World Climate Conference-3 Better climate information for a better future

1. World Climate Conference-3Better climate information for a better future Progress on the Preparation of the World Climate Conference-3 W Nyakwada WCC-3 Secretariat Climate Prediction & Adaptation Branch Geneva, Switzerland31 August–4 September 2009

2. Presentation Layout • Background • Conference Theme • Objective • Outcomes • Programme • Date, Venue, Structure, Funding, Organization • Relevance to GCOS • Conclusion

3. Development Policy FWCC 1979 Scientific Knowledge ‘Climate Variability and Change as an issue of concern worldwide ’ IPCC WCP WCRP WCC-3 2009 Societal services ‘Climate prediction and information for decision-making’ ‘Initiate a global action to reduce climate related risks and help society adapt to climate change.’ SWCC 1990 Political Awareness ‘More momentum to address Climate Variability and Change’ GCOS UNFCCC Background ‘Legacy of World Climate Conferences’

4. Background continued • Climate related risks continue to be a major threat to the wellbeing of societies and the achievement of MDGs • Climate prediction and information forms important tools to identify potential risks, as well as activities that can help society cope with the expected climate conditions through appropriate contingency measures • Climate prediction and information services, together with appropriate coping systems, form important tools for communities to adjust to shifts in climate conditions. • Our ability to cope with the challenges of the climate of today would help us build capability to cope with climate change

5. Conference Theme • The overall theme of World Climate Conference-3 is: • ‘Climate Prediction and Information for Decision-making’. • Focus: • Potential contribution of scientific advances in climate prediction and information services at seasonal to multi-decadal time-scales to the reduction of the risks associated with the current climate variability and the imminent climate change.

6. Objective • The overall objective of WCC-3 is to initiate a global action to address climate risks as affect the wellbeing of society and the achievement of sustainable socio-economic development by majority of developing and least developed countries. • The specific objectives of the conference are to: • Set the stage for nations, as well as organizations, to identify the needs of end users; • Propose solutions to address these needs so as to enable end users to benefit from improved climate prediction and information services; • Mobilize climate science globally and to advance seasonal to multi-decadal climate predictions; • Demonstrate the current state of knowledge, as well as capacity; • Negotiate the principles and discuss the mechanisms to share new advances in science and information through global infrastructure and • To decide on a process that would facilitate a global action on the reduction of the risks associated with the current climate variability and imminent climate change.

7. Expected Outcomes • The expected outcome of WCC-3 is a global action that would facilitate efforts to reduce the risks associated with the current and future climate conditions through the integration of climate prediction and information services into decision-making • The global actions will include, and not limited to: • Strengthening observations networks and the provision of climate prediction and information, • Integrating regional and national infrastructures (climate services networks) to deliver targeted climate prediction and information for national governments, other agencies, the private sector, • Advancing the scientific and technical capabilities needed to provide more credible and user oriented climate prediction and information by strengthening existing international, regional and national scientific mechanisms and • Enhancing the ability of governments, societies and institutions to access and use climate prediction and information services.

8. Benefits of WCC-3 • The actions from WCC-3 are expected to contribute to the achievement of the desires of the: • Millennium Development Goals, • UNFCCC Bali Action Plan and • Hyogo Framework for Action on Disaster Risk Reduction. • They will also help in bridging the gap between the IPCC assessment reports, and the services required to adapt to climate variability and change at regional and national levels.

9. WCC-3 Relevance to GCOS • It is important to note that efficient provision of climate prediction and information services depends on climate observations which: • Form the basis for climate prediction , risk assessment and mapping, strategic planning for industries and infrastructure, climate diagnosis and projection, and the monitoring, attribution and detection of climate change • Support research to enhance our knowledge of the climate system, potential risks and options for managing climate risks. • Climate observations are, therefore, useful components for climate risk management and adaptation.

10. WCC-3 Relevance to GCOS Cont’d • The gaps in countries with weak economies, which are also prone to natural disasters, are a threat to the achievement of MDGs including disaster reduction and food security. • The achievement of expectations of WCC-3 shall require improvements in the gathering and sharing of climate observations, • WCC-3 offers another platform for GCOS and the meteorological community to express the enormous value of climate observation and the need for improvement.

11. Conference Programme ‘Climate Observations’

12. Date, Venue, Structure, Funding, Organization • Date: 31 August - 4 September 2009 • Venue: Geneva, Switzerland • Structure: Two segments: • Science: 31 August - 2 September 2009 • High Level: 3-4 September 2009 • Funding: Extrabudgetary Funds • Contributions to the Trust Fund • Organization: International Organizing Committee and four subcommittees, WMO internal committees, WCC-3 Secretariat.

13. Conclusions • We have succeeded to win the hearts of leaders around the world to address climate change as a major issue. • Humankind continue to be threatened with the risks associated with the climate of today. • Our ability to manage the risks associated with the cliamte of today builds our resilience to adapt to climate of tomorrow. • Climate observation will remain the foundation of all climate services. • We should work together to win the hearts of our leaders once more to improve climate observations together with climate services for climate risk management and reduction. • WCC-3 offers a platform for achieving our shared objectives.

14. Thank you for your Attention World Climate Conference-3 31 August – 4 September 2009 Contact bnyenzi@wmo.int World Climate Conference-3Better climate information for a better future