Botswana National Meteorological Service Act

Supplement A – Botswana Government Gazette dated 15th May, 2009

NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE ACT, 2009

Date of Assent: 15.05.2009
Date of Commencement: On Notice
ENACTED by the Parliament of Botswana

PART I
. . .
“meteorological service” means service rendered to economic and social activities relating to weather and climate;
. . .

PART II
3. (1) There is hereby established a National Meteorological Service
which shall consist of . . .

4. The functions of the Service shall be to
. . .
(h) be exclusively responsible for providing meteorological services, . . .

PART III
5. (1) There is hereby established a Meteorological Licensing Committee.

PART IV
14. (1) No persons shall provide such meteorological services as may be prescribed, unless such person holds a licence under this act.

Botswana to attend climate convention

source: BOPA
22 May, 2008

GABORONE – Botswana will participate in an international convention aimed at curtailing the impacts of climate changes caused by emissions from deforestation.

The Director for the Department of Meteorological Services, Mr Phetolo Phage said during a stakeholder consultative meeting Tuesday that the 28 th Convention will be held from the 4th-13th June this year in Germany.

He said it was very important for Botswana to participate in the upcoming convention because in future the country is going to be a major producer of carbon dioxide and other gases.

This is due to the fact that there is a lot of coal in this country and because of the upcoming major projects such as Mmamabula power plant that would be producing a lot of fumes. he said.

He said the aim of the workshop was to invite ideas about the programmes and activities that the stakeholders would like to be presented at the 28th convention .

The Chief Meteorologist for the Department of Meteorological Services, Mr David Lesolle said the [continue reading]

More heavy downpours expected

source: BOPA
19 March, 2008

GABORONE The Department of Metrological Services has warned residents of Kgalagadi, Northeast and Southern Central districts to brace themselves for heavy rainfall.

The warning follows heavy downpours in some parts of the country, including Mopipi which recorded the highest amount of 226 mm, followed by Gaborone with 115 and Ghanzi with 111 mm recorded between 8 am Sunday (April 16) and 8 am Monday (April 17).

Mr Kabo Gopane, a forecast officer, said the heavy rainfalls are due to the influx of moist air from the Indian Ocean and the tropical rains from the northern interior of the sub-continent.

He said an unstable atmosphere will continue to prevail and that such conditions are conducive to the development of deep convective clouds with a potential of heavy rains that could result in flooding, especially over the northern part of the country.

For other parts of the country it would be [continue reading]

Zero Carbon City Exhibition in Gabs

source: Mmegi

GASEBALWE SERETSE
STAFF WRITER

The British High Commission in collaboration with the British Council are currently hosting a climate change exhibition namely “Zero Carbon City” in Gaborone.

It started on February 11 and ends tomorrow. In the opening week, the exhibition was mounted in front of the British High Commission offices before moving to the National Assembly buildings, where it is currently showing.

The somewhat unusual but informative exhibition showcases images from 10 regions around the world captured by 10 Magnum photographers and its primary objective is to illustrate the solutions to climate change.

According to a press release from the British Council, ‘ “Zero Carbon City” is the United Kingdom’s global campaign to raise awareness about climate change around the world and what contribution the average person can make towards reversing the effect’. Looking at the exhibition, one can clearly see that it is not [continue reading]

Meteorology launches P1.3m system

source: BOPA
19 July, 2007

GABORONE – The Department of Meteorological Services last week launched a P1.3 million Trivis Weather Graphics for television weather presentation.

The new graphic system will help in reading weather forecasts, ensuring that accurate weather information was communicated to the public.

Trivis Weather Graphics is capable of showing different weather symbols on a single chart and visualising model forecast data from different sources.

The system has captivating visual impact, improved quality graphic information, which will enable viewers to understand information.

It can give a three-dimensional view in virtual reality and in a simplistic form. The graphics will not be restricted to television only.

The graphics can be used to generate storyboards for public screens, newspapers, mobile phones and the Internet. Launching the system, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Dr Lucas Gakale, emphasised the importance of weather forecast in the aspects of engineering, aviation and infrastructure development.

Dr Gakale said all these uses required weather information customised for their specific needs. It is therefore important that those in the weather information sector should therefore continue to develop new multimedia weather information products that appeal to the viewers.

He emphasised the need for presentation of weather on national weather forecast for public consumption to be packaged in such a way that was interesting, easily understood and comprehensive.

