Interview with Stefan Rösner, Deutscher Wetterdienst, on the occasion of the World Climate Conference 3. The questions were asked by Michael Scholze, GTZ Climate Protection Programme.

What were the main topics of the World Climate Conference 3?

Stefan Rösner: The overall topic of the conference was: “Better climate information for a better future”. Effective adaptation has to be informed by scientifically sound climate information. Decision makers, for example in urban planning or infrastructure but also in agriculture, need information in order to adapt to the impacts of a changing climate.

But there are several challenges. First of all, climate change projections can only be produced on the basis of climate observations from the past. Especially in developing countries the spatial density of these observations usually provided by weather services is often poor due to lack of weather stations and long high quality time series are rare. Second, climate science must advance. Global and regional climate models have to be continuously improved, for example in regard to their resolution. And finally, the information has to be tailored to the needs of the end users and communicated adequately. The key word of the conference in this context is: Climate Services.

In the run-up to the conference the establishment of a “Global Framework for Climate Services” was announced. What is this Global Framework about?

Stefan Rösner: Yes, the conference released a declaration that establishes a Global Framework for Climate Services. This framework encompasses several objectives like, for example improved climate observations, open access to climate data, and strengthened climate research including improvements in climate models. But it also comprises a new “Climate Service Information System”. This is expected to deliver sector and user-targeted information to decision makers on various levels to support their adaptation processes.

How concrete is this Global Framework?

Stefan Rösner: The declaration is obviously only a starting point. In the coming months a task force of high-level, independent advisors will be set up to propose next steps for developing and implementing a framework. I am optimistic that this process will significantly improve the coordination and cooperation between the different stakeholders dealing with the generation and communication of climate information like for example the World Meterological Organisation (WMO) and its member meteorological services, the various other UN agencies, research institutions, development agencies, etc.

What is the importance for developing countries?

Stefan Rösner: We know that developing countries are most vulnerable – by the way not only to climate change but also to existing climate variability. Living conditions of people are often extreme and their adaptive capacity is low. Just to give an example: For subsistence farmers in dry areas – already living on the edge of productivity - it is imperative to adapt if for example precipitation is decreasing. But how can they know to which changes they should adapt? National meteorological services play a key role here. First, their capacities have to be built up to record, for example, temperature and precipitation. New weather stations must be installed and people have to be trained to operate them correctly. Historical data – often only available on paper – has to be recovered by digitalizing it. This historical data will significantly improve the validation of future projections from climate models.

And second, these institutions have to supply the different possible users like the farmers I mentioned with information about the expected climatic changes derived from the global and regional climate models. By the way, it is not easy to understand and interpret this information as it includes uncertainties which have to be explained. Therefore experts should do this. Only if these services are provided and understood, vulnerable people in developing countries will be able to adapt.

Mr. Rösner, thank you very much for this interview.

This interview was published in the newsletter “Adapt to Climate Change”, No. 3/2009. Interviewer: Michael Scholze, GTZ Climate Protection Programme.

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Further information

• World Climate Conference 3
  Better climate information for a better future.
  Geneva, Switzerland, 31 August - 4 September 2009.
  www.wmo.int/wcc3/...