On November 19, 2024 at COP29, a side event at the CARICOM Pavilion was organised under the intra-ACP Climate Services and related applications (ClimSA) Programme, an initiative of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), funded under the 11th European Development Fund (11th EDF). Titled “Building Science-Policy Interface to Promote Climate Policy Development: Case Study of Socio-Economic Benefits of Climate Services in Guyana and Jamaica”, the event provided a dynamic platform to discuss the critical integration of climate science into policy frameworks. The event was co-organised by OACPS, the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) and the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD).

 

 

The ClimSA Programme, which aims to enhance the climate service value chain, prioritises the integration of climate information into decision-making processes. This is particularly crucial for regions such as Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, where climate change poses significant risks to livelihoods and ecosystems. The Programme takes an innovative approach, emphasising on co-design and co-production of climate services with users to ensure that outputs address the specific needs of sectors such as agriculture, disaster risk reduction and water resource management.

The side event focused on one of the key innovations developed by the ClimSA Programme: the Socio-Economic Benefit (SEB) tool, which is designed to assess the economic and social returns from investments in climate information services. By demonstrating the value of integrating climate data into policy, the tool strengthens the case for sustained funding and development of climate services.

The opening remarks were delivered by Ms Cristelle Pratt, Assistant Secretary-General for Environment and Climate Action at the OACPS Secretariat. She said, she was pleased to have the opportunity at COP29 to highlight the importance of investments such as the SEB tool. Ms Pratt emphasised that the true impact of the SEB tool will be realised when Regional Climate Centres, National Meteorological Services and Governments use it to demonstrate the value of climate services and their related applications.

Prof Mansur Bako Matazu, from ACMAD, presented the institution’s Decision Support Tool for translating science into policy. The framework provides a structured approach for users, climate researchers and climate service providers to interact effectively and ensure that climate services are aligned with user needs. Prof Matazu highlighted practical steps taken to implement the science-policy interface across the continent, including the establishment of a meningitis outbreaks surveillance mechanism and the development of an impact forecasting prototype in collaboration with the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), focusing on the interface between climate and disaster risk reduction.

Mr Calistus Wachana, a climate services user engagement expert at ICPAC, provided practical insights into institutional efforts to promote the science-policy interface. These efforts focus on raising awareness about mainstreaming climate services, demonstrating their socio-economic benefits and securing commitments from high-level decision-makers. A key initiative has been the organisation of three high-level meetings, bringing together Ministers of Finance from IGAD Member States, senior officials from finance and climate ministries, Directors of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, ClimSA focal points, IGAD representatives and WMO representatives. These meetings have been instrumental in fostering collaboration and promoting policy action based on scientific information.

Dr Dieudonne Nsadisa Faka, Team Leader of the ClimSA Programme, presented ClimSA’s science-policy framework, which is based on the WMO climate services value chain. The ClimSA framework includes an additional step in the chain: policy development and assessment. He highlighted the importance of co-design and co-production as integral aspects of effective policy development. Dr Faka elaborated on the need for a decision support tool for policy development, citing three key reasons: first, the complexity and dynamic nature of climate data; second, the inherent uncertainty in climate data; and third, the long-term perspective required for climate-related decision-making. A decision support tool like the Socio-Economic Benefit (SEB) Tool, the dedicated decision support system developed by ClimSA, is essential to simplify and translate this complexity, integrating socio-economic dimensions into actionable scenarios that guide decision-making processes. He emphasised the use of the SEB Tool to advocate to ministers and policymakers for increased investment in climate services. To illustrate its application, Dr Faka presented a case study on the use of the SEB tool in agriculture and tourism in Guyana and Jamaica.

Discussions highlighted the need for a multidisciplinary approach and emphasised the importance of user platforms to ensure representation from all sectors in the co-production and co-design processes. This inclusivity is essential to develop policies that effectively address the complexity of climate change impacts on countries and communities.

The side event highlighted how robust climate services, co-designed with end-users, can drive effective policy development and resource allocation. By fostering dialogue between scientists and policymakers and using tools such as the SEB, ClimSA is setting a benchmark for integrating climate science into regional and national strategies.

 

For more information, download the Concept Note and the presentations below.

download the concept note

download the presentation by ICPAC

download the presentation by ACMAD