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Can't afford to wait: why disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation plans in Asia are still failing millions of people
Oxfam, 2014This briefing note is calling for governments across Asia to increase efforts to address climate-related disasters – and for them to be backed by regional and global institutions and with fair contributions from wealthy countries. It argues that greater investment is needed in development that is resilient to climate change and disasters, and more effective assistance is needed for those at risk. Without it, disasters on the scale of super-typhoon Haiyan could fast become the norm, not the exception.
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Better growth, better climate: the New Climate Economy report
This report seeks to inform economic decision-makers in both public and private sectors, many of whom recognise the serious risks caused by climate change, but also need to tackle more immediate concerns such as jobs, competitiveness and poverty. The report brings together evidence and analysis, learning from the practical experience of countries, cities and businesses across the world. The report’s conclusion is that countries at all levels of income now have the opportunity to build lasting economic growth at the same time as reducing the immense risks of climate change. It argues that the n ...
WCDMP, 83. IDARE White Paper
Congress during its sixteenth session in 2011 welcomed the decision of the Commission for Climatology during its fifteenth session in 2010 for improving WMO Climate System Monitoring including related methodologies and dissemination of monitoring reports for timely information on extreme weather and climate events occurring on large scale and having high socioeconomic impacts. A brochure called "Assessment of the observed extreme conditions during the 2009/2010 boreal winter" was published by WMO in 2010 and is now followed by this supplement to the WMO annual statement on the status of the g ...
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Strategies for mitigating climate change in agriculture : abridged report
This study argues that annual carbon emissions from global agriculture can be reduced by as much as 50 to 90 per cent by 2030 - the equivalent of removing all the cars in the world. The study highlights 12 key strategies with more specific interventions for philanthropy—led by reduced global beef consumption, reduced food waste and better farm nutrient management and production—that can deliver on climate change while maintaining food security and building resilience. It argues that productivity and sustainability can work hand in hand.
The paper argues that a constructive debate on agr ...
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Securing rights, combating climate change: how strengthening community forest rights mitigates climate change
This report analyses evidence linking community forest rights with healthier forests and lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
It makes the case for strengthening the rights of indigenous and local communities over their forests as a policy tool for mitigating climate change. The report argues that when Indigenous Peoples and local communities have no or weak legal rights, their forests tend to be vulnerable to deforestation and thus become the source of carbon dioxide emissions. Legal forest rights for communities and government protection of t ...
World risk report 2014: focus - the city as a risk area
Alliance Development Works ; United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) - UNU, 2014This WorldRiskReport (WRR) consists of an index, a priority topic and case studies. The index describes the disaster risk for various countries and regions. The WorldRiskReport was developed in close cooperation between scientists and practitioners. Combined expertise, i.e. scientific structure and procedure and practical competence distinguish this report from comparable academic studies.
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Vulnerability and resilience to climate change in western Honduras
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)/African and Latin American Resilience to Climate Change (ARCC) Project conducted the Western Honduras Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (Western Honduras VA) in 2014. The assessment represents a multidisciplinary effort to assess the impact of climate change and variability on social and ecological systems in Western Honduras. This assessment focused on Western Honduras’s Dry Corridor (in Spanish, Corredor Seco) region and the six departments receiving Feed the Future (FtF) programming support: Copán, Ocotepeque, Lempira, Santa Barbar ...
Primary Influences on Water Temperature for Inland Streams
This lesson explores the primary influences, or drivers, on water temperature of inland streams and rivers. We use a simulated flight, or flyover, where we look down at the features of the South Boise River in Idaho. An unregulated as well as a regulated reach of the river are explored (above and below the Anderson Ranch Reservoir), with a look at cross sections of the river and its environment at key locations during the flyover. We explore how environmental factors (climate, geography, stream morphology) impact water temperatures. Then, after defining the factors that affect water temperatur ...
Climate Variability and Change Lectures, July 2013
This lesson presents 13 recorded presentations from the 29 July–2 August, 2013 offering of the Climate Variability and Change Virtual Course (CVCVC). This five-day live facilitated online course provided an extensive background on a range of climate variability and change topics with an emphasis on developing communication skills for challenging climate topics. The topics covered in this course, while aimed primarily at NOAA operational climate services delivery staff will also be helpful for others who already possess a basic level of understanding of climate science. Presentations include: W ...
