When it comes to tackling the uncertainties of our changing climate, information on water, weather, and climate is vital. Making informed decisions to enhance resilience across sectors like food production, energy, transportation, disaster protection, water supply, and more relies on improved climate data. The key lies in modernising Weather and Climate Services, however, supporting these services is a complex task that requires a holistic approach.
Enter the World Bank’s E-Platform on Weather and Climate Services for Resilient Development. This platform, available on the Open Learning Campus (OLC), is designed to demystify the world of weather and climate services. It’s a guide for practitioners and policy makers that breaks down how weather and climate information systems work, emphasises their value, shares lessons learned, and offers practical advice for implementing related investments. While the first version of the platform was elaborated in 2014, a fresh and updated version of this platform was just launched in July 2023.
Discovering the Role of Earth Observation (EO) in Weather and Climate Services
Over the years, the World Bank has recognised the important and growing role that satellite Earth Observation (EO) assumes in shaping the landscape of weather and climate services. This recognition has fostered an ongoing collaboration between the World Bank and ESA’s Global Development Assistance (GDA) program. This strategic partnership capitalises on the synergy between the World Bank’s commitment to global development and poverty reduction and ESA’s GDA program’s mission to provide access to satellite data, particularly from the Copernicus program, aimed at bolstering various sectors in developing countries. Through this partnership, these two institutions strategically adopt EO technologies across the value chain, enabling the cost-effective delivery of vital information.
The E-platform now includes a dedicated module on satellite EO. This module provides insight into how EO can modernise Weather and Climate Services in developing countries. It’s the result of collaboration between ESA and the World Bank since 2013-2014. The original EO content was developed by Hatfield Consultants (www.hatfieldgroup.com), and they were later commissioned by the World Bank and ESA to completely update the module to reflect the changing landscape, particularly the game-changing Copernicus program.
Inside the special EO module you will find three lessons, covering:
- the benefits of Earth Observation
- Earth Observation and its impact on the Value-Chain Approach
- practical applications of Earth Observation in Weather, Water and Climate Services
The applications are vast: from tackling flooding, flooding hazard from glacial lakes, drought, soil erosion, infrastructure damage, coastal erosion, landslides, agricultural pests, vector-borne diseases, habitat, and biodiversity loss.
While deserving of a special model, EO is also integrated across other lessons within the E-platform demonstrating the mainstreaming of EO technologies within weather and climate services.
How to access and complete the E-platform course
Ready to dive in? The E-platform course is available on the World Bank’s Open Learning Campus. To get started, simply register with the OLC, and begin your self-paced learning journey. Each module even includes a quiz to test your newfound knowledge.
Ready to explore the world of weather and climate services? Head over to the E-Platform and embark on your resilient development journey.
