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United Nations plan of action on disaster risk reduction for resilience
United Nations, 2013This plan of action presents a strategy for integrating disaster risk reduction into UN country level operations. It is intended to all partners committed to reducing the risks that disasters pose and making our societies more resilient. It aims to position the work of the UN in the context of: (i) the remaining term of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA); (ii) the development of a successor or post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction (HFA2); (iii) the post-2015 development agenda; and (iv) the UN Secretary-General's second mandate and Five-Year Action Agenda.
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FAO disaster risk reduction brief: West Bank and Gaza Strip
FAO, 2013This brief focuses on the key disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) carries out in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (WBGS). It seeks to give an overview of FAO's DRR strategy and briefly describe their activities in WBGS to protect livelihoods from shocks, to make food production systems more resilient and more capable of absorbing the impact of, and recovering from, disruptive events, such as floods, droughts, earthquakes, animal and plants pests and diseases.
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Climate change in the Himalayas : current state of knowledge
This paper reviews the literature on the potential biophysical and economic impacts of climate change in the Himalayas. Existing observations indicate that the temperature is rising at a higher rate in Nepal and Chinese regions of the Himalayas compared with rest of the Himalayas. A declining trend of monsoon in the western Indian Himalayas and an increasing trend in the eastern Indian Himalayas have been observed, whereas increasing precipitation and stream flow in many parts of Tibetan Plateau are noted. Glaciers in both the eastern and western Himalayas are mostly retreating, but the majori ...
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Pushing Through Reform: Lima's Disaster Risk Management Strategy | ELLA
Watanabe Masahiro - ELLA, 2013In recent years, there have been a number of important actions at the institutional level for promoting disaster risk management (DRM) in developing countries. Yet securing a city-level political commitment that ensures the required investment and specific action plans in big cities has remained a pending challenge. This Brief describes how the Municipality of Lima designed and implemented its Disaster Risk Management Strategy, in particular analysing how disaster risk management was successfully positioned through advocacy and communications efforts. This case highlights some particularly int ...
The Global Climate 2001-2010: a decade of climate extremes
This publication covers the first decade of the 21st century and aims at providing a decadal perspective of climate variability and change and its observed impacts on different sectors.
The Global Climate 2001-2010: a decade of climate extremes - Summary Report
A decadal perspective makes it possible to assess trends and anticipate the future. it can also inform efforts to develop operational climate services that provide information and forecasts for decision-making in agriculture, health, disaster risk, water resources and other sectors.
Turn down the heat: climate extremes, regional impacts, and the case for resilience
This report focuses on the risks of climate change to development in Sub-Saharan Africa, South East Asia and South Asia. Building on the 2012 report, Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4°C Warmer World Must be Avoided, this new scientific analysis gives a more detailed look at how the negative impacts of climate change already in motion could create devastating conditions especially for those least able to adapt. It asserts that the case for resilience has never been stronger. This report demands action. It reinforces the fact that climate change is a fundamental threat to economic development and the ...
Workshop on Strategy for Implementation of Climate Services Information System (CSIS): final report
The workshop was presented with examples of available global and regional climate data, monitoring, prediction and projection information from global, regional and national entities and mechanisms (introductory overview see Annex V), such as WMO Global Producing Centres for 1 Long-range Forecasts (GPCs), the WCRP Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP), WMO Regional Climate Centres (RCCs; status document see Annex VI), the WMO RCC Tokyo (Japan), the WCRP Co-ordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX), Regional Climate Outlook Forums (RCOFs), the WMO Climate Watch concept, ...
Meeting on Sector Applications / Climate Observation Community dialogue: final report
Long-term observation of the atmosphere, land and ocean is particularly vital as a foundation for monitoring climate variability and climate change. It is necessary for evaluating the effectiveness of policies implemented to mitigate climate change and for improving climate prediction models and tools.
On the other hand observations are also essential for managing climate variability, including for assessing social and economic vulnerabilities and for developing climate services needed for adaptation.
The Meeting on sector applications and climate observation community dialogue ...
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Interventions for achieving sustainability in tropical forest and agricultural landscapes
The rapid expansion of commodity agriculture in tropical forest landscapes is a key driver of deforestation. To meet the growing demand from a more prosperous and expanding global population, it is imperative to develop sustainable commodity supply chains that support higher agricultural productivity, and that enable improved environmental, economic, and social outcomes. Interventions by community, market, and state actors can enhance the sustainability of supply chains by affecting where and how agricultural production occurs. These interventions—in the form of novel or moderated instit ...
