Climate change and environmental issues are central to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Achieving sustainable development and mitigating climate change are interconnected goals that must be pursued simultaneously. Reliable, science-based climate information is essential to build resilience and effectively manage climate risks, enabling countries and regions within the OACPS to adapt to the changing climate. The Intra-ACP Climate Services and related Applications (ClimSA) is a key initiative funded by the 11th European Development Fund.
This program supports the entire climate information services value chain by providing technical and financial assistance, along with infrastructure and capacity building. ClimSA aims to enhance the accessibility and utilization of climate information and applications for decision-making processes across all levels in the six regions of the OACPS, facilitated through eight Regional Climate Centres (RCCs).
In March 2021, the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) launched a project under the ClimSA programme at a continental scale, supported by a grant from the African Union Commission, which serves as the Contracting Authority. This ACMAD project focuses on generating and applying climate services in sectors such as agriculture, water, health, and disaster risk reduction. The project is structured around five key outputs:
- Establishing structured user interfaces for agriculture, water, health, and disaster management.
- Enhancing the generation and delivery of climate services.
- Improving access to climate data and information.
- Building capacity to generate and utilize climate products effectively.
- Integrating climate services into policy and decision-making processes.