He said the packaging was vital as it would help the public [continue reading]

Councillors vow to fight Ozone depletion

source: BOAP
21 June, 2007

KASANE – Chobe district councillors have vowed to play their part to protect the Ozone layer.

Following a presentation by chief metrological officer, Mr David Lesolle to sensitise them about the importance of protecting the Ozone layer, councillors said they will call kgotla meeting to pass the message.

Cllr Bobby Setlhare of Chobe East welcomed the informative presentation. He however urged the department to make it simple for the lay person to easily understand and grasp the message The presentation is too technical and some people may find it difficult to understand, he said.

Cllr Tengenyana Tuelo of Pandamatenga urged the department to embark on an educational campaign to discourage people from using utensils that contribute to ozone depletion.

Meanwhile, Cllr Benson Rodgers of Plateau said Botswana must copy what other countries are doing to protect the ozone layer.

He accused the council of contributing to the depletion of the ozone by burning litter at the dumping site.

Thus, he urged the council to put in place safety measures when disposing litter.

Cllr Machana Shamukuni challenged the department to inform other institutions about the Ozone depletion.

Farmers, he said, should be discouraged from using chemicals that contribute to Ozone depletion.

For his part, Cllr Moatlhodi Sango also welcomed the informative presentation.

We thought these are applicable to developed countries only, he said.

Cllr Sango urged the council to avoid contributing to [continue reading]

Woolly Winter is Here

source: allAfrica
Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)

28 May 2007
Posted to the web 29 May 2007

Thato Chwaane
Gaborone

It is that time of the year again when woollies and warm clothes are back and if the recent cold spell is anything to go by more time will be spent indoors to avoid the winter chills.

The meteorological services say that the recent cold spell is due to the cold dry air from the lower latitudes being pushed inland by a high-pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean.

According to Gasewasepe Nthobatsang from the government department of meteorological services, the southern parts of Botswana recorded minimum temperatures below freezing level. Jwaneng recorded negative seven degrees Celsius.

She said the incursion of cold air from the south is a typical winter situation and whenever conditions are favourable, temperatures will reach those levels.

The averages expected in June in stations like Gaborone are maximum 22.5 degrees Celsius and minimum 4.6 degrees Celsius.

While still in Gaborone, the average maximum expected in July is 22.8 degrees Celsius and minimum 4.6 degrees.

Tsabong is expected to have a minimum average of 1.3 degrees and a maximum of 22.2 degrees Celsius in June, while July will have a minimum of 0.7 and maximum of 22.1.

Francistown expects a minimum of five degrees Celsius and maximum of 23.7 in June and July will have a minimum average of 4.6 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 23.4 degrees Celsius.

Maun is expected to record a higher average than the three other stations, with a maximum of 25 degrees Celsius and a minimum of seven degrees Celsius for both June and July.

Nthobatsang said the winter season in Botswana is dry, but however when conditions are favourable, rain showers may occasionally occur.

Mail and Guardian Online reports that at least 22 people have died of cold in different parts of South Africa in the past week, 15 of them in the Eastern Cape.

Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management Centre is on full alert. allAfrica

Botswana: Drought – Has Our Early Warning System Collapsed?

source: allAfrica

Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)

EDITORIAL
15 May 2007
Posted to the web 16 May 2007

It is interesting to learn that President Festus Mogae is likely to declare the current year yet another one of drought. While it is very much in order for the President to declare a drought year, it is doubtful whether, as a nation, we have to wait for him to tell us that we are yet on a drought. The signs have been clear that this was going to be a long spell of drought, any way.

The limitation of the arrangements that the country has been on disaster management are also clear, thus making the very process of dealing sufficiently with the natural causes of drought difficult. Perhaps it is not far fetched to say that the country’s early warning systems have ground to a halt.

The picture that emerges is that every time the country is faced with drought, the preparedness is not up to the match. Why should the nation wait for the President to make an announcement when it should have been plain to all of us that we should take appropriate contingency measures to deal with the crisis?

Measures such as the Early Warning System should tell us whether drought is coming or not. For example, just in the recent rainy season, places such as Gaborone and other parts of the country did not receive significant rainfall. But what message did each one of us make of the situation? Nothing. We have to wait for the President to tell us that we are in a drought situation!