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ESSP Working Paper, 53. The cost of adapting to climate change in Ethiopia: sector-wise and macro-economic estimates
This paper uses spatially - explicit analyses of climate change effects on selected key sectors of Ethiopia’s economy to analyse both sector-wise and economy-wide estimates of impacts and adaptation costs. Using four models to bracket the uncertainty surrounding future climate outcomes, the paper finds that by 2050 climate change could cause GDP to be eight to ten per cent smaller than under a no-climate change baseline; it could induce a two-fold increase in variability of growth in agriculture; and it would affect more severely the poor and certain parts of the country. The paper also finds ...
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Climate change and health: a tool to estimate health and adaptation costs
WHO, 2013The WHO Regional Office for Europe prepared this economic analysis tool to support health adaptation planning in European Member States. It is based on a review of the science. It is expected to be applied in Member States mainly by line ministries responsible for climate change adaptation.
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Report on the national platform for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, 14th may, 2013
Ghana - Government, 2013This document report on a meeting that brought together chairpersons of the Technical Committees, representatives from various ministries, departments, agencies, and other stakeholders, to discuss the progress of the national platform of Ghana and to deliberate on the way forward. It presents: (i) the National Co-ordinators opening address; (ii) a statement on behalf of the United Nations Country Representative; (iii) an overview of platform performance; (iv) a discussion of the Ghana action plan on disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA); (v) the achievements of the ...
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Understanding needs, meeting demands: A user-oriented analysis of online knowledge broker platforms for climate change and development
This IISD report examines the current state of alignment between climate knowledge brokering (CKB) platforms and the information-seeking and knowledge-sharing behaviour of users of online climate change information. It reviews the case for knowledge brokering and how brokering activities are put into practice online for climate change and development. The paper then outlines the results of research undertaken to understand how CKB platform users assess, access and apply knowledge.
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Climate-smart agriculture sourcebook
FAO, 2013Climate-smart interventions are highly location-specific and knowledge-intensive. Therefore, considerable efforts are required to develop the knowledge and capacities to make climate-smart agriculture (CSA) a reality. The purpose of this sourcebook is to further elaborate the concept of CSA and demonstrate its potential, as well as its limitations. It is aimed as a reference tool for planners, practitioners and policymakers working in agriculture, forestry and fisheries at national and subnational levels, dealing with the effects of climate change.
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Elements of a New Climate Agreement by 2015
A new global climate agreement by 2015 is crucial to keep global warming below the target of maximum 2 degree increase in this century. This will require enhanced ambitions by all Parties and need transformational change towards sustainable, low carbon development and green growth. Scenarios consistent with a likely chance to meet the 2 degree target have a peak of global emissions before 2020. Green growth and low-carbon development strategies show that economic growth and environmental sustainability are compatible objectives by making emission reductions an integral part of national ...
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A new global partnership: eradicate poverty and transform economies through sustainable development
United Nations, 2013This report sets out a universal agenda to eradicate extreme poverty from the face of the earth by 2030, and deliver on the promise of sustainable development. It calls upon the world to rally around a new Global Partnership that offers hope and a role to every person in the world. The report recognizes the need to build climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction into regional and national strategies, and encourage countries to focus on these plans.
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Indigenous peoples and climate change in Africa : Case studies exploring climate change impacts on indigenous peoples in Namibia and their adaptation strategies
Through two participatory case studies, this paper examines the impact of climate change on the indigenous peoples of Namibia. The objectives of the case studies are three-fold: to document how the indigenous peoples are affected by climate change; to analyse how they perceive, adapt to and leverage opportunities from climate change; and provide recommendations for strengthening the indigenous peoples’ engagement in national and international public climate change policy.
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Farmers’ perceptions and adaptations to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa: a synthesis of empirical studies and implications for public policy in African agriculture: In Journal of Agricultural Science, Vol. 5, No. 4
The problem of climate change in Africa has the potential of undermining sustainable development efforts if steps are not taken to respond to its adverse consequences. This study reviews existing and available literature on farmers’ perceptions and adaptations to climate change in sub-Sahara Africa.
It is evident that the majority of farmers in sub-Sahara Africa are aware of warmer temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns. To respond to these changes, farmers have adopted crop diversification, planting different crop varieties, changing planting and harvesting dates to corres ...
