HIGHLIGHTS FROM WEDNESDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER

On Wednesday morning, two plenary sessions were held on: climate extremes, warning systems and disaster risk reduction; and mainstreaming climate information. In the afternoon, there were six parallel working sessions on: climate and biodiversity and natural resource management; climate and more sustainable cities; decadal climate variability; climate and food security; climate of oceans and coasts; and regional climate information for risk management. Two forum sessions were also held on business and industry, and capacity-building education and training, and a session was also held on implementing climate services in nations and regions. The day concluded with a roundtable on communicating climate information.

During the plenary session on climate extremes, warning systems and disaster risk reduction, Paola Zucula, Minister of Transport and Communication, Mozambique, underscored the importance of a people-centered early warning system for vulnerable populations. Hasan Mahmud, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh, highlighted movement from a relief-based approach to the vulnerability reduction approach to disasters. Maxx Dilley, UNDP, said climate change has challenged the principle of stationarity to risk management. Madeleen Helmer, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said climate change is eroding traditional knowledge about the weather. Ulrich Hess, World Food Programme, underscored the viability of weather insurance to rural communities. Walter Baethgen, Columbia Unversity, called for providers of climate service information to target existing chains of information. Lianchun Song, China Meteorological Administration, highlighted the need for spatial vulnerability analyses. Maryam Golnaraghi, WMO, said a risk reduction program has three components: risk assessment, tools for risk reduction, and utilization of financial risk markets.

During the plenary session on mainstreaming climate information, Martin Parry, Imperial College, underscored that the scale of the adaptation challenge is dependent on when mitigation options are undertaken. Thomas Downing, Stockholm Environment Institute, underscored that the value of climate information is in reducing uncertainty for decision making. Laban Ogallo, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, stressed that continued partnership and collaboration was necessary. Amadou Gaye, University of Dakar, Senegal, highlighted the priority of addressing current vulnerabilities. Jürgen Lefevere, European Commission, said the impact of mitigation efforts is not adequately understood. Anand Patwardhan, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, cautioned that data, information, services and knowledge, while quite distinct in meaning, are being used indistinctly. Tara Shine, Irish Aid, stressed that information for adaptation will have to evolve over time.

WWF press conference: Launch of the WWF Arctic Feedbacks Report
Left to right: James Leape, Director-General, WWF International, Martin Hiller, WWF Climate Change Programme, and Martin Sommerkorn, WWF Senior Climate Officer