Linking climate information and decision-making in the water sector
Climate services support decision-making using climate information and can be built into decision-making processes across sectors and scales. In the water sector, climate services can inform water related disaster-risk reduction strategies, water resource management, and infrastructure development. While integrating climate information into water sector decision-making is laudable, there are significant challenges that make sharing and using climate information difficult in practice. This OWN event will prompt discussion about the sustainability of climate service initiatives and challenges and innovations in creating climate services that support decision-making in the water sector.
Audience participation: The audiences are encouraged to participate and is an important part of this event.
Event Type: Hybrid Meeting
Date: 29 November 2022 (Tuesday)
Time: 16:00 – 17:00 GMT
Venue: online and In Person. Tanner Room, Linacre College, University of Oxford
Register for the event here.
Join Zoom Meetings
Meeting ID: 966 1816 3076
Passcode: 313552
Speaker Profile
Dr Linda Hirons
Linda Hirons is a Research Scientist with the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) at the University of Reading, UK. She has a background in Tropical Meteorology with a particular interest in the drivers of weather and climate variability and change over Africa. Her previous work has focused on understanding the sources of sub-seasonal (2-4 week ahead) predictability over Africa. This has led more recently to working with communities of forecasters, researchers and decision-makers in Africa to co-produce reliable and actionable forecast products on these timescales. She is passionate about seeing developments in scientific understanding lead to improvements in the forecasting and communication of high-impact weather events over Africa.
Pan Ei Ei Phyoe
Pan Ei is a climate and water specialist with over three years of experience working with governments, NGOs, youth, and research institutions on science-to-policy links. She is currently working as an Oxford Water Network Coordinator at the School of Geography and the Environment and also consulting at the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA). She is an engineer by training and recently graduated with an MSc in”Water Science, Policy and Management” from the University of Oxford & an MSc in “Water Resources Engineering and Management” from the University of Stuttgart. She is technically proficient in data analysis, modelling water resources systems and implementing decision support systems for integrated water management. She is also an effective coordinator with experience in conducting multi-stakeholder engagement processes.
Prof. Gilbert Ong’lsa Ouma
Prof. Ouma is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences, the University of Nairobi, with over twenty years of experience in the University. Specific area of specialization is Remote Sensing and Satellite Meteorology. Has a broad experience in Participatory Action Research methodology and Climate Change Adaptation through involvement in several application-related projects working directly with vulnerable communities. His current research interest is in the assimilation of co-development in early warning systems and and promotion of forecast based financing model. He is highly motivated, has experience of training in other African countries and has well-developed communication skills.
Dr. Ellen Dyer
Oscar Lino
Moderator
Dr. Linda Speight
Linda Speight is a hydrometeorologist whose research seeks to develop early warning systems to improve disaster risk management, particularly for flooding. She is interested in global flood forecasting, surface water flood forecasting, ensemble forecasts, impact-based forecasts, risk communication, decision making and climate resilience. Linda joined the University of Oxford in 2021, moving from the University of Reading where she was a postdoctoral researcher. Prior to joining the University of Reading, Linda was a Senior Scientist at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) where she was involved in operational flood forecasting and led the scientific development of the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service. Linda has a BSc from the University of Bristol (2005) and an MSc from Newcastle University (2006). Her PhD research, completed at the University of Newcastle in 2013, sought to develop a methodology for understanding dependencies in flood risk exposure in the UK. Linda has also held associate lecturing positions at the University of Lincoln and the University of Portsmouth. She started her career as a flood risk analyst at JBA Consulting.
This event is hosted by the Oxford Water Network
