×

Our award-winning reporting has moved

Context provides news and analysis on three of the world’s most critical issues:

climate change, the impact of technology on society, and inclusive economies.

Research network to help poor countries tackle climate change

by Megan Rowling | @meganrowling | Thomson Reuters Foundation
Thursday, 11 March 2010 23:27 GMT

LONDON (AlertNet) - The British government has launched a research network on climate change and development that will support more than 60 of the world's poorest countries in their efforts to cope with the impacts of global warming and pursue low-carbon economic growth.

The £50 million ($75 million) Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKNetwork), to be funded over five years by the Department for International Development (DFID), will link developing nations with climate experts around the world, providing them with knowledge to develop policies that take climate change into account.

According to DFID, very little research work has focused on helping poor countries get the customised climate information they need to shape their development strategies.

In its first phase, the network will support around a dozen countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia. It will be managed by a consortium - including the Overseas Development Institute, Fundacíon Futuro Latinoamericano, LEAD International, SouthSouthNorth, Intrac and Infosys - led by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

FIXING THE 'BROKEN TRIANGLE'

"There's a broken triangle in Asia, consisting of the scientific, policy making and local communities. We are aspiring to fix this broken triangle, to make policy making an easier process based on the best evidence, and improve the dialogue between local communities and government," Ali Taqueer Sheikh, director for LEAD International in Pakistan and Asia director for the CDKNetwork, said in a statement.

The network aims to improve countries' understanding of present and future weather patterns, enabling governments to plan better for floods, droughts and other climate-related hazards.

It will also allow them to share the latest knowledge on clean technologies such as solar energy and hydro-power generation.

Simon Maxwell, executive chair of the CDKNetwork, told AlertNet that some fast-developing countries like Vietnam are building factories to spur economic growth through manufacturing, but this is not an environmentally sustainable strategy going forward.

"If they don't have a different trajectory, they will be on a climate track from which they can't escape. How do we have a conversation about the long term?"

Developing countries will be able to commission specific research from the network tailored to their needs, and receive technical assistance to help them use that research to develop policies.

"The UK is committed to providing support to help developing countries prepare for the potentially devastating impacts of climate change and build low-carbon economies fit for the future," said International Development Minister Gareth Thomas.

"Yet, for this support to make the biggest difference, recipient governments need the detailed research and policy work which rich nations take for granted when they make decisions."

The network's services will be provided through a web of organisations in the climate field, based in both rich and poor countries, tapping into their expertise as appropriate.

"When it comes to climate and human development, we need to integrate the visions and goals of the government, private sector, civil society, indigenous peoples and other communities in Latin America to ensure a better quality of life for the poor," said Yolanda Kakabadse, president of WWF International and the network's Latin America director.

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

-->