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Unique
"Climate One Stop" website unveiled in Copenhagen
12/11/09
There's a storm brewing -- a storm of information, that is,
in climate and environmental research. People are wading through the
turbulence, trying to make sense of it all. At the eye of the storm is a
unique new website called Climate One-Stop (http://climateonestop.net).
"It's a 'calm spot' where scientists, decision-makers,
nonprofit workers, and officials can find all the latest research," says Dan
Irwin of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. "We unveiled the site at this
week's United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen."
A group of US and international organizations, including
NASA, USAID1, the National Science Foundation, the Institute for the
Application of Geospatial Technology, the University of Alabama-Huntsville,
and CATHALAC2 in Panama, developed the site as a "one-stop shop" for the
low-down on Earth with a particular emphasis on international development
applications.
"Right now, there's so much climate information scattered
out there -- it's a real challenge to find exactly what you're looking for
by just Googling it," says IAGT's Jessica Coughlin. "Climate One-Stop is the
place to go for all the information."
Orlando Altamirano of USAID in El Salvador is the kind of
official the web site is designed to serve. "We're very vulnerable here in
Central America," he says. "We have hurricanes, earthquakes, floods,
drought, tropical diseases and other health problems, and poor water
quality. We desperately need a tool like Climate One-Stop."
"USAID has developed tools to help our partners in
developing countries," adds John Furlow of USAID. "Every time I meet with
colleagues from other organizations I hear about the great work they've been
doing -- new tools, data, and case studies showing what does and doesn't
work. It's hard for development workers to find all these things available
to help them. Now the development workers in the field will have all this
information right at their fingertips - at Climate One-Stop."
In developing countries in Central America, Africa, and
elsewhere, 60% or more of the people earn their livelihoods from agriculture
and other activities that can be affected -- even devastated -- by weather.
"The economies in these countries rely heavily not only on
farming, but also on tourism and forestry," says Furlow. "Weather affects
people's livelihoods much more than it does in the US. If, for example,
agriculture is affected by drought and most people are farmers, suffering is
widespread and the whole economy is affected."
Development workers need to know how climate and
environmental changes could affect the communities they serve. They also
need to know how to apply that knowledge locally so they can teach the
people there how to adapt. For example, are the crops they plant suitable to
the range of temperatures and precipitation expected in their region? Or
might they need to select other crops?
One-Stop builds on NASA's SERVIR3 program, which has
facilities in Central America and East Africa. SERVIR uses satellite imagery
and other data to quickly map places where a flood, fire, hurricane, or
earthquake has left destruction in its wake and help decision-makers find
where aid is needed in a hurry. The SERVIR team also monitors and delivers
information to help national leaders make informed decisions and policies
for adapting to climate change and environmental threats. In Central America
alone, since its debut there in March 2005, SERVIR has addressed over 11
environmental threats and 25 natural disasters.
The One-Stop will help users find SERVIR's many datasets and
models. For example, the website includes downscaled models showing average
temperature and precipitation and projected climate information for Central
America.
The One-Stop's database actually stores all the information,
which is then searchable via its web portal. So it immediately offers up
direct links to the latest climate and environmental data, models, research,
projects, and workshops.
Source: NASA
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