About: This living manual is intended for those preparing National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) or specific adaptation interventions. It provides guidance on how to understand and use climate information in the context of adaptation planning. The material was developed in the context of a coastal adaptation project in West Africa—the USAID-funded West Africa Biodiversity and Climate Change project—but it has wide utility for anyone interested in the application of climate information for adaptation planning and development interventions. This web-based resource is called a “living manual” since the contents have been updated based on the needs and feedback of participants in a series of country workshops held in the West Africa region.

Authors: The authors are climate scientists and climate adaptation specialists at the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), a unit of the Earth Institute at Columbia University.

The Material: The Living Manual has a number of sections. Users who are familiar with the basics of climate information may wish to skip to the Sectoral Information Needs section, which details information needs for various sectors. In Climate Data Types, the difference between climate information and climate data is discussed, and types of climate data are examined in detail. Examples of best practice are provided for those interested in using climate data to develop climate information products.

Disclaimer: This manual was made possible by the generous support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this manual are the sole responsibility of its authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.