WA BiCC Report on the Workshop on Climate Information for Adaptation Planning Held December 17–20, 2019 in Monrovia, Liberia

The event was organized by the West Africa Biodiversity and Climate Change Project (WA BiCC) as part of its Component 2, "Increase Coastal Resilience to Climate Change." The workshop aimed to strengthen the capacity of Liberia climate change adaptation experts to generate and use climate information for adaptation planning. Twenty participants representing climate-sensitive sectors attended the workshop, which was facilitated by Drs. S. Trzaska from Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)/Columbia University and Jacques-Andre Ndione from the Senegalese Academy of Sciences. The workshop was particularly timely, as Liberia is developing its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and implementing the National Framework for Climate Services. The workshop consisted of a mix of plenary presentations and hands-on group activities, covering topics such as basic concepts of climate information for adaptation, examples of activities supporting climate change adaptation in Liberia, review of different approaches to climate services, and examples of climate vulnerability assessments and decisions-support tools. Group activities focused on critical assessment of climate information in national documents, review of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis of Liberia Meteorological Service (LMS) and Liberia Hydrological Service (LHS), and SWOT analysis of climate information in Liberia. Participants identified the following priority areas as critical to climate adaptation/climate services: weak infrastructure, capacity to generate and translate climate information, and lack of coordination among climate-sensitive sectors. The workshop led to the following outcomes: increased capacity of 20 Liberian professionals to understand and use climate information necessary for effective adaptation planning, and an established community of practice. A set of recommendations was also developed to strengthen Liberia's capacity to produce and use climate information for adaptation effectively. The workshop outcomes are expected to contribute to the development of Liberia's National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and the implementation of the National Framework for Climate Services. The recommendations are aimed at addressing the identified priority areas and improving the capacity of Liberia to adapt to climate change. The workshop was a collaborative effort between WA BiCC and various stakeholders, including the Government of Liberia, climate-sensitive sectors, and international organizations. The event demonstrated the importance of climate information for adaptation planning and the need for strengthened capacity and coordination among climate-sensitive sectors in Liberia. The recommendations developed during the workshop are expected to inform the development of Liberia's climate change adaptation policies and strategies. The workshop outcomes are also expected to contribute to the improvement of climate services in Liberia, including the provision of climate information and the development of climate vulnerability assessments and decisions-support tools. The workshop on climate information for adaptation planning was a significant event in Liberia's efforts to adapt to climate change. The outcomes of the workshop are expected to have a lasting impact on the country's climate change adaptation efforts and contribute to the development of a more resilient and climate-sensitive society.