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Bridging Weather & Climate? Perspectives from a Global Change Geographer by Ivan J. Ramirez (MSU/CCB). WASIS Summer Workshop - July, 19, 2007. Bridging Weather & Climate.
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Bridging Weather & Climate? Perspectives from a Global Change Geographer by Ivan J. Ramirez (MSU/CCB) WASIS Summer Workshop - July, 19, 2007
Bridging Weather & Climate Weather – What’s happening to the atmosphere at any given time. Weather can change from hour to hour, day to day, season to season. Climate – What is normally expected at any given time of the year on the basis of statistics built up over many years. Climate variations occur over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. (Burroughs, 1997; Burke et al., 2001) You can’t have one without the other!
Two Faces of Weather & Climate • The Bright Side • Opportunities • - various sectors • - health • Resources • - energy • - knowledge • The Dark Side • Contributing Constraints • - impacts on various sectors, economy, people • Hazards to humans, infrastructure, & ecosystems
Timescale of Weather Information Usage Forecast Uncertainty Outlook Guidance Threat Assessments Type of Guidance Forecasts Watches Warnings & Alert Coordination Lead Time Commerce Energy Ecosystem Health Hydropower Agriculture Boundary Condition Sensitivity Reservoir control Recreation Transportation Fire weather Initial Condition Sensitivity Flood mitigation Navigation Protection of Life/Property Minutes Hours Days Weeks Months Seasons Years Source: http://wwwt.emc.ncep.noaa.gov/gmb/ens/index.html
Useful Concepts from Global Change Research Integrated Assessment (Rotmans & Van Asselt, 1996) Hotspots Analysis (Myers, 1996; Glantz, 2002; Patz & Kovats, 2002) Syndrome Approach (Schellnhuber et al., 1997; ECLAC,1999; Manuel-Naverrete, 2007) Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (DFID, 1999; Reid & Vogel, 2006) Political Ecology (Blaikie, 1994; Zimmerer & Bassett, 2003)
Questions, Statements • How can we analyze creeping weather conditions such as dry weather conditions or extreme temperatures? • How can we learn from existing integrations of physical science with social science (e.g. air pollution and health)?
Hope – WASIS in Practice! • WASIS • NCAR’s Center for Capacity Building • International Research Institute for Climate & Society • Interdisciplinary Academic Programs • - Examples – Environmental Studies Programs, MA in Climate & Society (Columbia), Water: Systems, Science, and Society (Tufts)