is to encourage the use of the reports they submit by promoting and facilitating access to data among organizations involved in climate risk management and academia. In this way, these entities can improve their products and services by incorporating this data. Another way to incentivize participation is to provide them climate products and services and training. Since March 2023, monthly national bulletins that summarize the reports provided by volunteers have been produced. Furthermore, the involvement of meteorological services has allowed volunteers to access forecasts and other relevant products for informed decision-making.
Deliverables and Progress report
Deliverables
Deliverables are the end-products of the initiative/commitment, which can include issuance of publications or knowledge products, outcomes of workshops, training programs, videos, links, photographs, etc.
The Volunclima initiative's monthly national bulletins gather localized climate information, such as total monthly precipitation, drought perception, extreme event reports, monthly and seasonal forecasts, as well as a section on water requirements. They are aimed at civil society organizations, local authorities and the general public interested in climate monitoring. They are published in digital format and disseminated through Volunclima's website, email lists and social networks, facilitating access and promoting community participation. CIIFEN with the Volunclima initiative reaffirms its commitment to produce a total of 170 bulletins between March 2023 and December 2025, corresponding to 34 bulletins for each of the five participating countries, ensuring their timely delivery as part of the efforts to strengthen climate risk management in the region.
The trainings developed by the Volunclima initiative focus on climate monitoring and risk awareness. They are aimed at network members but are open to the general public. The face-to-face workshops aim to strengthen capacities for climate observation and reporting, while the webinars offer continuous learning spaces and updates on the network's technological tools. All online sessions are recorded and made available to volunteers, facilitating access and knowledge dissemination. CIIFEN with the Volunclima initiative reaffirms its commitment to conduct, starting in 2024, at least one workshop and three webinars per year as part of its efforts to strengthen local capacities in climate risk management.
The maintenance and continuous operation of the Volunclima network's IT platform ensures its availability and performance as a key tool for climate knowledge management. The platform consists of a website, mobile application, REST services, and WhatsApp groups. The website serves as a hub for open access to climate data and bulletins. The mobile app “Volunclima” (available on Play Store) enables volunteers to report rainfall. REST services allow real-time information exchange in machine-readable format for institutional use. WhatsApp groups serve as communication channels to keep volunteers informed about alerts and activities. The main users are volunteers and technicians involved in climate risk management. To ensure system reliability and data protection, periodic performance reviews are conducted. CIIFEN, through the Volunclima initiative, reaffirms its commitment to maintaining and improving the platform via server administration, updates, security monitoring, and user support throughout the operational period.
Organizations and focal points
Implementing Organization(s)
Focal points
Partners
