GEWEX’s capacity building efforts increase the science community’s ability to understand and predict the climate, and in doing this, help society at large deal with environmental issues. Training researchers to use the information GEWEX helps to produce, and increasing society’s appreciation of challenges posed by a changing climate, happens in several ways. Regional Hydroclimate Projects (RHPs), part of the GEWEX Hydroclimatology Panel (GHP); holding meetings and workshops; and creating capabilities in developing countries all help to build capacity.
Regional Hydroclimate Projects
RHPs supply scientific knowledge and methods of study to early career scientists in both developed and developing countries, allowing them to benefit from the information GEWEX has gathered. Projects in Africa, the Baltic Sea region, Asia, and northern Eurasia have provided training to local scientists, allowing them to operate data systems for their own research and for GEWEX activities. New experimental data products, observational systems, and advanced data management systems equip researchers, policy makers, resource managers, and stakeholders with the understanding and techniques needed to do their jobs better.
Meetings
Meetings, conferences, and workshops bring together the scientific community to share information, engaging young and senior scientists in interactions that benefit both groups. Several RHPs hold workshops and training programs for specialists who are located in the area, broadening their skill sets. GEWEX has also held summer session with classes for newer and seasoned scientists alike, such as the Joint GEWEX/iLEAPS Early Career Scientists Workshop in Melbourne, Australia, and the WCRP‐UNESCO (GEWEX/CLIVAR/IHP) “Workshop on Metrics and Methodologies of Estimation of Extreme Climate and Events” in Paris.
Increasing Capacity in Developing Countries
Training programs and outreach that targets groups without adequate science and technology capabilities allows underserved populations to take advantage of research findings, participate in independent research, and adapt new technologies. GEWEX helps to organize conferences, such as the Africa Climate Conference 2013, and training sessions in lesser-developed countries, aiding those goals. These events give local scientists and decision makers the tools to improve data access, which is one of the biggest challenges researchers in developing nations face.