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Urbanization and climate change impacts on future urban flooding in Can Tho city, Vietnam: In Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 17
Huong H.T.L.; Pathirana A. - 2013Urban development increases flood risk in cities due to local changes in hydrological and hydrometeorological conditions that increase flood hazard, as well as to urban concentrations that increase the vulnerability. The relationship between the increasing urban runoff and flooding due to increased imperviousness is better perceived than that between the cyclic impact of urban growth and the urban rainfall via microclimatic changes. The large-scale, global impacts due to climate variability and change could compound these risks. We present the case of a typical third world city – Can Tho (the ...
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Asia Pacific synthesis report: consultations on the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction (HFA2)
UN/ISDR, 2013This paper synthesizes consultations held at the regional, national and community levels throughout the Asia-Pacific region on the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (the successor of the Hyogo Framework for Action or HFA2). The document is particularly targeted at countries and stakeholders from Asia Pacific for their engagement at the global deliberations on HFA2 at the Fourth Session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (4th GPDRR) in May 2013. It also informs all stakeholders and countries engaged in the HFA2 discussions.
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The policy climate
This report offers an overview of climate change policy issues across the world. It focuses on: 1) Brazil, China, India, Europe and the United States, which represent the majority of global greenhouse gas emissions but vary widely in terms of economic development, natural resource endowment, political system and climate policy; 2) The economic sectors that represent the greatest potential for greenhouse gas mitigation; and 3) A defined set of policy issues within these regions and key sectors that most affect climate change. For each of the sectors covered, the report provides facts and data a ...
Services météorologiques, hydrologiques et climatologiques: compétences requises des formateurs
Le présent document définit un cadre de compétence pour le personnel impliqué dans les activités de formation, mais il n’est pas nécessaire que chaque intervenant possède l’ensemble des compétences présentées. Toutefois, dans les conditions d’application énoncées ci-après, qui seront différentes pour chaque organisation, on s’attend à ce que tout établissement qui propose des services d’enseignement et de formation à des météorologistes ou à des hydrologistes en exercice ou en cours de formation soit doté du personnel susceptible de couvrir l’ensemble des compétences voulues.
Competency Requirements for Education and Training Providers for Meteorological, Hydrological, and Climate Services
This document sets out a competency framework for personnel involved in training, but it is not necessary that each person has the full set of competencies. However, within the following application conditions, which will be different for each organization, it is expected that any institution providing education and training services to current and future meteorologists and hydrologists will have staff somewhere within the organization who together cover all the competencies.
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Synthesis report on experiences with the application of the guidelines for the national adaptation plan process in the least developed country Parties
UNFCCC, 2013This report synthesizes the views submitted by Parties and relevant organizations on experiences with the application of the guidelines for the national adaptation plan (NAP) process in least developed country (LDC) Parties. It reports on the following: views on the priority and urgency of the NAP process; the application of the guidelines for the NAP process; experience gained under other adaptation planning processes and programmes; and support needs for the application of the NAP guidelines in LDCs. The report concludes with a summary of proposals for next steps.
Flood Risk Management: A Strategic Approach
ADB, 2013Over recent decades the concept of flood risk management has been cultivated across the globe. Implementation however remains stubbornly difficult to achieve. In part this reflects the perception that a risk management paradigm is more complex than a more traditional standard-based approach as it involves "whole systems" and "whole life" thinking; yet this is its main strength and a prerequisite for more integrated and informed decision making.
This book is the result of a collaborative effort between the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the General Institute of Water Resources ...
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Disaster response and climate change in the Pacific: country reports
Gero Anna; National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF); University of Technology - NCCARF, 2013This research paper examines the nexus between disasters, human health, and climate change in the Pacific in order determine methods of effective disaster response in a changing climate to enhance long term adaptive capacity. The aim of this paper is to identify gaps in post-disaster support and to disseminate information regarding those gaps among policy-makers so as to establish a society more resilient to disaster.
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Disaster response and climate change in the Pacific
Gero Anna; National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF); University of Technology - NCCARF, 2013This research paper examines the nexus between disasters, human health, and climate change in the Pacific in order determine methods of effective disaster response in a changing climate to enhance long term adaptive capacity. The aim of this paper is to identify gaps in post-disaster support and to disseminate information regarding those gaps among policy-makers so as to establish a society more resilient to disaster.
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Implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action: summary of reports 2007-2013
UN/ISDR, 2013This report shows the relationship of specific activities to the five priorities for action of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) and the strategic objectives governing them. It reveals the overall connection of national efforts to the expectations of the HFA and makes clear the significance of the progress that has been made since 2005, as described in voluntary self-reporting from countries and regional organizations. The report: (i) highlights some catalysts that engender progress in disaster risk reduction (DRR); (ii) presents an overview provided by individual countries regarding progre ...
