Don Wilhite, climatologist and professor, was the keynote speaker at the Asian-Pacific Climate Symposium, which took place Nov. 11-13 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The meeting was co-sponsored by the Asia-Pacific Climate Center, the Asia-Pacific Economic Commission and the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics.
The symposium aims to explore the importance of advanced climate information in supporting drought preparedness and disaster management.
"This event was the first of its kind to specifically examine drought in the Asia-Pacific region," Wilhite said. "The primary session themes were drought prediction and predictability science at multiple time-scales, drought monitoring and information systems and the use of drought information for policy and decision making."
Wilhite's talk focused on methodologies for drought risk reduction and current international actions underway to promote and assist countries in the development of national drought policies. These actions are being guided and managed by the United Nations World Meteorological Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification and UN-Water. Efforts on behalf of the Global Water Partnership, a non-governmental organization, are also contributing to the development of national drought policies.
Launched in 2005, the Asian-Pacific Climate Symposium is an annual event that focuses on emerging issues in climate prediction and its applications. Approximately 150 scientists representing more than 30 countries participated in this year's symposium.
— Mekita Rivas, Natural Resources
More details at: http://go.unl.edu/3fqo