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Climate Info-powerment - build resilience to climate risk

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SDG 13: Climate Action

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GLC Members

Patricia Imbarus
Varun Shankar
David Okoronkwo
Jonathan Meyer

Creating a hybrid solution that provides area-specific, actionable climate information to vulnerable communities using a three-fold communication system that is being translated into the local language. People can use that information on the climate to derive better and informed decisions in the agricultural sphere, but also on household level.

Climate Info-powerment - build resilience to climate risk

Frontline communities in a lot of developing countries lack timely access to climate risk information and urgent environmental notifications, what makes them vulnerable to extreme weather events, resulting in food and water insecurity, conflict, migration etc. Around 21.5 million people have been forcefully displaced annually since 2008 by weather-related events and around 1.2 billion climate migrants are estimated by 2050. Tackling the issue of lacking climate information could have a fruitful impact where it is desperately needed.

Thats why we came up with the concept of an hybrid solution that provides area-specific, actionable climate information to vulnerable communities using a three-fold communication system that is being translated into the respective local language. As a first step, the solution will convert complex digital meteorological data into actionable information provided to communities as weekly updates. People lack not only the information, but also the ability to read them in a way that is applicable to their respective challenges. Thats why easy language and quick application to farm and household decisions is crucial. In a second way, the system will provide a predictive model meant to alert the local community of upcoming short and medium-term climate risks (extreme temperatures, severe storms, wildfires, mudslides, water shortage) and will give them information, how to mitigate these risks. Lastly, it should give urgent updates and natural disaster warnings, so people will be somehow able to prepare for floods etc.

In the short term, the solution will have an impact on individuals access to critical climate information, what will enable them to take informed farm-level (when to plant, when to process farm products, when to irrigate etc.) and household-level decisions (what kind of clothes to wear etc.). In turn, this will offer them autonomy, agency, and the capacity to devise adaptation strategies and build resilience in the face of adversity.
In the long-term, a general increase in food security, improved rural livelihoods, increased social cohesion and reduced climate-induced socio-cultural and economic grievances should occur. This aims to promote climate, social, gender and racial justice, as well as peace.

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