At least 160 research findings, aimed at enhancing climate resilience to extreme events, have to be presented at a climate research conference that that started on October 23 and will continue until October 27.
The 2nd Open Science Conference of the World Climate Research Programme has brought together over 1, 200 participants in Kigali to advance climate resilience in the Global South through scientific research, and contribute to robust outcomes at the upcoming 28th UN climate conference known as COP28 to take place in Dubai, UAE, in December.
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Some of the research focused on extreme weather events, climate projections, drought, environmental solutions, global warming, ocean warming, climate services and forecasts, heat waves, climate change impact on crop yields, water scarcity, urban overheating impacts on human life, AI use in the early warning system, and machine learning-based early warning system for drought, among others.
Extreme weather-related events are often short-lived and include heat waves, freezes, heavy downpours, tornadoes, tropical cyclones and floods
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The conference is organised with a focus on three themes, namely; advances in climate research, climate services and solutions, and human interactions with climate.
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Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, the Minister of Environment, said the World Climate Research Programme’s Open Science Conference represents a vital platform for international collaboration and information sharing.
She said research and open dialogue are needed in advancing understanding of the global climate system.
Regarding the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework on Convention on Climate Change (COP28), Mujawamariya said:
"The link between both conferences cannot be overstated. This conference intends to discuss how climate research can trigger decision-making to tackle climate change issues while the UNFCCC’s COP intends to address climate change, where governments come together to negotiate and commit to climate policies and agreements.”
Call for climate research fund
Oscar Nzabonimpa, an environmental expert, said there is a need for a special fund dedicated to climate research.
"Climate research is still underfunded. There should be a special institute to finance climate research. We need solutions that mitigate climate change effects and every solution is preceded by research,” he said.
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Aloysie Imanishimwe, a lecturer at the College of Sciences and Technology, University of Rwanda, who also works with the Centre of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management, said most of the funding goes to projects that are already delivering instead of research projects.
Imanishimwe is doing research on the resilience of 20 degraded indigenous tree species to climate change in Rwanda in the next years.
"This could guide those in charge of forestry on what to do. There is an issue of underfunding to climate research projects because the sponsors doubt if such projects could deliver or make profits. So researchers should build trust,” she said.
She said having many researchers from across the globe at the summit will pave the way for partnership and experience sharing.
According to Macharia Kamau, a Kenyan analyst, there is an urgent need for climate action.
"Research is just finding the right information so that it guides your action. We must anticipate the challenges that are coming our way so that we adapt,” he noted.