Another problem arises from the limitations of the interventions targeted to mitigate drought and its effects. The interventions are only made when there is already a drought year. We should have learnt enough lessons from the drought spells that the country has gone though in the past that our interventions are timely. For Botswana, drought should be treated more as a permanence than an event. Some of the interventions are such that when they come, they clash with the next ploughing season, resulting in some people preferring to work on drought relief projects instead of working on their fields.

from allAfrica

Climate change action needed now

source: IOL

Melanie Gosling
May 07 2007 at 12:07PM

South Africa needs decisive policy shifts both to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to beef up investment in climate-friendly technologies if it is to avoid the worst effects of climate change, says Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk.

Reacting to the release in Bangkok of the third report this year from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Van Schalkwyk said on Sunday the central message was one of urgency, leadership and ambition.

“We need to act quickly, we need to make decision policy shifts and we need to be ambitious in embracing technological options,” he said.

The key message was that the world had just a few years to act to avert the worst impact of global warming. Delays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions would have devastating effects.

These emissions had grown by 70 percent since 1970 and could rise another 90 percent by 2030 if no action was taken.

Van Schalkwyk said many technologies to cut emissions already existed [continue reading]

Climate Change Affects Botswana

source: Mmegi
BY ONALENNA MODIKWA
STAFF WRITER

SELEBI-PHIKWE: Botswana is affected by the changes in global climate as evidenced by extreme temperatures, recurrent droughts, floods, severe thunderstorms and strong winds.

Selebi-Phikwe Mayor Benjamin Bagayi said this during the World Meteorology Day commemoration last Friday. He said that Botswana suffered prolonged droughts during the 1960s and 1980s, which were worsened by the El Nino in 1982/3. He said these droughts slowed down the country’s construction industry and impacted negatively on food security.

“The country is currently suffering from severe drought which will result in water use restrictions.” However, he applauded the efforts by the Department of Meteorological Services by trying to create awareness amongst Batswana on issues of climate change and the likely impacts. He said the other problem was layer depletion.

Bagayi was grateful to note that in partnership with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the German Technical Agency and [continue reading]

Water Restrictions Coming?

Source: IOL
Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)March 9, 2007
Posted to the web March 12, 2007

Thato Chwaane
Gaborone

The rainy season is almost coming to an end without any drops from the skies. Instead of the expected rains, the country has been battered by the searing heat which i understood to be causing massive evaporation of the unincreasing water levels in our dams.

Unless trains, there are fears that water evaporation might eventually lead to water restrictions that were imposed at the height ofthe 2004-2005 drought.
The Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) says that with Botswana being a hot and dry country, it experiences high evaporation rates, estimated at 2000mm per annum. Responding to a Mmegi questionnaire on how the heat affects the current dam levels, Public Relations Manager, Matida Mmipi, said yesterday that currently the Gaborone dam is at 58.6 percent full, Shashe dam at 84 percent, Letsibogo dam at 69 percent , Nnywane dam at 46 percent and Bokaa dam at 43.2 percent.

Asked whether there is a likelihood [continue reading]

Poor rainfall affects crop production

source: BOPA
28 February, 2007
GABORONE – This years poor rains and long dry spells are likely to negatively affect crop production. Botswana Food Security Bulletin indicates that rainfall drastically declined during the month of January with larger part of the country experiencing monthly rainfall not exceeding 30mm.

The Bulletin says areas in almost the entire country received much below normal rainfall in January.

Only the area of around Mahalapye and Machaneng in the Central District, Jwaneng in the Southern, Shakawe and Gumare in the Ngamiland and Chobe district experienced normal rainfall.

It says, the aforementioned scenario resulted in erratic planting opportunities which were mainly confined to December month with almost no planting opportunities in January countrywide.

With January being dry, most of the crops planted towards the end of December failed to emerge and crops planted earlier had to experience continuous water stress with high possibility of crop failure.

According to the Bulletin, grazing is likely to be negatively affected countrywide by January poor rains.

The most hard hit areas being Kgatleng, Kweneg, Southeast and Southern districts, including Kgalagadi south and Boteti subdistricts.

The Bulletin states that, the total area ploughed by the end of December last year was 19 731 hectares which is less than 84 794 hectares planted during the end of December 05.

That shows a percentage decrease of the area ploughed in December 06 by 76.7 per cent as compared to the area in December 05.

The hectare ploughed was 6.6 per cent of 300 000 hectares which is the national communal baseline area.

It further says, grazing condition should be closely monitored especially in districts such as Molepolole, Letlhakeng, Northeast, Southeast, Boteti, Okavango and some pockets of areas under Maun, namely Makakung, Semoyo, Kareng and Tsau which if it does not rain by March,grazing situation will decline to very poor. BOPA