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Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Owing to its low-lying topography, dense river network, location, and climate, it is exposed to a range of water and climate-related hazards. Tropical cyclones are among the most severe of these hazards. A key focus for improving disaster preparedness and early warning systems in Bangladesh is improved lead times for tropical cyclone forecasting including the quality and skill of the forecast. At present, the lead time for tropical cyclone forecast used by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the main government agency responsible for issuing forecasts for tropical cyclone and storm surges, is three days. If lead times of 10 to 15 days with relatively high accuracy are possible, as the European Centre for Medium-Range Forecasting (ECMWF) suggests, why is it not being done in Bangladesh and what can be done to improve the forecast lead time? This question motivated the writing of this paper. Critical to extending the lead times for forecasting is a better understanding of the factors that limit increasing the lead time of current forecasts. This book is arranged as follows: Chapter 1 gives description of the background and rationale for the report; Chapter 2 describes current global operational practices for forecasting tropical cyclones and storm surges, including practices at other national agencies; Chapter 3 assesses the extent to which Bangladesh uses international and regional operational practices and the technical and governance issues that limit their use; and Chapter 4 provides a summary and recommendations.

Climate and Meteorology --- Environment --- Natural Disasters --- Science and Technology Development --- Weather Forecasting

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ocean geosciences --- ocean climate and meteorology --- paleoceanography --- ocean circulation --- ocean chemistry and biogeochemistry --- ocean ecology and biology --- Geography --- Geography. --- Cosmography --- Earth sciences --- World history

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The purpose of this report is to help Cambodia's policy makers and stakeholders prepare for future El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. It does this by providing information on ENSO's poverty, economic, and agricultural impacts in Cambodia and outlining ways forward. The report finds that ENSO's impacts vary from region to region and harm Cambodia's people, economy, and agricultural sector. The country has made inroads in preparing for climate events like floods and other natural disasters, but more could be done to prepare for ENSO specifically. Being proactive to prepare for ENSO in Cambodia is important because of the country's high exposure to climate shocks, the prominence of the agricultural sector in the national economy, the large rural population and its climate vulnerability.

Agriculture --- Climate and Meteorology --- Climate Change and Agriculture --- Crops and Crop Management Systems --- Food Security --- Natural Disasters --- Rainfall --- Science and Technology Development

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Weather forecasting generates significant societal benefits, which can be increased by improving accuracy and lead-time through better meteorological monitoring, modeling and computing. Forecasting relies on numerical weather prediction (NWP), which is significantly impacted by the availability of meteorological observations, with space-based observations being the most important. Surface-based observations also contribute substantially to NWP performance, but current availability in Antarctica, Africa, South America, the Pacific and parts of Asia is insufficient. More observations from these regions would improve global NWP and forecasting quality, particularly in the data-sparse regions themselves, but also over the rest of the globe. It is estimated that improvements in the coverage and exchange of surface-based observations to meet the World Meteorological Organization's Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) specification can deliver additional global socioeconomic benefits of over five billion annually. This is a conservative estimate omitting non-financial benefits such as potential lives saved and improvements to well-being, so underestimates the full benefits, particularly for developing countries. Investing in improving surface-based observations in data sparse regions is also highly economically efficient, yielding a global benefit to cost ratio of over twenty-five. Assuming sufficient observational coverage, international data exchange is a very efficient multiplier of the value of observations. However, exchange is currently insufficient across all regions. In view of the growing climate- and weather-related challenges facing humanity and recognizing that climate services similarly rely on meteorological monitoring, surface-based observations should be treated as a critical public good, with public oversight and open exchange within the meteorological and climatological communities.

Climate and Meteorology --- Climate Change and Environment --- Cost-Benefit Analysis --- Environment --- Global Public Goods --- Natural Disasters --- Science and Technology Development --- Weather Forecasting

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In many developing countries, given their poor economic circumstances, weather observing networks are usually installed using funds from international development and aid agencies to enhance the capability of local national hydro-meteorological services (NHMS) and to accomplish humanitarian objectives. This paper discusses non-traditional approaches for establishing sustainable weather observing networks in developing countries, beginning with a brief overview of the importance of data from such networks to a NHMS. Some of the challenges inherent in establishing and maintaining weather and climate observing networks in developing countries are described. This is followed by a discussion of how these challenges may be addressed through the development of weather observing networks based on facilities and capabilities of the local cellular telephone network, such as the open lattice tower pictured in the background of the cover photograph. The paper reviews and summarizes currently available scientific, technical, and commercial literature regarding use of cell phone towers as observing sites. It provides a few illustrative examples of non-traditional technologies well-suited to making cell-tower based observations. The paper concludes with recommendations concerning how one may work with NHMSs in developing countries to improve the sustainability of their observing networks. These recommendations are focused on partnerships, in the sense of true business relationships, involving the NHMSs with, for example, local telephone companies, other in-country utilities, and commercial and private sector instrument manufacturers and data services. For more publications on IFC Sustainability please visit www.ifc.org/sustainabilitypublications.

Agriculture --- Climate and Meteorology --- Environment --- Hazard Risk Management --- Ict Policy and Strategies --- Information and Communication Technologies --- Information Technology --- Measurement --- Natural Disasters --- Science and Technology Development --- Urban Development --- Weather