MAINSTREAMING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
2012
precipitation and wind. Climate in a wider sense is the state, including a statistical
description, of the climate system” (IPCC, 2007).
CLIMATE CHANGE
The IPCC defines climate change as “Any change in climate over time, whether due
to natural variability or as a result of human activity” This refers to observed and
projected increase in global temperature and the associated impacts including an
increase in extreme weather events, sea level rises, melting of glaciers etc. and
changes in the timing and amounts of rainfall.
CLIMATE HAZARD
A potentially damaging physical manifestation of climate variability or change, such
as droughts, floods, storms, episodes of heavy rainfall, long term changes in the
mean values of climatic variables.
CLIMATE MODEL
A numerical representation of the climate system based on the physical, chemical,
and biological properties of its components, their interactions and feedback
processes, and accounting for all, or some if it‟s known properties. The climate
system can be represented by models of varying complexity (i.e. for any one
component or combination of components a hierarchy of models can be identified,
differing in such aspects as the number of spatial dimensions, the extent to which
their physical, chemical or biological processes are explicitly represented, or the level
at which empirical parameterisations are involved (IPCC, 2007).
CLIMATE CHANGE PREDICTIONS
Climate change predictions are produced by complex climate computer models use
the chemical composition of the atmosphere to predict what conditions will be like 50
– 100 years into the future. Climate change predictions are inherently uncertain.
A Training Manual on Use of Climate Information and Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment for
Agricultural Extension Staff in Zimbabwe
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