SMHI is the host institute of the International Project Officer for CORDEX, an international initiative to coordinate regional climate modelling across the globe, deliver high quality regional climate information to end users, and build capacity in developing regions such as Africa.
Via the special aid from the Government, two CORDEX workshops can now be conducted in Africa together with the University of Cape Town (UCT). A total of around 50 climate researchers from different universities and institutes from four African regions will analyse regional climate data, climate scenarios and the issues relevant to each respective region. The participants will also undergo practical training in both climate analysis techniques and tools as well as delivering climate information to users.
“The African regions have totally different climates, and therefore totally different problems to contend with,” says Eleanor O’Rourke, Director of the International Project Office at CORDEX, “In the west, for example, the monsoon period drastically affects agriculture in the summertime, whereas the east/central region has two rainy seasons. All regions also have problems with both drought and flooding.”
The CORDEX workshops will be held in November 2015 and February 2016.