27 October 2017: Disaster risk management (DRM) and sustainable development featured prominently on the agendas of several recent events. Meetings among scientists focused on improved Earth system predictions, and on advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Group of 7 (G7) countries held discussions on climate and fragility. A social media conversation, hosted by Climatelinks and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), explored the benefits of integrating biodiversity conservation and adaptation.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) convened a Science Summit on seamless research for weather, climate, water and environment. Held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 20-22 October 2017, it brought together representatives of the WMO community, academia, and the private and public sectors to promote local and global exchange across multiple disciplines related to Earth system sciences. Summit participants addressed the following five themes: seamless prediction in 2023 by improving predictive capacity across weather, climate, water and environment; planning and investing in future infrastructures; science for services: developing and implementing a new interactive model for integrating research and operations; nurturing scientific talents; and catalyzing innovation in and mobilizing resources for weather, climate, water and environment research globally and locally.
Acknowledging the role of oceans in the 2030 Agenda, the JCOMM meeting sought to provide an overview of the advances in marine meteorological and oceanographic observing systems and services.
Conclusions from the Summit informed discussions at the session of the WMO Commission for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS), held from 23-24 October. The Commission meets every four years. [WMO Press Release] [WMO Event Webpage]
The Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM) of the WMO and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) met in Geneva from 25-29 October. The meeting acknowledged the global recognition of the role of oceans in the 2030 Agenda and of the unprecedented pressure of human activities on the ocean health. It sought to provide an overview of the advances in marine meteorological and oceanographic observing systems and services, including data management and services. [WMO Press Release]
The G7 Working Group on Climate and Fragility convened in Rome, Italy, from 25-27 October to discuss pathways to manage the climate-fragility nexus, and exchange views on climate-related issues such as food security, involuntary migration and land resources. The working group also refined the research design of the G7 Lake Chad Risk Assessment Project, which seeks to address critical knowledge gaps on climate and fragility risks in the crisis-struck region where some 10.7 million people are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance. A consortium of research institutes led by an independent think tank and public policy consultancy on climate, environment and development adelphi, will carry out the assessment.
G7 comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. [Climate Diplomacy Press Release] [G7 Lake Chad Risk Assessment Project]
On 12 October, Climatelinks and WWF hosted a Twitter chat that discussed: why conservation and climate change adaptation integration is important for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); the co-benefits of integrating biodiversity conservation and adaptation; challenges to integration; and the role that ecosystem services play in supporting conservation and adaptation. [Climatelinks Press Release]
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The SDG Knowledge Hub publishes regular adaptation and loss and damage updates that can be found under the tag Adaptation and Loss and Damage Update.