An Introduction to the Downscaled Climate and Hydrology Projections Website
These two videos serve as an introduction to the Downscaled Climate and Hydrology Projections website. This website, the result of a collaboration between several federal and non-federal partners, provides access to downscaled climate and hydrology projections for the contiguous United States and parts of Canada and Mexico, derived from contemporary global climate models. In the first video, Dr. Subhrendu Gangopadhyay, hydrologic engineer at the Bureau of Reclamation's Technical Service Center in Denver, introduces the website and provides an overview of the MetEd lesson Preparing Hydro-climat ...
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The emerging economies and climate change : a case study of the BASIC grouping
Bidwai P. - Transnational Institute, 2014Among the most dramatic and far-reaching geopolitical developments of the post-Cold War era is the shift in the locus of global power away from the West with the simultaneous emergence as major powers of former colonies and other countries in the South, which were long on the periphery of international capitalism. As they clock rapid GDP growth, these “emerging economies” are trying to assert their new identities and interests in a variety of ways. These include a demand for reforming the structures of global governance and the United Nations system (especially the Security Council) and the fo ...
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Climate-resilient development : a framework for understanding and addressing climate change
This framework offers a simple yet robust five-stage approach to help decision-makers and development practitioners at all levels systematically assess climate-related risks and prioritize actions that promote climate-resilient development. Developed by USAID’s Global Climate Change Office, this “development-first” approach helps decision-makers and practitioners integrate climate considerations directly into development activities across multiple sectors, keeping the focus on achieving development goals despite a changing climate. Working with USAID missions, governments, and other stakeholde ...
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Promoting the use of climate information to achieve long-term development objectives in sub-Saharan Africa : results from the Future Climate For Africa scoping phase
This report is based on initial research into the use of long-term (5-40 year) climate information in Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia and the coastal cities of Accra, Ghana and Maputo, Mozambique to achieve long-term development objectives in sub-Saharan Africa . The study also assesses how long-term climate information is being used by planners of large dams and ports in Africa. The research finds that governments and businesses are failing to consider long-term climate information in investment planning: in most of the case study countries, not a single example of climate information being effectivel ...
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Beyond reaction : drought and climate change in Central America
CARE International (CI), 2014This document is a joint research report that was presented on the 5th of December during COP20 and on the 9th of December at the People's Summit in Lima, Peru. It argues that, for the construction of new governance under difficult conditions due to the drought and the impacts of climate change in Central America, it is urgent not only to allocate financial resources for adaptation, but also to take synergic actions that will implicate the civil society and the governments.
Based on the expected impacts of climate change for Central America, presented through various forecast s ...
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Natural catastrophes and man-made disasters in 2013
This issue presents an overview, both global and regional, of the catastrophes that occurred in 2013 and their impacts in terms of number of victims and economic and insured losses. It includes a chapter on fostering climate change resilience, which argues that dealing with climate change requires a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions alongside an integrated approach to disaster risk management and describes how cost-effective adaptation measures could avoid up to 68% of climate change risks. It also focuses on Typhoon Haiyan, which was the biggest humanitarian catastrophe of the year.
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Climate finance: is it making a difference? : A review of the effectiveness of multilateral climate funds
This report analyses a decade of contributions and spending to nine major international and two national funds set-up to tackle climate change. Funds have been subject to considerable scrutiny and have become increasingly inclusive, seeking to respond to guidance from diverse stakeholders. Active engagement from civil society and the private sector with these funds can bring new issues and perspectives to bear on decisions made. The report conclusions provide recommendations on how climate-finance architecture can become more effective.
Effective spending of multilateral climat ...
Turn down the heat: confronting the new climate normal
World Bank the - World Bank, 2014This report focuses on the risks of climate change to development in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, and parts of Europe and Central Asia. For each region, the report addresses the regional patterns of climate change, such as heat extremes, extreme precipitation, droughts, tropical cyclones/hurricanes, and sea-level rise.
Building on earlier Turn Down the Heat reports, this new scientific analysis examines the likely impacts of present day (0.8°C), 2°C and 4°C warming above pre-industrial temperatures on agricultural production, water resource ...
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The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report: what’s in it for Latin America?
This report, compiled by a wide range of experts from the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), presents key findings from the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) for Latin America. It extracts Latin America-specific data, trends and analysis directly from AR5, summarising it in a short volume to make it accessible to all audiences, and highlights key opportunities to achieve adaptation, mitigation and development.
