Climate information value chains: Optimising the use of climate information for decision-making in Africa

By Georgina Wade

In Cape Town, South Africa severe water shortages have forced the implementation of water restrictions on its inhabitants. In contexts such as this, climate information can be used to support decisions that can increase urban resilience of city, and make cities better prepared to manage the effects of climate change and extreme events. However, it is not always clear how climate information should be used to support decisions. A value-chain approach can improve the way climate information is understood and used by decision makers.

The process that delivers climate information from data providers to users can be conceptualised in the form of a climate information value chain as presented by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

This value chain presents an idealised model of the value creation process, starting with the generation and provision of weather and climate data, and ending with the improved decision-making by different types of users. Ideally, if the value chain operates well, investments in producing climate information will result in societal benefits, such as improved preparedness to extreme climatic events.

However, in order to ensure that climate information is used appropriately, a high level of engagement is needed at each stage of the value chain. The nature of engagement between the provider and the user has strong implications for the success of information exchange and information uptake.

A recent article from Future Climate for Africa (FCFA) hints at forthcoming insights surrounding engagement between climate information providers and users in African cities. These insights will be presented in a forthcoming paper that examines climate information use for decision-making on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the African cities of Lusaka, Zambia and Kisumu, Kenya.

According to the findings, one of the best conditions for climate information exchange and use is interactive, multi-stakeholder engagement. This presents an opportunity for providers and users of climate information to exchange ideas in person, allowing for immediate feedback and decisions made in line with user needs. Additionally, this method allows for a two-way engagement and collaboration on how to best prepare for and respond to climatic hazards. However, climate information providers do not always have a good understanding of particular sectoral needs and of the types of climate information that is relevant for decision-making. Climate outlook forums (COFs) were found to have no effect on the approaches and actions of sectoral managers who fail to fully grasp the complexities that accompany climate information.

Evidence suggests that the level of engagement between providers and users of climate information has a direct effect on whether climate information is used appropriately to inform climate sensitive decisions. Therefore, it is vital that climate information providers and inter-city users engage openly and explore approaches that are suited to growing climate information needs under a rapidly changing climate.