International Conference on Climate Change 2023
On October 25, 2023, the international conference “Planclimac Projet Final Conference – Adaptation and Mitigation to Climate Change” was held in Ponta Delgada, Azores.
The role of the IPMA president and the importance of the Azores
The president of IPMA, Prof. José Guerreiro, addressed the issue of climate change and the strategic importance of the Azores, highlighting the creation of the Atlantic Climate Observatory in the archipelago.
Atlantic Climate Observatory
The Atlantic Climate Observatory is a key infrastructure for evaluating the impact of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and, consequently, their contribution to climate change. This observatory aims to collect and process climate data in a particularly sensitive area of our country. As José Guerreiro states, “The incidence of tropical cyclones has increased in recent decades and its peak is shifting northward.“.
Additional IPMA infrastructure in the Azores
In parallel with the Observatory, the IPMA is installing two other radars in the archipelago, in São Miguel and Flores, in addition to automatic weather stations and electric shock sensors, with financing from the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR). In the national submarine cable network project, which is currently being designed, it is planned to install sensors that measure biogeochemical parameters and seismicity on the ocean floor.
The role of IPMA in monitoring extreme phenomena
With these infrastructures, the IPMA will be in a better position to predict and monitor extreme phenomena and, therefore, contribute – together with other civil protection entities – to safeguarding lives.
IPMA’s contribution to civil protection
The IPMA, thanks to its infrastructure and monitoring capacity, plays a fundamental role in civil protection, actively contributing to the prevention and management of risks associated with extreme climate phenomena.
The future of IPMA and climate monitoring
IPMA, through the installation of new infrastructure and the implementation of advanced technologies, is committed to further improving its monitoring and forecasting capabilities, in order to more effectively address the growing challenges posed by climate change.