The report distils the richest material on climate impacts and trends in small islands, and Latin America’s ...
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Climate change and conflict: findings and lessons learned from five case studies in seven countries
This report distills the main findings of five case studies, with the goal of emphasizing key institutions and the interactions of non-climate and climate factors in each country or city. The case studies focused on four basic research questions: 1. Does (or could) climate change/variability contribute to the conditions for organized, political violence? 2. Does climate change/variability contribute to circumstances with high-conflict potential linked to the access and use of natural (or economic) resources by specific livelihood groups, identity groups, or urban dwellers? If so, how and why? ...
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The need for multiple types of information to inform climate change assessment
Toman Mickael - World Bank, 2014Information on ecosystem characteristics as well as economic statistics is needed to more fully inform decision makers on the impacts of climate change on human well-being. Climate change risks involve potentially large and irreversible as well as highly uncertain impacts that need to be evaluated with information that complements cost-benefit analysis. Information on the irreversibility of impacts also is relevant for evaluating implications for intergenerational equity. In addition, climate change is subject to a large degree of Knightian uncertainty, making it useful to understand how indiv ...
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Climate change in Mali: expected impacts on pests and diseases afflicting livestock
This report presents a series of tables which analyse the potential impact of a changed climate on the most common diseases afflicting cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, pigs, and chickens in Mali. For each livestock disease identified, the disease status under current climate was assessed, including the geographical range of the endemic zone, the rate of disease outbreaks within endemic zones, the mode of pathogen transmission, and the relative economic importance to livestock owners. These served as the baseline for an assessment of the likely change in risk of infection under climate sc ...
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The right climate for development: why the SDGs must act on climate change
This report argues that tackling climate change, poverty eradication and sustainable development has to be integrating and cannot be approached as spate issues.
This report argues that if action is not taken to cut emissions and to support communities to adapt to the changes that they are already experiencing, its impacts will only increase. The new UN Post-2015 development Framework, to be agreed in September 2015, will include a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report argues that this offers a ‘crucial opportunity’ to ensure the threat to poverty reduction from climate ...
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Cities and climate change: National governments enabling local action
OECD, 2014This report explores how enabling policy frameworks at the national level can support critical urban action to combat climate change. It argues that cities have a unique ability to address global climate change challenges and that local action takes place in the context of broader national frameworks that can either empower or slow down city-level action; therefore, supportive national and regional policies and incentives are required to ensure city-level initiatives have sufficient resources and potential to effect meaningful change. The report states that national policies often establish wh ...
Resilience programming among nongovernmental organizations : lessons for policymakers
IFPRI, 2014This food policy report reviews resilience processes, activities, and outcomes by examining a number of case studies of initiatives by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to enhance resilience capacity, and draws implications for policymakers and other stakeholders looking to strengthen resilience. It argues that resilience building relies on integrated programming, which is defined as a cross-sectoral approach with a long-term commitment to improving the three critical capacities: absorptive capacity (disaster risk management), adaptive capacity (longer-term livelihood investments), and tran ...
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Islands of the future: building resilience in a changing world
UNESCO, 2014This booklet outlines UNESCO's activities in small island developing States (SIDS), covering the period from 2006-2013. It features chapters on: (i) promoting quality education in islands; (ii) building island resilience; (iii) valuing and sharing island heritage and identities; (iv) building knowledge societies in islands; (v) enabling island cohesion and social well-being; (vi) managing natural resources for a sustainable future; and (vii) the UNESCO participation programme in SIDS.
On resilience, the booklet underlines the particular vulnerability of SIDS to disasters, which ...
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Planning climate resilient coastal cities: learnings from Panaji and Visakhapatnam, India
This working paper is a result of TERI’s year-long study which aimed to develop and test approaches that can increase resilience of infrastructure assets and the services they provide in developing nations. Chapter 1 of the working paper provides a brief introduction to the project. Chapter 2 and 3 provide an overview of the broad approaches adopted for this year-long assessment in the project cities of Visakhapatnam and Panaji. For each step of the study, the experiences and challenges have been summarized with an objective of sharing the learning from the project and deriving lessons for pra ...
