A bottom-up approach to climate risk from the Global South: the case of the CONICET Argentina My Climate Risk Hub

In order to advance new theoretical and practical integration of Earth and Social Sciences to address the climate crisis and its impacts on society, the World Climate Research Programme has created the My Climate Risk (MCR) Lighthouse activity. The goal of MCR is to develop and mainstream a bottom-up approach to climate risk. To progress in this path, MCR has assembled regional centres (‘Hubs’) from institutions/researchers with knowledge in the field of climate risk and that allow this approach to be taken to local and regional scales. These Hubs comprise a variety of forms and modes of operation depending on the local interests and needs. In March 2022, the MCR CONICET Argentina Regional Hub was created (https://sites.google.com/view/mcrhubconicet). Through MCR CONICET Argentina Regional Hub its members learn, participate and motivate a scientific-technical and social perspective to promote adaptation and face climate extremes in Argentina employing the co-production of knowledge, storylines and multiple lines of evidence.

This work aims to share initiatives and projects from the Global South that are rooted in inter- and transdisciplinary dialogue and the inclusion of actors and institutions of the region, to address climate risk research. The case studies presented here address Argentina's need to improve hydrometeorological services availability, accessibility and interpretation. The first case study presents the coproduction cycle that led to a subseasonal novel local prediction product in northeastern Argentina, co-produced between climatologists, anthropologists and family farming actors within the framework of the CLIMAX project. The successful experience of this development highlights the importance of involving local communities in the development of climate information products that can be socially appropriated. A case of use of climate storylines as a tool for improving decision making is presented. Physical Climate Storylines was put in dialogue with Socio-anthropological Narrative Analysis around a drought event in Southeastern South America. Finally, the strategy of multiple lines of evidence is used, showing results of the “A River All Waters” project, which integrated transversal lines of work to address the impact of climate change on the Chubut River in Argentine Patagonia. This project shows a reduction in precipitation and an increase in temperature since 1960, which caused a decrease in river flows. These three case studies showed the need to explore novel methodologies that favour a bottom-up approach to regional and local climate risk.