This event is co-organized by the EU-funded projects FOCUS-Africa, DOWN2EARTH and CONFER.
Thursday, 20 June 2024, Brussels, Belgium
Norway House | Rue Archimède 17, 1000 Brussels
The first part of the meeting (before the first break) will be streamed and recorded. You can follow the live stream here.
This event will feature discussions on sustainable financing, job creation, and the integration of indigenous knowledge into meteorological practices. We will also explore how the EU can support African-led research and operational improvements.
We are pleased to welcome three esteemed stakeholders to our discussions: Dr. Lucy Mtilatila, Director of the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Malawi; Ms. Katarzyna Drabicka, Team Leader – Climate Team on both Mitigation and Adaptation Work Streams, Climate & Planetary Boundaries Unit, DG for Research and Innovation, European Commission; and Dr. Hanan Rabbah, Director General of the Sudan Meteorological Authority. Each brings a unique perspective to enhancing climate services on the continent.
Programme
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 09:30 | Check-in and morning snacks, tea and coffee |
| 09:50–10:20 | Opening Remarks (follow the live stream) Introduction by Philippe Tulkens (Head of Unit Climate & Planetary Boundaries DG Research and Innovation European Commission), Vincenzo Lorusso (Policy Officer – Science Technology and Innovation cooperation with the African Union), and the principal investigators of the three sister projects: Roberta Boscolo (World Meteorological Organization), Michael Singer (Cardiff University), and Erik Kolstad (NORCE) |
| 10:20–11:20 | Experiences and future needs (follow the live stream) Assess the Socio-Economic Value of Climate Services in FOCUS-Africa Sam Whittlesay (LGI) and Alberto Troccoli (WEMC) Find out how FOCUS-Africa is assessing the impact of the climate services including baseline evaluation, prototype improvements through co-evaluation, impact measurement, and exploitation strategies. Impact-Based Forecasting and Information Delivery from DOWN2EARTH Michael Singer (Cardiff University) Michael will discuss the new regional impact-based modelling capability developed by our project, now integrated into ICPAC’s forecasting system. This includes staff training for impact-based forecasts and innovative methods for disseminating forecast information broadly. Advancing Climate Services through Co-production in CONFER Marta Bruno Soares (University of Leeds) and Stefan Lines (UK Met Office) Marta and Stefan give a brief overview of the critical process of mapping real-world needs to effectively develop tailored climate services and our capacity building programme. |
| 11:20–11:40 | Break |
| 11:40–12:40 | Research-to-Policy World Café These esteemed stakeholders will lead our world café discussions: Dr. Lucy Mtilatila, Director of the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Malawi, who has led significant initiatives in integrating climate data into national planning; Dr. Hanan Rabbah, Director General of the Sudan Meteorological Authority, known for her advancements in weather forecasting and climate monitoring to enhance disaster preparedness in Sudan; and Ms. Katarzyna Drabicka, Team Leader – Climate Team on both Mitigation and Adaptation Work Streams, Climate & Planetary Boundaries Unit, DG for Research and Innovation, European Commission. Discussion themes: – Financing and Models for Sustainable Climate Services: Balancing Commercial Viability with Public Good – Workforce Development: Building Capacity and Creating Job Opportunities through Climate Services – Bridging Gaps: Research and Operational Priorities for Enhancing Climate Services in Africa – Empowering Local Action: The EU’s Role in Supporting African-Led Climate Research and Regional Collaboration |
| 12:40–13:00 | Concluding remarks by Roberta, Michael, and Erik |
| 13:00 | Lunch |
