Climateverse: Making the Case for Climate Data Analytics

Background

In 2023, data.org initiated a detailed exploration of the complex interplay between climate data and health outcomes within LMICs. This initiative, designed to create actionable digital public goods (DPGs), marked a significant step towards developing the Climateverse program. Central to this initiative is data.org’s commitment to leveraging data’s transformative power to tackle global challenges and enhance the field of data and AI for social impact.

Our research showed that the sector requires greater collaboration between scientists across fields and significant capacity building due to a lack of translational skills. This document presents the findings from our extensive landscaping efforts, which included examining initiatives such as SilverLining’s Safe Climate Research Initiative and the World Resources Institute’s analytical work. These efforts underscored the critical role of data in deepening our understanding of climate dynamics and formulating actionable strategies. Additionally, we recognized the need to democratize local access to tools, data sets, and infrastructure, which is currently concentrated in the Global North, by investing in open, cloud-based infrastructure to enable local modeling.

This landscaping document strives to propel a substantial leap forward in our collective endeavor to protect our planet and improve public health. It is designed to map the current landscape, identify critical gaps, and propose effective strategies to bolster global climate resilience, focusing on integrating climate data into health decision-making frameworks within LMICs.

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Recommendations

1

Enhancing Data Quality and Reliability

Address data scarcity and quality issues by implementing robust data collection, validation, and standardization processes. This includes developing new templates for responsible data collection in tribal and indigenous communities to ensure greater accuracy and applicability.
2

Strengthening Data Integration and Accessibility

Enhance the integration of climate and health data by developing standardized data protocols and promoting open, cloud-based solutions. This will ensure that diverse data sources are accessible and usable for decision-makers in LMICs.
3

Building Local Capacity

Invest in targeted capacity-building programs to empower local stakeholders, including public health professionals, data scientists, policymakers, and other interdisciplinary leaders. Establish training hubs in Africa and India to foster local expertise and support the development of sustainable, locally-driven climate solutions.
4

Promoting Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Foster collaboration across scientific disciplines and sectors to bridge gaps in data literacy, interoperability, and institutional coordination. Encourage partnerships that leverage the collective strengths of various organizations to create a unified approach to climate data analysis.
5

Scaling Proven Solutions

Pilot projects that demonstrate the practical application of climate data in addressing specific challenges should be scaled and adapted to other regions. Document successful interventions through case studies and playbooks to provide a roadmap for replication, enabling LMICs to benefit from proven strategies and solutions.
6

Infrastructure and Access

Address the need for investment in open, cloud-based infrastructure to enable local modeling, rather than relying solely on globally produced models. This includes investing in scalable, high-performance computing resources to support climate data analysis.

Two male and female farmers discussing work in a tea plantation

Report