Policymakers, NGO's, and businesses are overwhelmed with information from research on climate change and natural resource management. Southern Africa is a particularly diverse region with respect to forecasted changes in aridity, water access, and risk of natural disasters. While there is a wealth of scientific research on the potential effects of climate change and adaptation measures, it is unclear how frequently decision-makers across southern Africa use this potentially vital information. There is a growing awareness among academics that research must be made more accessible, but little guidance from the consumers of research on what barriers currently exist, or what formats may improve usability. This project seeks to answer these questions through direct data collection by surveys, including a randomized control trial of development practitioners in southern Africa. As part of the trial, this project will also apply innovative geospatial and climate forecasting methods through the Google Earth Engine in a reproducible, accessible way."
