You are warmly invited to a webinar from the Future Climate for Afria programme

Date: 29 November 2018

Time: 08:00 EDT; 13:00 GMT; 15:00 SAST

Duration: 60 minutes

Register for the webinar here today

Overview
Researchers, national meteorological agencies and civil society face many challenges when trying to communicate climate information and uncertainty to decision-makers. These challenges include i) making data visualisations and probabilistic information more accessible, ii) building trust with stakeholders, and iii) working with decision-makers, under significant time and resource constraints, to co-produce relevant information.

This webinar will share practical recommendations and a few approaches to generating and communicating climate change information and uncertainties. It will draw on insights from cognitive psychology and experiences from Future Climate for Africa’s work in west and southern Africa. This includes engagements to communicate changes in the west African monsoon under climate change, and integrating climate knowledge with urban decision-makers in Lusaka, Windhoek and Maputo. Two approaches will receive more attention: the use of climate impact narratives, and data visualisation and probabilistic information.  Panel presentations will be followed by a Q&A with attendees.

Host/Facilitator: Jean-Pierre Roux (SouthSouthNorth)

Speakers:

Dr Jordan Harold (University of East Anglia)

Introduction to the challenges of communicating climate uncertainties; insights from psychology
Jordan is an Applied Cognitive Psychologist at the School of Psychology and Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia, UK. Jordan has expertise in applying cognitive principles to science communications and has worked with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, scientists and graphic designers to support the communication of scientific findings about climate change with society.

Ms Emma Visman (VNG Consulting Ltd / King’s College London)
Experiences in communicating changes in the west African monsoon under future climate change
Emma is engaged in a range of projects seeking to strengthen climate-resilience across East and West Africa. Engaged in humanitarian operations and conflict prevention action research between 1991-2008, since 2009, she has focused on identifying and developing approaches to support strengthened dialogue between provider and users of climate information across timeframes and decision-making levels.

Dr Christopher Jack (University of Cape Town)
Integrating climate knowledge with decision-making in African cities; experiences from Lusaka, Windhoek and Maputo
Chris has wide-ranging interests that cover the spectrum from high-performance computing and big data methods, through to societal engagement and decision-making theory and practice. In particular, he is involved in the following areas within Climate Systems Analysis Group (CSAG) of the University of Cape Town and with partners: computer modeling, downscaling (statistical and dynamical), climate systems analysis, informing decision-making theory, tools, and practice.

Dr Irene Lorenzoni (University of East Anglia)
Practical recommendations for improved communication of climate information and uncertainty
Irene is an Environmental Social Scientist and Senior Lecturer at the School of Environmental Sciences, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, and 3S Research Group, University of East Anglia, UK. Irene’s expertise is in understandings of, and engagement with, climate change and sustainable development.

Register here.