Transcript Document

A Summary Report, WMO REGION1 AFRICA
(For the UNEP/WMO 7ORM Meeting 18-21May2008, Geneva)
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The Africa Context
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Africa is the world's second largest
continent spread. 6% of the Earth's total
surface area and 20.4% of the total land
area on the surface of the Earth. In terms of
population as well, Africa have more than
900 million people inhabiting the continent
- 14% of the world's total population.
There are a total of 46 countries on the
continental mainland and the number
climbs up to 53 if we include all the island
groups as well.
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The Africa continent - are home to diverse
cultural and geographic features. A
continent that is most susceptible to the
influence and detrimental effects of Global
Climate Change. Represented countries at
the meeting here and/or those reported are
about 15 of the 53.
A Summary Report, WMO REGION1 AFRICA
(For the UNEP/WMO 7ORM Meeting 18-21May2008, Geneva)
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Compliance issues of the Montreal
Protocol and its amendments
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Many African countries are serious in
addressing the compliance of the
Protocol and many are before the
scheduled phasing-out of Ozone
Depletion Substances (ODS’s).
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In general all countries, except for a
handful of the leading developing
countries, are the less manufacturers,
exporters and emission venting
culprits of the world.
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The verification of atmospheric
monitoring and research activities thus
remains lacking far behind these
aforementioned compliance drivers,
for they are the more resource
demanding and inhibiting factors that
most countries are faced with.
Ozone and related monitoring and
observation network/activities
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In the true sense expansive regional networks is really non-existing
except in regions where major First World Countries are very active
collaborating. Some of these main activities are found in northern and
western Africa regions (French Western Africa) and to a lesser extent
in eastern and southern Africa. Some of the major developed world
collaboration is from European countries such as, France, Norway,
Switzerland, Czech Republic and few others. And then from USA.
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One can sense that the three Global GAW Stations is a major impetus
and focal point on the continent, and although not each country need
such a Global station, a few more could prove to be further stimulant
to enhance the magnitude on regional scale activities. The three
WMO GAW global stations are Tamanrasset - Algeria, Cape Point South Africa and Mt Kenya, Kenya.
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Undoubtedly, by far the most African countries are dependant on their
established National Meteorological Services (NMHS) with one or
two local universities collaborating on very limited scales. It should
also be noted that NMHS traditionally are orientated in rendering
national services of Weather forecasting and the provision of basic
climate information and the atmospheric components of research and
monitoring is a specialization not easy to be afford.
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Notably the observations are ground-based instrumentation with one
or two aircraft platforms available for monitoring and research
purposes. The ground based platforms are also the most basic
platforms with UV radiation monitoring receiving some wide spread
attention.
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Africa involvement in global issues such as those of the Artic and
Antarctic is really not evident. It is only detectible in the one or two
countries on the continent that have direct territorial/political interest
in these regions. Africa Priorities are limited to the African Continent
– There is no room for using resources for diverse involvement in
spite the global importance of the Pole Regions also for Africa.
The Africa involvement ranges from a few countries involved in
elaborated programs, but many others seemingly has a complete lack
of any involvement. The countries on the forefront are also those who
really have very strong collaboration partners and “investors” from
either the European Community or USA.
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Africa Research Efforts
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Through WMO/UNEP initiatives and NHMS awareness
campaigns do benefit local awareness. “Primitive/basic”
and sophisticated in-country activities are depicted on
various websites. Furthermore, outreach to rural
communities does occur. So indeed 16th September –
“World Ozone Day – day for the protection of the Ozone
Layer has succeeded in its aim, and these activities should
be maintained and even encourage further.
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Very limited research efforts are undertaken. Mostly
limited to one or two in-country research professors with
only one or two students. This emphasizes the limited
projects in the areas of monitoring/data
collections/analyzing and degree/dissertations write ups,
which ultimately e spell the end of a short and sometimes
expensive collaborative project. The real–sustained long
term measurements do not benefit from these efforts.
Resources in this manner is utilized some time at great
value for limited periods, as instruments fall into disuse
and are discarded thereafter.
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Ozone and related modeling and process studies is non–
existing. However during some large scale sub-continent
Research projects such as SAFARI 2000 many field
experiments has been conducted with very profound
results of data collection and research finding beings
published.
Africa – Gaps and
Recommendations Part 1
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Fact: Major and large ground-based observation gaps exist
over Africa. A critical shortage of regional centers does exist.
The model of Global GAW station connecting to a vast
regional network may prove to be a new model to approach
for enhancing country participating. Keeping in mind not each
country need to have or maintain a Global station.
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In-country expertise for instrument maintenance and
instrument operation is in need of further support. In this
sense NMHS (technical divisions) can play a greater role for
facilitating local endeavors.
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Many collaboration is based on short term collaboration
research projects (secondary university degree studies), but
once this is completed the instruments are “packed away” and
efforts are not sustained. Universities should collaborate more
and more with Operational institutions such as the countries
NMHS, disasters management structures including early
warning infrastructures and environmental protection
agencies.
