29 November 2012: The Caribbean Weather Impacts Group (CARIWIG), a project funded by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and implemented in partnership with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCC), has officially launched a website devoted to the project.
CARIWIG seeks to: provide unbiased, locally-relevant information on modelling weather impacts of climate change in the Caribbean over different time horizons (short-term, 2030s, or 2080s); train technical staff in its national, regional and intergovernmental stakeholder organizations about the use of such data; and develop related support networks within the region.
A central feature of the project will be a web-based service providing locally-relevant weather projections information based on the best available observed data for the region and outputs from adaptation of leading weather-generator models from the UK's Environment Agency Rainfall and Weather Impacts Generator (EARWIG) and Climate Impacts Programme 09 (UKCIP09) climate scenario systems. The new web service will provide inputs for climate impact studies and training programmes concerning the Caribbean, as well as inform management decisions and policy development regarding specific potential hazards and impacts of climate change.
CARIWIG also will: promote exchange visits to specialist institutions in order to build capacity within the Caribbean on climate-compatible development; foster climate change research within the region; and exchange research findings and best practice among stakeholder institutions.
The inaugural stakeholder consultation for the project will be held from 6-7 February 2013, in Kingston, Jamaica, to discuss how CARIWIG can best serve the three sectors identified as priorities for the project, namely, water, agriculture and coastal resources.
In addition to CCCCC, CARIWIG's implementing partners include the University of West Indies (UWI), the UK's University of East Anglia and Cuba's Institute of Meteorology. [CARIWIG Project Website]
