Integrating Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation into Development Planning (CCMAP) project

Funders: European Commission and UNEP

Partners: WMO, IPCC, UNEP, University of Dar es Salaam, University of Ghana, and the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies

Although adaptation to climate change is an urgent issue for many developing countries, several factors often impede effective action.  These include low awareness of climate change and its risks, difficulties in accessing and interpreting scientific information, lack of location- and sector-specific knowledge that is needed to guide decisions, and distrust of information from sources external to the region.

In an effort to address these obstacles, START and its partners are engaging scientists and policy makers in West Africa, East Africa and South Asia in a range of activities that aim at raising awareness and improving access to scientific information, so that decisionmakers can better integrate climate change issues in development planning and poverty reduction measures.  The activities include national science-policy dialogues, regional knowledge assessments, regional knowledge sharing strategies, and regional trainings.

The science-policy dialogues are based on the findings of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, and have already taken place in Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Bangladesh and Senegal. Dialogues in Rwanda, Burundi, Nepal and Bhutan scheduled for later this year.  Reports from the dialogues are available below.

A major outcome of this project will be enhanced capability in the countries to engage in IPCC and SBSTA/UNFCCC activities and dialogues.

For more information, contact Jon Padgham, jpadgham@start.org

Links:

Ghana Science-Policy Dialogue Final Report
Nigeria Science-Policy Dialogue Final Report
Tanzania Science-Policy Dialogue Final Report

Last Updated on April 22nd, 2010