This document outlines the objectives and activities for the CARISSA project, which aims to improve the use of climate change information in South Asia to guide adaptation decisions. The objectives for year 1 include consolidating climate projections knowledge, engaging with information providers and users, developing a pilot knowledge product, building capacity, and recommending follow-on activities. Potential activities in year 1 and beyond involve advancing climate projections, quantifying and communicating climate risks, and capacity building. The project structure involves three workstreams and potential pilot demonstration projects in year 2. Key discussion themes are regional coordination, data access, sector engagement, climate projections support, and training.

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SCIPSA
Rebecca Parfitt – 30 October 2018
WORK PACKAGE 2:
Strengthening Climate
Information Partnerships –
South Asia
CARISSA – the way forward
Climate Analysis for Risk Information and Services in South Asia
Dr Joseph Daron
Science Manager, International Climate Services
joseph.daron@metoffice.gov.uk
Workshop on Future Climate Projections and Their Applications
in South Asia
29th to 31st January 2019 - ICIMOD, Kathmandu, Nepal

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Objectives (Year 1):
1. Consolidate existing knowledge and develop approach to “distilling” multi-model, multi-method climate
projections
2. Engage with providers and users of climate change information to identify opportunities for co-producing
climate services
3. Develop a pilot knowledge product to demonstrate how climate change risk information can be
communicated for a specific sector or decision-making context in the focal countries
4. Strengthen capacity of a) climate service providers to develop user-relevant information, and b) targeted
communities and intermediaries to use future climate information.
5. Recommendations for follow-on activities in years 2 to 4
Aim of CARISSA
CARISSA aims to improve the uptake and use of regional climate change information in South Asia
to better understand and articulate future climate risks to guide adaptation decisions.

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Potential activities for year 1 and beyond
Advancing future climate projection information
1. Support for the development and communication of regional and/or national climate
projections
2. Developing methods and tools to exploit new and forthcoming climate projection
datasets (e.g. UKCP18 global data, CMIP6)
3. Sea level rise projections for the Indian Ocean

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Potential activities for year 1 and beyond
Quantifying, communicating and integrating climate risk information into policy and
planning
1. Sector-specific engagements – e.g. planned follow-on workshop (June to Sept 2019)
2. Development of “climate risk narratives” for specific sectors / locations
3. Quantifying key climate risks through applying the UNSEEN (UNprecedented Simulated
Extremes using Ensembles) method, for present day, near-term and long-term future risk
4. Climate Change attribution – examining both science and perceptions, and applications for
policy
5. Collaboration to produce a regular “State of South Asia climate” report
6. Regional climate and food security assessment

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Potential activities for year 1 and beyond
Capacity Building
1. Regional climate modelling training workshop(s) and support
2. Developing practical guidance on “distillation” of multi-model, multi-method climate
projections
3. Advice, training and development of guidance materials to support communication
of climate projections
4. Support for facilitating user engagement processes

6. Other ideas emerging from workshop
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• Establishing a regular regional forum for knowledge exchange and cooperation on climate
change projections
• Data portal for regional climate projection information and/or climate impacts information
• Enhancing observation-based products for application in the region
• Work to examine impacts of climate change on migration within focal countries and across the
region
• General training on climate variability and change – science and applications

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Workstream 1: Climate data and analysis
Workstream 2: User engagement and climate service co-production
Workstream 3: Capacity development
WP3: CARISSA structure
Pilot “demonstrator” projects
Starting in year 2 (October 2019) we anticipate funding up to three pilot projects to be led by
institutions in the region.

8. Key themes for discussion
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1. Regional coordination, cooperation and collaboration
2. Data access and sharing
3. Sector focused engagement, tools and information products
4. Support for national and regional climate projections
5. Training and capacity building