The International Climate Assessment and Dataset (ICA&D) offers science-based services for assessing observed changes in climate extremes in different parts of the world. It comprises: -gathering of long-term daily observational series from meteorological stations; -archiving and storage in a number of centralized relational databases; -quality control and homogeneity checks; -analysis based on indices particular related to climate extremes. The ICA&D system will be implemented in Southeast Asia (at BMKG, Indonesia), at ACMAD in Niger, and in South America at CIIFEN, Ecuador.
Benefits:
Proper basic observational climate data is lacking in several parts of the world. In many cases the observational data exists, but are not available to or incomprehensible for local stakeholders., ICA&D will provide user-oriented services based on observational data that will be collected (or rescues) through this project. It will support local decision makers, businesses, scientists, farmers, etc. that need proper climate information on e.g. trends in frequencies of extremes.
Activities:
Build capacity to implement, operate and maintain ICA&D (training of scientists and operators by KNMI-staff through workshops and visits)
Build capacity to rescue, collect and manage the regional observational data
Build capacity to work together with local users of climate information to tailor operational services to local needs (workshops)
Provide education and scientific support for the analyses and interpretation of regional data (exchange of scientists)
Provide a common platform for the 'ICA&D' community to further develop the system to improve the services provided
Objectives:
The objective of the project is to set-up and build capacity to operate, maintain and further develop ICA&D climate services for 3 or more regions in the world Southeast Asia, West Africa, Northern South America.
Deliverables/Outcomes:
At three sites: a successful implementation of ICA&D, educated staff to operate and maintain the system, educated staff to provide climate services to local stakeholders.
Risks:
For a sustainable implementation of ICA&D a sustained local effort to support the system is required. Especially in the beginning of the project, when services are not yet delivered, a significant investment and local commitment is needed. Also, for the collection of climate data good relationships and trust between providers in the region is needed. These requirements are essential, but can only partly be ensured by the project partners.
Especially for the implementation at ACMAD (West Africa) and at CIIFEN (South America) there are not yet enough resources available to ensure the full implementation.
Resource requirements:
For a period of 3 years ICA&D would require a minimum of 200000 Euro per year to finance an implementation scientist and to organize the capacity building workshops and exchange activities.
Indicators and assessment measures:
All sites are maintained and updated regularly. There is an active and growing community of users of the services provided by each ICA&D implementation. There is an active collaboration between the countries that provide the input data. There is good collaboration between WMO and the operators of all implemented ICA&D systems.