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National Greenhouse Gas Emissions Baseline Scenarios : Learning from Experiences in Developing Countries
Xenarios Stefanos - RiceClima, 2013This report aims rather to contribute to a better understanding of the issues and challenges involved in drawing up baseline scenarios, by documenting and drawing lessons from the breadth of existing practices in a range of countries. This existing diversity is both a key asset for gradually increasing the robustness of baseline scenarios, but also the reason for a lack of comparability.
WMO Statement on the status of the global climate in 2012
The present Statement is based on datasets and information that were made available by WMO Members and partners for 2012 and assessed in their global and regional geographical context. Comparisons were made with climatological averages and records (historical background) whenever possible and appropriate.
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Climate Change Fuelling Resource-Based Conflicts in the Asia-Pacific
UNDP, 2013This paper aims to present a background to resource-based conflicts and how they may be influenced by climate change in the Asia Pacific region. In so doing, this paper first examines the relationship between security, natural resources, and climate change. Second, this paper looks specifically at this issue in the Asia-Pacific region, presenting case studies from South and West Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific. The paper also presents an appraisal of existing address of this issue and explores options for future action that may underpin peace and security in a climate change context at local ...
Adaptation in Europe: addressing risks and opportunities from climate change in the context of socio-economic developments
EEA, 2013This report provides policymakers across Europe, at different levels of governance and stages of policy formulation, with information that can be used to support adaptation planning and implementation. Specific parts of the report are therefore targeted at different audiences.
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Farmers' perceptions of climate change and adaptation strategies in northern Nigeria: an empirical assessment
This study examines farmer's perception of the causes, constraints and strategies towards effective climate change adaptation in northern Nigeria. Data were collected from 500 respondents using both qualitative and quantitative approaches through a multistage random sampling technique. The study results show that the respondents were informed of the incidence of climate change as regards uncertainties in terms of higher temperatures, unpredictability of rainfall patterns, extreme weather events and increased farming problems such as loss of soil fertility. Respondents perceived the causes of c ...
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Adaptation or development? Exploring the distinctions (or lack thereof) through case studies in Bangladesh and Vietnam
Using Bangladesh and Vietnam as ‘adaptation project-dense’ contexts, this study explores how adaptation is understood, mainly by practitioners in development projects, but also by government staff, donors, researchers and others who are involved in implementing projects. The study outlines the following three key messages. 1) Differentiating between adaptation and development may be an artificial exercise, because in project implementation this difference is mostly considered insignificant; 2) Development is considered a ‘safer’ objective than adaptation, due to the lack of tools to assess suc ...
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Climate resilience and disaster risk management: stories of change from CDKN
This brief presents results from projects supported by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) to assess vulnerability and mainstream climate resilience into development planning. Case studies from India, Ghana and Colombia illustrate the importance of involving diverse social groups in defining and monitoring vulnerability and delivering adaptation solutions. The paper highlights the use of innovative techniques such as role-playing games to raise people’s awareness of the tough challenges posed by decision-making in a changing climate. Examples include: an initiative to protect ...
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Changing wave heights projected as the atmosphere warms: In Australasian Science
2013Climate scientists studying the impact of changing wave behaviour on the world's coastlines are reporting a likely decrease in average wave heights across 25 per cent of the global ocean.
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Disaster risk management in post-2015 development goals: potential targets and indicators
Disasters can hamper economic growth, affect poverty levels and cause human suffering. This paper argues that including measures to promote disaster risk management (DRM) in the post-2015 development goals is needed to incentivise investment in advance of shocks to protect lives and livelihoods, but also to save money. It explores three scenarios for how DRM could be included in the post-2015 framework: a standalone goal on disasters, supported by targets; a target on disasters within a goal on resilience, security or tackling obstacles to development; integration of DRM into other goals. The ...
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Building resilience to climate change through indigenous knowledge: the case of Bolivia
Indigenous knowledge plays an important role in the way communities interact with their climate. However, according to this ‘Inside story on climate compatible development’ by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), the increase of extreme weather events and disasters calls for new partnerships between indigenous people and the scientific community – an area where Bolivia could lead the way. The brief finds that indigenous people have reported that traditional climatic indicators are no longer as reliable as in the past and provide little protection against the impacts of severe ...
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Climate change and water resources in the tropical Andes
Climate change will without a doubt affect future access to clean drinking water, as well as to water for sanitation, irrigation and agriculture, mining operations, and hydro power production in the tropical Andes. Social, economic and environmental conflicts surrounding the struggle for control over water will be exacerbated in areas where water scarcity is juxtaposed with rapidly growing water demand due to population pressure and expanding economic activities. This paper describes the challenges surrounding current and future water use in the tropical Andes by first reviewing the modern and ...
