2018 BACS Update

2018 BACS Highlights

  • Workshop and Dinner Discussion on Use of Weather and Climate Information to Inform Disaster Preparedness Activities in Rohingya Camps
    11 March 2018, Asia Pacific Hotel, Dhaka

To understand the need and use of climate information in the Rohingya camps for better disaster preparedness, this workshop and dinner discussion was held. The workshop was conducted in a flexible manner and allowed participants to engage themselves in discussion on presented topics as well as brainstorm in groups to identify and solve some of the key issues in disaster preparedness and information service system. Participants recommended that Rohingya Refugee Camps are to be affected by natural disaster and they can be prevented through collaborative mitigation planning including all the actors from private and public sectors with usable climatic information system, knowledge about the available information and efficient preparedness program for the vulnerable groups.

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  • Design Workshop on Bangladesh Academy for Climate Services (BACS)
    21 March 2018, Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD)

As climate services are helping in translating climate science information and communicating them to the users (non-scientists), having a dedicated academy for climate services in Bangladesh will help ensuring that the country dispose of the most credible climate science information for dissemination to a large audience. In this regard, a design workshop was held to work towards creating a platform for convening stakeholders to map the challenges and needs for a better access, integration and use of climate information and climate services in different sectors. The workshop held several exercises to identify problems and solutions related to climate services and designing the academy. BACS will serve as a platform which will incorporate the needs and demands for capacity building and educational training, including options for internships, certification and formal degree courses, around climate services in different sectors through various hands-on, participatory, and discussion.

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  • Launching Event of Bangladesh Academy for Climate Services (BACS)
    05 August 2018, Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD)

The launching event was to formally launch and introduce BACS initiative and objectives and to raise awareness among various stakeholders involved in the generation, translation, dissemination and use of weather and climate information. The event had 62 participants. Following the panel discussion, several experts from home and abroad highlighted the gaps and need of climate services in Bangladesh. They shared BACS’s initial plan to hold a week-long short course on climate services where participants will learn strategies to incorporate climate information into their decision-making processes along with specific needs for climate information into their sector. Participants appreciated the initiative and conveyed their utmost willingness to join the academy.

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  • Learning Hub Event (LHE) on Climate Services across Government Agencies: Presentation of the Bangladesh Academy for Climate Services (BACS)
    06 August, 2018, Planning Commission, Dhaka

The LHE intended to formally introduce BACS to Planning Commission and to the relevant line ministries to discuss best possible way to utilize BACS in supporting the achievements of country objectives and help in addressing climate challenges faced by different government agencies. The event started with a presentation on the potential role of BACS for the government ministries, followed by collating recommendations from the participants. They highlighted the need of capacity building activities for the users, higher involvement of planning commission in developing course curriculum and finally advocacy for integrating climate services into the national level policies.

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  • First BACS Training Dialogue: Introduction to Climate Services
    21-25 October 2018, Bangladesh Meteorological Department

To engage different stakeholders from the four pillars of climate services in Bangladesh, BACS hold the first training course on “Introduction to Climate Services” with 20 participants from diverse sectors, related to agriculture, disaster preparedness and response, infrastructure and public health. The training employed a participatory and interactive learning methods to equip participants with a basic understanding of climate services and identify climate-sensitive decisions within their respective fields.  The training was effective as it provided the opportunity to bridge between participants and the BMD scientists directly and help them to highlight their needs. The participants also appreciated the training modality as they enabled them in critical thinking process and also how to integrate them into their respective field.

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