Invest in meteorology to change lives

Lazarus Sauti

Southern Africa is extremely vulnerable to the increasing impacts of climate change, which will worsen food insecurity and water stress for the region’s growing population, but it is failing to factor in climate change in long-term investment and planning.

As a result, citizens in the regional grouping are exposed to extreme weather events, and this is halting development in the region.

“The devastating flooding in Malawi and Mozambique, for instance, highlighted how weather-related hazards undermine social, political and economic development,” agreed Saviour Kasukuwere, Minister of Environment, Water and Climate in Zimbabwe and the outgoing Chair of the African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology recently.

The Malawi and Mozambique floods left a grim legacy of death, destruction and devastation. The scale of the disaster wreaked havoc as crops were destroyed, villages obliterated, homes swept away and livestock killed.

Heavy rains in Mozambique also affected many people in Madagascar and Zimbabwe.

“Due to lack of investment in meteorology, countries across the Southern African Development Community are, therefore, counting the social, economic and environmental development costs of this year’s torrential rains,” said Kasukuwere.

He also believes that adequate investment in meteorological services should be a priority for governments in the region as it provides the capital necessary for meteorological projects and programmes designed to further SADC’s mandate of integration and economic development.

But this requires a collective approach, unity of purpose based upon the shared vision on climate proofing, genuine partnerships as well as commitment from everyone.

Sharing same sentiments, Michel Jarraud, the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation, a Geneva-based organisation providing scientific voice on the state and behaviour of the Earth’s atmosphere and climate, asserts: “Investing in meteorology is of paramount importance as national meteorology and hydrological services in Africa are vital to public safety and well-being since they enable sustainable development.”

Jarraud goes on to say that meteorology services are indispensable partners of economic sectors.

An official from the ministry of Environment, Water and Climate in Zimbabwe also concurs: “Institutional capacity building, planning and physical investments in meteorology services are avenues for the SADC region to realise its development goals, industrialise, create wealth and employment over and above poverty reduction.

“Meteorological services are critical actors in supporting economic growth, and today there is an increased awareness of the sustainable social and economic benefits delivered by weather and climate services.”

Lindsey Jones, a scholar on issues of climate change, adaption and development, supports that factoring climate change into long-term investments and planning decisions is essential for supporting climate-resilient development.

“The promotion of factoring weather and climate services in social and economic policy formulation and development plans is the key to achieving sustainable development,” she says, adding that African countries must also strengthen national meteorological data collection and management systems so as to reduce vulnerability, enhance productivity and benefit people as well as society at large.

However, like many governments on the continent, political leaders in Southern Africa are not considering meteorology services along with long-term climate information in their investments and planning decisions.

This is also supported by a new research, coordinated by the Overseas Development Institute, United Kingdom’s leading independent think tank on international development and humanitarian issues, and Climate and Development Knowledge Network, an initiative that links poor countries with experts on climate change.

Significantly, the research, which includes studies from Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique, urges African countries to invest and strengthen hydro-meteorology to support improved weather forecasting and climate modelling. It further states that influential ministries, such as those responsible for economic growth and development, should be mandated to act on climate related issues if countries are to effectively invest in meteorology services and transform their economic fortunes.

Countries in the region, frankly, need to seriously mainstream Climate Change adaptation and mitigation into their development plans, integrate and harmonise meteorological services, speak with one voice and decisively act to strengthen meteorological services in the regional bloc.

Together with their African counterparts, they must religiously fulfil their latest Praia commitment. African countries recently agreed to strengthen their meteorological services to reduce the impact of extreme weather events at a meeting of ministers in Praia, Cape Verde. In a declaration adopted at the end of the African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology, delegates recognised that investments in weather and climate services help save lives and property, minimise economic losses and preserve the environment.