Resilience to climate change impacts are dependent on accurate weather forecasts that inform early warning and early action. The Deputy Executive Director in the Ministry of Works and Transport in Namibia, Jonas Sheelongo says the country has been experiencing extreme weather conditions that require accurate weather predictions.
Speaking at the joint Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications (ClimSA) and the Space for Early Warning in Africa (SEWA) forum held in Windhoek, Namibia on behalf of the Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi, Sheelongo said that “ClimSA has achieved notable progress across Africa and particularly in the SADC region,” adding that, “progress has been seen through greater access to timely, reliable, and user-tailored climate information; Enhanced institutional capacity within our meteorological and hydrological services; Strengthened regional cooperation and shared learning; as well as climate informed planning.”
The Executive Director noted that, Namibia and the Southern Africa Development Cooperation (SADC) region is committed to climate resilience efforts and the future of climate services across Africa adding that ClimSA is a transformative program, “that continues to empower communities, strengthen institutions, and inspire collaboration across the continent.”
He noted that with the support of ClimSA, the country has improved “our seasonal forecasting capabilities and early warning systems, thus enabling communities to better anticipate and respond to extreme weather events,” and added, “Our sharing of information and knowledge on early warning systems and forecasting technics which will be crucial to save lives, protection of property, prevention of water-bone deceases and protection of natural resources, as well as prioritize adaptation to climate change and disaster risk reduction as envisaged under the Sendai framework.”
Sheelongo said that the outcomes of the forum will help to inform the country’s policy on sustainable development “and people centred economic development as well as our integrated planning and contribute to capacity building, providing science-based information and reliable data on climate change and climatic variability and, improved management of climate-related risks.”
He called on the African continent to look at the opportunities presented by climate change and build on resilience as shown in the theme of the forum, “Accelerating Access to Climate and Weather Services for Resilient African Economies and Communities.” Noting that accelerating access translates to strengthening national meteorological and hydrological services; Modernizing observation networks; Empowering early warning systems, and building capacity at every level, from regional centres to rural communities.
The Executive Director further stated that the theme of the forum means that by strengthening access to early warning, will help put users, farmers, pastoralists, women, youth, and policy-makers at the heart of the design and delivery of climate services. “This is because resilience is built not in conference rooms alone, but in the daily decisions of those who depend on the land, the rains, and the seasons,” said Sheelongo.
He averred that millions of people across the continent still lack access to vital services “and where they exist, they are often fragmented, underfunded, or poorly aligned with user needs,” urging for targeted interventions that answer to the needs of the local people.
