Building sustainable regional climate information systems

Regionally oriented services will be key elements within the proposed Global Frame- work of Climate Services, the main outcome of World Climate Conference-3. Regional services may be substantially different from both global and national climate services. This paper elaborates on some of the conditions necessary to develop and deliver sustainable regional climate information sys- tems and services. The proposed approach is mostly based on 7 yr of experience of the International Research Center on El Nino (CIIFEN) in the western coast of South America (WCSA). Those wishing to design, conduct, and sustain regional activities should first accept climate information as a regional public good. Following this premise, regional climate information systems should (1) improve capa- bilities within institutions through collective action, (2) share knowledge and experiences on nation- specific benefits, (3) contribute to the reduction of asymmetries among countries, (4) demonstrate that a regional climate service can be enhanced as a result of improving national components, and (5) agree upon regional coordination mechanisms. The WCSA region has been able to implement a regional climate database, a regional group on climate modeling, climate-agriculture risk mapping, and statistical and dynamical seasonal-forecast systems. The development and uptake of climate services has been enhanced within government institutions, community organizations, the private sector, local authorities, and the media. The experience of CIIFEN can be useful to those starting up regional climate information systems.