Call for Climate Action
By Francis Maingaila ♥️
Lusaka, Zambia24 --- (15-06-2026) --- The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has commended Zambia for hosting a continental climate forum aimed at strengthening climate resilience, improving weather forecasting and enhancing early warning systems across Africa.
According to WMO Director Dr. Agness Kijazi the continent is facing rising climate shocks driven by recurring El Niño events, affecting millions of people through droughts, floods, food insecurity and water shortages, prompting governments, scientists and international partners to strengthen early warning systems and climate services to ensure timely information reaches vulnerable communities and supports early action to protect lives and livelihoods.
Speaking at the opening of the programme in Lusaka at Pamodzi Hotel, Dr. Kijazi praised the Zambian Government for its hospitality and its commitment to advancing climate services across Africa.
She said the forum had brought together countries facing similar climate risks to strengthen resilience and support sustainable development.
Dr. Kijazi said the meeting would assess climate impacts, harmonise continental outlooks and develop practical early warning information for vulnerable communities.
She said the programme aligns with WMO’s focus on impact-based forecasting and stressed that climate services must lead to real action, not just information sharing.
Dr. Kijazi said international and regional partners have helped strengthen national meteorological and hydrological services through better forecasting systems, climate stations and improved infrastructure.
She also praised regional climate institutions for producing reliable climate information and helping connect science with decision-making by making forecasts more accessible and useful to governments and key sectors.
She said these institutions have helped ensure that climate information is not only produced but also used in planning and response.
Dr. Kijazi said the forum will help translate climate outlooks into practical guidance for sectors such as agriculture, water and disaster management while strengthening cooperation among African countries.
She said participants will review past forecasts, examine new outlooks and develop sector-specific advisories to improve preparedness.
She emphasized that climate services must go beyond data provision and lead to coordinated action across institutions.
Dr. Kijazi outlined four key priorities for the WMO in Africa, including stronger regional coordination, increased climate finance for adaptation, modernised observation systems and improved early warning services.
She said reliable forecasting depends on strong observation networks and highlighted ongoing efforts to improve data collection and accuracy.
She reaffirmed WMO’s commitment to supporting African countries through technical assistance and capacity building to ensure climate information is accessible and used effectively.
She added that success will be measured by how well climate information is turned into timely action.
Speaking in Lusaka at a regional climate meeting, Dr. Ndiaye said Africa’s heavy reliance on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, water resources and health makes it highly vulnerable to climate variability and extreme weather events.
He said most agricultural production is rain-fed, while floods, droughts and disease outbreaks are increasingly linked to changing climate conditions.
“When climate variability intensifies, it directly affects socio-economic development,” Dr. Ndiaye said. “Early warning systems are essential to help sectors prepare and reduce impacts before disasters occur.”
Dr. Ndiaye said is working with regional climate centres across Africa to strengthen forecasting systems and improve the delivery of timely climate information to governments and communities.
He said discussions in Lusaka brought together climate institutions from across the continent to improve coordination and address growing climate risks.
Dr. Ndiaye warned that rising temperatures are increasing the likelihood of heatwaves across Africa, adding that countries must prepare for their growing health and economic impacts.
He also identified limited access to reliable climate data as a major challenge, stressing that improved data systems are critical for effective planning and disaster preparedness.
He said efforts are underway to develop a continental climate data platform to support decision-making across key sectors.
Dr. Ndiaye commended the Zambian Government for hosting the meeting, saying it reflects strong commitment to advancing climate resilience and early warning systems in Africa.
He recalled that during the 2015–2016 El Niño, Southern and West Africa experienced severe drought while East Africa faced widespread flooding, creating major economic and social disruptions.
He said similar patterns were seen again in the 2023–2024 event, which affected over 50 million people in Southern Africa through drought while East Africa experienced destructive floods.
Dr. Nyambe said these climate shocks often lead to food insecurity, water shortages and loss of livelihoods, especially in communities that depend on rain-fed agriculture.
He also noted that 2024 was recorded as the hottest year globally, reinforcing evidence that climate change is worsening extreme weather events.
He said African countries are now strengthening implementation of continental climate frameworks and improving systems that ensure climate information reaches decision-makers and local communities in time for action.
Dr. Nyambe said the Lusaka forum brings together both providers and users of climate information to improve coordination and ensure forecasts are translated into usable services.
He said the goal is to ensure climate information reaches the “last mile,” particularly vulnerable communities most exposed to climate risks.
He acknowledged support from the European Union, which helped finance the forum and supported the expansion of weather observation systems across member states.
The Government of Zambia has also called for stronger climate preparedness across Africa amid warnings that another El Niño event could develop during the 2026/27 season.
Mr Simumbwe said Africa is increasingly experiencing droughts, floods, heatwaves, tropical cyclones and other extreme weather events that are putting pressure on water systems, energy supply, infrastructure and public health.
He recalled the severe impacts of the 2015/16 El Niño and Zambia’s recent experience with the 2023/24 drought, which he said was one of the worst in the country’s history and led to a national disaster declaration.
Mr Simumbwe said the drought severely reduced crop production, lowered hydropower levels and caused an energy deficit that affected households, industry and the wider economy.
He warned that although uncertainties remain about the next El Niño, scientific evidence is strong enough to justify immediate preparedness.
He stressed that early preparation is far cheaper than late response.
Mr Simumbwe said Zambia is prioritising climate resilience through investments in weather monitoring systems, including automatic weather stations and upper-air equipment to improve forecasting accuracy.
He said the Zambia Meteorological Department continues to provide forecasts and advisories to support national planning and decision-making.
He added that climate-smart agriculture and irrigation expansion are being promoted to reduce reliance on rainfall, noting that most Zambians depend on rain-fed farming.
He also said the Climate Information Advisory Services platform is being expanded to reach over one million farmers with timely and localised weather information.
He added that Zambia is investing in renewable energy to reduce dependence on hydropower, which is increasingly affected by climate variability.
He reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment to the UN Early Warnings for All initiative and said a national roadmap has been developed to ensure timely alerts reach communities before disasters occur.
Mr Simumbwe urged African countries to strengthen cooperation, noting that climate disasters often affect multiple countries at the same time.
He challenged delegates to produce a harmonised continental climate outlook for the 2026/27 season and improve coordination between climate information providers and users.
Comments
Post a Comment