SEWA satellite early warning launched in NamibiaCEFR B1
5 Jul 2025
Adapted from Adesewa Olofinko, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Birger Strahl, Unsplash
The SEWA (Space for Early Warning in Africa) system was launched at a high-level forum in Windhoek, Namibia, held from June 23–27. The event combined the Joint Forum on Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications Programme (ClimSA) with the SEWA launch and focused on accelerating access to climate and weather services for resilient economies and communities.
Speakers noted that Africa faces strong climate risks despite low greenhouse gas emissions and a sparse land-based observation network. The IPCC sixth assessment reports that key development sectors already suffer losses and damages, including biodiversity loss, water shortages, reduced food production, loss of lives, and reduced economic growth. In 2022 more than 110 million people were directly affected by climate and weather hazards with significant economic damage and many fatalities.
ClimSA aims to develop end-user climate services for sectors such as agriculture, health, energy, water, and disaster risk reduction. SEWA uses satellite technology to strengthen multi-hazard early warning systems and improve data access for governments, civil society groups, and communities. The forum included representatives from the African Union Commission, regional bodies, the European Union, national governments, meteorological agencies, researchers, and technical partners.
Difficult words
- forum — meeting of people for discussion
- sparse — not many or spread far apart
- observation — action of watching or measuring events
- assessment — careful judgement about a situation
- resilient — able to recover after problems or damage
- hazard — thing that can cause harm or dangerhazards
- early warning system — system that gives advance notice of dangerearly warning systems
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How could better early warning systems help people in your town or region? Give one example.
- What problems does a sparse land-based observation network create for weather forecasts?
- Which groups should receive improved climate data first, and why?
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