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Sustained collaboration for expertise in the capacity building
of laboratories – even small broadband instruments could be
very useful, -hand held ozone meters, etc could contribute to
sustained monitoring efforts. Collaboration in major initiatives
do not allow mostly for instrumentation/operational
investments, such as the European Framework 7 Program.
There is a very limited African participation in these
programs, as the “Need to bring own resources to participate”
is in most cases extremely difficult.
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It is reported that many countries are also involved in airquality monitoring activities in cities. These efforts also will
need integration into the wider atmosphere monitoring
scientific communities. Potentially this can be seen as a viable
mechanism to enhance in-country capacity – thus building on
Air Quality monitoring infrastructure and such new initiatives.
Africa – Gaps and
Recommendations Part two
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More resources for African workshops. Instrument
calibrations as it is are extremely expensive for
countries to participate with their own resources.
Major ozone symposiums and workshop are held in
the developed work and especially the northern
hemispheres. – E.G 8ORM can be held at the
Ozone Secretariat in Nairobi 2011. Perhaps we
shall see more African and Asian participants to be
able to attend. More international support for
attendance of workshops and international
symposiums, but also with some ongoing research
project coupled to this is needed for sustained
efforts over longer periods.
A real need for expert visits to Africa to maintain
the scientific interest. This also includes technical
expertise to assist with the few operating networks
and instruments. The most expensive instrument
could be rendered out-of-order due to a fuse not
being able to be replaced or power supply
difficulties. A global or regional “slush fund “for
this could be created for identified countries and
their instrumentation and operating networks.
Trust fund is inadequate and we need to convince
/leverage the UNFCCC/GEF Multilateral Clean
Development Mechanisms CDM type of funding
levels. CDM type of funding for the expansion of
ozone monitoring and research: - for various
reasons.
Can we not convince the Space Agencies of the
Africa – Gaps and
Recommendations Part Three
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Can we not convince the Space Agencies of the World to invest more in Ground-based monitoring efforts…
after all for satellite validation and ground truthing efforts; this is the data they also desperately need. Funding
could be drawn Satellite observation programs. Those Satellite programs operate with enormous budgets of the
Developed World / Government funding and thus the tax payers’ monies. – This statement might be not true as
the funding for these allocations are just not visible to the ground –based monitoring communities.
Ozonesonde soundings (vertical profiling) occur only in three locations on the Africa continent. (The estimate
cost is about 1 000US$ per single sounding that excluding the initial ground based tracking systems as a once
off investment).
Caution – More Dobson’s for Africa. Keep in mind…for the long term sustainment (20-30 years etc) great
cost for future calibrations etc. needs to be taken into account as well. As Africa may get more ground based
instruments, one must not create a too heavy burden on countries to sustain these themselves. From Dobson
experience this is a real effort to maintain operational and requires special and continuous observer and
technical training to remain within that particular country. – Modernization for Africa in the future could be
another major issues in years to come.
UV monitoring - only with some few broadband instrumentation and this is basically not useful for any trend
assessments of UV exposure.
Thus some countries have data- short term and even with many data gaps, but the owners of such data should
be encourage further to publish and submit information the many international newsletters in our scientific
communities, to publications such as SPARC, WCRP, MeteoNews, IGBP, IGAC,SOLAS etc.
More regional GAWTEC/WMO, Germany initiatives could be very helpful if it could be directed towards an
Africa –GAWTEC. WMO Regional Training Centers for Africa and other regions could place more emphasis
and dedication towards atmospheric monitoring and research training sessions. - Traditional these centers
focuses on Weather Forecasting, Climate variability, Numerical Weather Prediction, and other more popular
related topics traditionally linked to a Meteorological Service.Recommendations
Some reports that was available
from countries.
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Some reports that was available from countries.
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Egypt – Very Active
Algeria – Very Active
Madagascar -French (Focus on Protocol compliance - ozone
research and Monitoring not existing)
Ethiopia – Verbal communications (a submitted a report concerning
ODS and Emissions Inventories.
Botswana – Very Limited. Compliance and the Maun Dobson Station.
Tanzania – Reasonable activities, Focus on meteorology and UV –
Mt Kilimanjaro
Kenya – active with Swiss support. Limited activities
Nigeria – limited activities. Compliance issues a focus
Togo - No instruments no research. Some GAW expectations. Station
Kauma-Konda , but no progress
Morocco, Casablanca – What happened to Your Dobson – 69-1989?
Brewer Mark II and Mark III -and Dobson Problems.
Uganda – no monitoring and research activities. - Kampala City
needs Surface ozone measurements.
Discussions with Zambia, Ghana and Sudan representatives at this
meeting also reveal the same limitations of activities on Ozone
monitoring and relevant research issues. The ODP phase out and
emissions compliance are the priorities linked also to Climate Change
impact and adaptation priorities.
Comoros – Some activities and compliance protocol Issues.
South Africa – Very active, However no real tangible monitoring and
research efforts in Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Angola, etc.
France – Involvement in La reunion and other western African
Regions. SAOZ measurements perhaps the most concentrated
research efforts through FRANCE.
Benin – in French support
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