Resilience and preparedness to tropical cyclones across southern Africa (REPRESA)

 

Through novel climate and hydrodynamic flood modelling, coupled with risk and vulnerability reduction approaches, this project will provide a step toward understanding compound tropical cyclone risks and the likelihood of unprecedented tropical cyclone impacts. With in-country leadership, training and community engagement, REPRESA will make scientific advances, improve early warning, address barriers to the uptake of early warning systems and inform adaptation options in the context of intersecting vulnerabilities in the three southern African countries most exposed to cyclones in the tropics: Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi.

With a better understanding of the risks of tropical cyclones and a comprehensive approach to research uptake, REPRESA will equip vulnerable communities, development actors, local authorities and decision-makers at the national level to address these risks more effectively and inclusively.

In a partnership co-led by the University of Witwatersrand, University of Bristol and University Eduardo Mondlane, the national meteorological services of the three countries will work with local and international humanitarian response actors and with vulnerable communities to co-develop new early warning products aimed at enhancing responses to changing flood risks. REPRESA will leave a long-term legacy of improved in-country capability in multi-hazard impact-based forecasting and community-level early warning communication. Improved understanding of the complex intersections between vulnerability, changing tropical cyclone hazards and other drivers of change will inform climate adaptation options.

This project is part of the Climate Adaptation and Resilience initiative (CLARE), which aims to enable inclusive and sustainable action that builds resilience to climate change and natural hazards for people across Africa and the Asia-Pacific.