Improving Climate Data and Information Management
Description of Project
Under the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR), the Government of Jamaica has received a grant of US $6.8 M from the Climate Investment Fund (CIF) administered through the World Bank (WB) to implement Investment Project 1, Improving Climate Data and Information Management Project (ICDIMP). The ICDIMP is one of a suite of projects giving effect to the goals and objectives of Jamaica’s Strategic Programme for Climate Resilience (SPCR) and geared towards the climate change adaptation imperative outlined in Vision 2030 Jamaica.
The project development objective is to improve the quality and use of climate related data and information for effective planning and action at local and national levels. In achieving this, the project aims to:
- Strengthen Jamaica’s meteorological observation and data collection systems to enhance climate monitoring, weather forecasting and early warning systems;
- Enable effective planning and design of adaptation initiatives, through access to climate change scenarios specific to Jamaica, including scenarios for priority sectors;
- Use climate scenarios generated to assess the expected consequences of climate change for each priority sector and utilize assessments to develop sector-based methodologies for climate resilient planning and decision making;
- Conduct detailed vulnerability assessment of the health sector to generate information needed to improve resilience of the health sector by climate proofing health care facilities;
- Improve knowledge, attitudes and practice of the Jamaican public towards climate.
The ICDIMP will be implemented under three main components.
Upgrading Hydro-Meteorological Data Collection, Processing and Forecasting Systems
US$4.009 million is aimed at enhancing the availability and reliability of data for climate change scenario modelling, risk analysis and warning systems, and knowledge sharing. Project activities include (a) supplying and installing equipment for sea-level monitoring, meteorological, hydrological, and agro-meteorological activities, provision of training for staff of Meteorological Services Jamaica (MSJ), Water Resources Authority (WRA) , Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and voluntary observers of the monitoring network on operation and maintenance of the equipment; (b) replacing the outdated weather Doppler radar, including rehabilitation of the Cooper’s Hill station facility and training of MSJ staff in operation and maintenance of the new radar; (c) strengthening the capacity of staff of MSJ, WRA and RADA on data management, quality assurance of data collection, processing, and weather forecasting through provision of consulting services and training.
Climate Resilient Planning and Hydro-meteorological Information Services
US$1.386 million will provide technical assistance support to promote Jamaica’s readiness for climate events through: (a) updating the downscaled high resolution climate change scenarios and using said scenarios to prepare the State of the Jamaican Climate 2015 and 2019 reports; and provision of training on sector specific climate resilient planning based on said scenarios; (b) preparing national vulnerability assessments in selected priority sectors to define priorities and actions on climate resilience; (c) preparing detailed health sector vulnerability assessments and costed resilience strengthening plans to assist health facilities and operations withstand and respond to climate related hazards; (d) carrying out community-based risk profiling to assess communities’ vulnerability to various climate related hazards and developing early warning messaging for vulnerable groups; and (e) upgrading the multi-agency climate and natural risk data and information sharing system to integrate climate data and making the data user friendly and accessible to the public.
Climate Change Education and Awareness towards Behavioural Change
US$0.725 million will provide technical assistance support to promote climate change awareness at the national and local levels through (a) carrying out climate change information, education and communication (IECC) campaigns, and (b) conducting targeted attitude and behavioural change initiatives to address climate change adaptation needs and influence behavioural change of targeted groups.
The Planning Institute of Jamaica is the Executing Agency for the ICDIMP and will administer the fourth component which includes project management, monitoring and evaluation and the provision of support to the various Implementing Agencies including MSJ, WRA, RADA, Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change (MWLECC), Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and University of the West Indies (UWI).
The project will benefit various end users of Hydro, agro and met data and information services, including the agricultural commodity boards and farmers, the Ministry of Health and health facilities, tourism centers (hotels), civil aviation authority and airlines, and the Coast Guard. Improvement in the climate information database and institutional mechanisms for effectively disseminating early warning messages and agricultural knowledge and adaptation interventions will also assist poverty reduction and food security issues and by extension, be of direct benefit to both male and female-headed households, agricultural workers and fisherfolk. There would also be considerable benefits to the international hydro-met community which would be able to access more reliable observation data from the Jamaica territory, contributing to more accurate regional forecasting and planning throughout the Caribbean region.