Future Climate for Africa - Scoping Paper: The use of climate services for decision making in the ports sector

Report investigates the climate change risks and use of climate services within infrastructure planning

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
1 January 2014
Document Type:
Technical Report
Theme:
Climate and Environment
Authors:
HR Wallingford

Abstract

The paper has been prepared to support the scoping phase of the Future Climate for Africa (FCFA) programme. The focus of the FCFA is to advance scientific knowledge, understanding and prediction of African climate variability and change on five to 40 year timescales, together with support for better integration of science into longer-term decision making, leading to improved climate risk management and the protection of lives and livelihoods.

Infrastructure is a priority area for the integration of climate science into decision making. Infrastructure which is being planned now may be operational in a future climate significantly different to the historical climate commonly used for planning and design. Existing and planned infrastructure assets may also not be able to cope sufficiently with current levels of climate variability, with climate change exacerbating future risks. This is especially true of long-lived infrastructure, operational over decades and for periods often exceeding its original design life.

This paper focuses on port infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa. It investigates the climate change risks and the current use of climate science for decision making. It provides recommendations on the opportunities for integrating climate services within infrastructure planning.

Citation

HR Wallingford. Future Climate for Africa - Scoping Paper: The use of climate services for decision making in the ports sector. HR Wallingford, Wallingford, UK (2014) 39 pp.

Published 1 January 2014
Contents