Author: Francesco Fiondella7

Science communication occupies a lot of my brain space, even when I’m not in the office at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, where I oversee communications. I take lots of photos, too. Find out more about me at FrancescoFiondella.com.

Poor Ethiopian Farmers Receive ‘Unprecedented’ Insurance Payout

Thanks to a groundbreaking new program that relies on advanced satellite technology, a weather index insurance payout of unprecedented scale will benefit poor African farmers.
Improving the Water Outlook in the Himalayas

Andrew Robertson, a climate scientist at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, discusses his research on helping reservoir managers in northern India make better planning decisions by improving their ability to predict how climate change will influence water availability.
Food Security in the Face of Changing Climate

An interview with James Hansen, an agricultural scientist at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society who also has a prominent role in the world’s largest research program focused specifically on climate change and food security.
From Birmingham to Bamako: How Farmers Deal with Drought

A look at the tools and technologies farmers in Mali use to enhance their decision making in the face of droughts and other climate risks.
Climate Scientist to Lead International Research Institute for Climate and Society

Lisa Goddard, a leading expert on climate change and El Niño’s influence on climate has been appointed director of the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, part of Columbia University’s Earth Institute.
Photo Essay: In the Heart of Dryness

Explore the country of Niger in this visual essay while learning about the importance of seasonal forecasting to the Sahel, one of the poorest and most climate-vulnerable regions in the world.
Decadal Prediction: The New Kid On the Block

Research on decadal prediction—what the climate is going to be like a decade or two from now—is still relatively new and experimental. It’s also in high demand by planners and decision makers interested in building dams and other large-scale development projects. In a new paper, IRI’s Lisa Goddard and colleagues discuss how decadal prediction research…
Video: Is Drought In East Africa The New Normal?

A video interview with climate scientist Bradfield Lyon, who explains his latest research on what’s driving rainfall patterns in parts of East Africa.
Spring Sprang Early: Should We Worry?

While studies do show that flowers and other plants are blooming earlier on average because of warming trends, this year’s early fireworks were “certainly well within the realm of experience for the species native to this area,” says Robert Naczi of the New York Botanical Garden.

Poor Ethiopian Farmers Receive ‘Unprecedented’ Insurance Payout

Thanks to a groundbreaking new program that relies on advanced satellite technology, a weather index insurance payout of unprecedented scale will benefit poor African farmers.
Improving the Water Outlook in the Himalayas

Andrew Robertson, a climate scientist at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, discusses his research on helping reservoir managers in northern India make better planning decisions by improving their ability to predict how climate change will influence water availability.
Food Security in the Face of Changing Climate

An interview with James Hansen, an agricultural scientist at the International Research Institute for Climate and Society who also has a prominent role in the world’s largest research program focused specifically on climate change and food security.
From Birmingham to Bamako: How Farmers Deal with Drought

A look at the tools and technologies farmers in Mali use to enhance their decision making in the face of droughts and other climate risks.
Climate Scientist to Lead International Research Institute for Climate and Society

Lisa Goddard, a leading expert on climate change and El Niño’s influence on climate has been appointed director of the International Research Institute for Climate and Society, part of Columbia University’s Earth Institute.
Photo Essay: In the Heart of Dryness

Explore the country of Niger in this visual essay while learning about the importance of seasonal forecasting to the Sahel, one of the poorest and most climate-vulnerable regions in the world.
Decadal Prediction: The New Kid On the Block

Research on decadal prediction—what the climate is going to be like a decade or two from now—is still relatively new and experimental. It’s also in high demand by planners and decision makers interested in building dams and other large-scale development projects. In a new paper, IRI’s Lisa Goddard and colleagues discuss how decadal prediction research…
Video: Is Drought In East Africa The New Normal?

A video interview with climate scientist Bradfield Lyon, who explains his latest research on what’s driving rainfall patterns in parts of East Africa.
Spring Sprang Early: Should We Worry?

While studies do show that flowers and other plants are blooming earlier on average because of warming trends, this year’s early fireworks were “certainly well within the realm of experience for the species native to this area,” says Robert Naczi of the New York Botanical Garden.