Having fingers in all “pies” is becoming the life for most scientists,the need to understand information needs,emotions and society in general is fast growing in the quest to answer questions such as: Why is it so difficult to get through to people using scientific facts? Why do people go all out to defend what… Read more »
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What Cape Town learned from its drought
This is an article I wrote on invitation from Bulletin of Atomic Scientist (weird, I know, but physicists are very interested in changing climate, and from that – it is not a long road to our drought). I look here at the drought from the perspective of a couple of months. The story is written… Read more »
CSAG Winter School 2018 – Applications Open
The Climate System Analysis Group (CSAG) based at the University of Cape Town will be running its annual course: Winter School: Using climate information for adaptation and policy development, from 2-6 July 2018. This 1 week intensive course has been developed specifically for participants from developing country and aims to take participants through the full spectrum… Read more »
Will there be more rain this winter?
The sooner we know the answer, the sooner we can prepare for summer 2019 By Peter Johnston and Piotr Wolski 15 March 2018 The approaching autumn and winter season in Cape Town is being keenly awaited to see if it will bring sufficient rain to end, or at least alleviate, the drought. If… Read more »
Cities and climate: what’s our next step?
“If the answer to climate change in cities is about a better understanding of policy, values and justice, should we be looking to IPCC for information? Will data and technology give us the answers?” The intervention above one was of the more poignant offered during the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) conference on climate… Read more »
How Western Cape farmers are being hit by the drought
Peter Johnston, University of Cape Town Much has been written about the ongoing drought and critical water shortages in the city of Cape Town. Residents are bracing themselves for Day Zero – the moment at which most of the city’s domestic taps will run dry. But there’s also a great deal to worry about beyond… Read more »
Why is Cape Town running out of water?
I was asked to write a short piece for an independent Russian (!) media outlet—to be translated—to contribute to answering the title question from a climatological perspective. I’ve been asked to post this to the blog here, having made adapted it slightly for a more South African audience: It is important to distinguish between the… Read more »
So when is it going to rain?
With the Western Cape drought now making international headlines on the BBC, the New York Times, and elsewhere, CSAG staff are receiving daily requests for interviews and information about the drought both locally and internationally. The world is now watching to see if Cape Town will be the first major city to actually run… Read more »
What is it going to be?
Ah, what a drama! Armageddon cometh! We are going to die! If not of disease and agony of thirst, then surely of bad smell, dirty clothes or from the hand of thy neighbour, who, at some stage of desiccation, will transform zombie-style into a Mad Max styled warrior armed with a post-apocaliptic, serrated water bucket…… Read more »