Unearthing archival climate change baseline data in southern and eastern Africa

Abstract

This paper proposes that archives can play an important role in historical climatological
research. Major projects in Europe, such as CLIWOC, examine ship logbooks from the era
of sail. These sources provide critical weather-related data from the era before scientific
climatological measurements and surveys after World War I. Ship logbooks have proved to
be crucial sources that have been identified and digitised in major projects such as the
CLIWOC project. While CLIWOC has concentrated on the ships concerned of the European
maritime powers, their information is of worldwide relevance. This paper then looks at the
research that has been undertaken in South Africa and at the sources that have been
uncovered by local scientists. The paper also suggests further potential sources within South
Africa. Thereafter, the potential sources within the ESARBICA region are suggested with a
focus on the African Great Lakes. Finally, an ESARBICA-wide project similar to the
CLIWOC and TANAP projects is suggested, and it is proposed that ESARBICA approach
IORA for endorsement and funding.