by Oriol Palom, Business manager Government & Development
The journal Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences (NHESS) has recently published the study “Comprehensive multi-hazard risk assessment in data-scarce regions – A study focused on Burundi”, in which Meteosim played a key role by leading the climate data analysis, performing high‑resolution climate downscaling, and supporting the characterization of climate-related hazards in one of Africa’s most vulnerable countries.
The project was funded by IOM and Meteosim collaborated with IDOM, and other institutions.
A scientific challenge in the context of scarce data
Burundi faces significant exposure to extreme climate events such as intense rainfall, droughts, landslides, and severe storms. However, the country’s meteorological observation network is extremely limited, making it difficult to conduct robust risk assessments.
This already complex situation was further aggravated by the COVID‑19 pandemic, which restricted access to local data and reduced the availability of in‑person validation and technical coordination.
Despite these constraints, Meteosim contributed scientific tools and methodologies designed to compensate for the lack of observational data and enable a reliable multi-hazard assessment.
Climate downscaling to better understand local threats
Meteosim’s work focused on conducting an in‑depth analysis of Burundi’s climate data, coupled with a high‑resolution climate downscaling process adapted to the country’s geography and climatic patterns.
This approach made it possible to generate detailed information on key variables — such as extreme precipitation, heatwaves, and prolonged dry spells — in areas where historical datasets were incomplete or missing.
The resulting climate datasets provided a much clearer and more spatially precise understanding of the country’s main climate hazards, enabling their integration into the broader multi-hazard risk assessment framework.
Supporting hazard characterization in a highly vulnerable country
In addition to climate analysis, Meteosim contributed to the characterization of climate-related hazards, using methodologies adapted to regions with data scarcity.
This included identifying the most vulnerable areas to extreme weather events and estimating potential impacts on local communities and ecosystems already under pressure.
“Working in a country with such limited data availability is always a challenge, but it underscores the importance of combining advanced modelling and downscaling techniques to generate meaningful insights. Our goal was to ensure that Burundi can access reliable climate information despite the circumstances,” explains Ignasi Porras, Solutions director at Meteosim.
Commitment to climate resilience in vulnerable regions
This study illustrates how advanced modelling techniques and international collaboration can help overcome the constraints of working in data‑scarce environments. It also highlights the importance of supporting governments and institutions in their efforts to better understand and manage climate risks.
At Meteosim, we remain committed to developing scientific solutions that enable evidence‑based decision making, strengthen climate resilience, and reduce vulnerabilities — especially in regions where climate change exacerbates existing challenges.
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