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Climate related risks and opportunities for agricultural adaptation in semi-arid eastern Kenya
Recha J.; CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) - CCAFS, 2013This paper reports on a field assessment of risks associated with climate variability in eastern Kenya by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). It also includes the compilations of climate related agricultural risks gathered from a Kamba radio dialogue with local communities, aired in 2012. It highlights the potential for mitigating climate change through improved management of agricultural land and crop and livestock husbandry practices, as well as on tapping into the wide range of traditional knowledge of the local communities. The report conclu ...
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National integrated mitigation planning in agriculture: a review paper
This review of national greenhouse gas mitigation planning in the agriculture sector has two objectives: to provide national policymakers and others in the agriculture sector with an overview of national mitigation planning processes and aid then in identifying the relevance of these processes for promoting agricultural development; and to provide policymakers and advisors involved in low-emission development planning processes with an overview of mitigation planning in the agriculture sector and in particular to highlight the relevance of agriculture to national mitigation plans and actions. ...
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Mainstreaming climate change resilience into development planning in Cambodia
Cambodia has been ranked as the country second most affected by extreme weather events in 2011. Between November 2011 and October 2012, government staff from different countries came together at a course facilitated by the International Institute for Environment and Development to share and reflect on their countries’ experience and needs around integrating climate change into development planning. Based on these discussions, they identified three building blocks for successful mainstreaming: an enabling environment, policies and planning, and projects and programmes. This paper reflects on Ca ...
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Climate finance: challenges and responses
^This policy brief by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) estimates that the cost of tackling climate change in developing countries could reach some hundreds of billions of US dollars annually over the coming decades. Low-emission and climate-resilient development options often require upfront investments that can be costlier than conventional solutions. It points out that currently there is not a comprehensive global climate finance approach and it will take time before the Green Climate Fund (GCF) will be operationalised. Developing countries require support in their effort ...
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Climate risk management for sustainable crop production in Uganda: Rakai and Kapchorwa districts
IISD, 2013Uganda has been regarded as a development success story due to its increasing economic growth and declining poverty. Nevertheless, the country’s economic dependence on agriculture makes it very sensitive to climate variability and change. Temperatures in Uganda have been steadily increasing and climate hazards such as floods and droughts have become more frequent and intense, a trend expected to continue. Ugandan smallholder farmers already know and apply various global best practices to reduce climate risks, but much remains to be done to improve these local responses. This report argues that ...
TAMD Climate Change Working Paper, 05. An operational framework for tracking adaptation and measuring development (TAMD)
IIED, 2013This paper outlines the steps needed to apply the Tracking Adaptation and Measuring Development (TAMD) framework, providing practical guidance on how to put the concepts outlined in Climate Change Working Paper no. 1, Tracking adaptation and measuring development, into operation. The TAMD framework offers a ‘twin track’ framework for use in many contexts and at many scales to assess and compare the effectiveness of interventions that directly or indirectly help populations adapt to climate change. TAMD differs from other assessment frameworks by emphasising the need to assess development inter ...
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Adaptation inspiration book: 22 implemented cases of local climate change adaptation to inspire European citizens
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A critical decade for climate policy: tools and initiatives to track our progress
Fransen T.; World Resources Institute (WRI); Climate & Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) - WRI, 2013This working paper presents a landscape assessment of independent efforts to track the adoption, implementation and impact of climate change policies around the world. It provides guidance for researchers, funders and governments on filling information gaps regarding climate change policy. The paper observes that the climate policy tracking community has developed a diverse portfolio of methodologies and frameworks to address a wide range of policy tracking needs. Nevertheless, information about climate policies remains patchy, particularly in regard to monitoring of policy implementation and ...
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Factsheet: overview of disaster risk reduction in the Arab region
UNDP, 2013This publication provides a short overview of disaster risk reduction in the Arab region. It focuses on the major risks, why in particular cities are at risk and what are the drivers of disaster risk in the region. Further, the factsheet provides information about the achievements and challenges for the future.
Asian water development outlook 2013 - measuring water security in Asia and the Pacific
ADB, 2013This study provides a quantitative and comprehensive view of water security in the countries of Asia and the Pacific. By focusing on critical water issues, it provides finance and planning leaders with recommendations on policy actions to improve water governance and guidance on investments to increase their country's water security. The authors stress that the social, economic, and political consequences of water shortages are real, as are the effects of water-related disasters exacerbated by climate change.
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