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Agroforestry, livestock, fodder production and climate change adaptation and mitigation in East Africa : issues and options
This working paper argues that agroforestry and livestock-keeping both have the potential to promote anthropogenic climate change resilience and support each other in this context.
The paper discusses relevant issues in East Africa, where recent agroforestry interventions to support livestock keeping have included the planting of mostly-exotic tree-fodders, and where most parts of the region are expected to become drier in the next decades, although smaller areas may become wetter. It argues that wider cultivation and improved management of fodder trees provides adaptation and mitigatio ...
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Changing Small Island Developing States : a space perspective on environmental change in the Caribbean
This publication focuses on high-resolution imagery processed to illustrate the impacts on Small Island Developing States of the Caribbean of climate change, sea-level rise, coral bleaching, uncontrolled urban and tourism development, severe deforestation and selected natural hazards such as earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding and landslides. Through a series of case studies the report, written in English and Spanish, documents environmental changes in estuaries, mangroves, corals, coastlines and forests; as well as different approaches to land use and conservation; urbanization, tourism infrast ...
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Sixth Session of the Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management : Chair's summary
This summary provides the Chair’s assessment of the main points of the key issues discussed during the Pacific Platform for Disaster Risk Management, held in Suva, Fiji on 2–4 June 2014.
It presents (i) the findings of a ten-year review of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) in the region; (ii) a summary of a High-level dialogue between prominent representatives of Fiji, French Polynesia, New Zealand and Thailand, addressing community resilience building and the role of leaders in this agenda; (iii) the perspectives of the Pacific region on the consultation process around the ...
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Building climate resilience : a training manual for community based climate change adaptation
This training manual aims to provide climate change adaptation trainers and learners with a practice-based adaptation knowledge, and a process to assess, analyze, and plan for focused climate change adaptation initiatives within their work profiles. The manual is sectioned into four training modules, setting a common understanding around climate change concepts, vocabulary and sectorial adaptation frameworks, then moving to more integrated knowledge regarding enabling environments for community adaptation and resilience building. Each module is comprised of several learning sessions and each s ...
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Climate change, crop production and child under nutrition in Ethiopia; a longitudinal panel study: In BMC Public Health, 14:884
2014Background: The amount and distribution of rainfall and temperature influences household food availability, thus increasing the risk of child under nutrition. However, few studies examined the local spatial variability and the impact of temperature and rainfall on child under nutrition at a smaller scale (resolution). We conducted this study to evaluate the effect of weather variables on child under nutrition and the variations in effects across the three agro ecologies of Ethiopia.
Methods: A longitudinal panel study was conducted. We used crop productions (cereals and oilseeds), lives ...
How the United Nations System Supports Ambitious Action on Climate Change : The United Nations System Delivering as One on Climate Change and Sustainable Development
United Nations, 2014
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Keeping track of adaptation actions in Africa: targeted fiscal stimulus actions making a difference
This report argues that investment in climate change adaptation can help ensure that the impacts of climate change do not reverse decades of development progress in Africa.
It presents practical examples of successful low-cost adaptation solutions from around sub-Saharan Africa. The report includes examples of successful adaptation projects that have provided the impetus for large-scale government investments and policy action. According to the report, by 2050 Africa's population will have doubled to 2 billion people, the majority of which will still largely depend on agriculture for th ...
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Global estimates 2014: people displaced by disasters
This document addresses the need for coordinated approaches to prevent, manage and respond to the enormous challenge of disaster-induced internal displacement. It is an essential contribution to the knowledge of the scale and impacts of rapid-onset disasters.
It provides a solid evidence base for understanding global patterns and trends in displacement, and to inform frameworks for the achievement of post-2015 goals on disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. It also underscores the need for climate change adaptation plans and donor commitments that give due attenti ...
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Meta-analysis of crop responses to conservation agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa
The aim of this study is to compare and combine the results from different conservation agriculture experiments using meta-analysis in the hope of identifying patterns among study results, sources of disagreement among those results, or interesting relationships that may come to light in the context of the different studies.
Conservation agriculture involves reduced or no-tillage, permanent soil cover and crop rotations to enhance soil fertility and crop yields. Conservation agriculture practices are increasingly promoted on smallholder farms in sub-Saharan Africa as a means to overcome ...
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Facing Uncertainty : the value of climate information for adaptation, risk reduction and resilience in Africa
This report puts participatory scenario planning (PSP - a multi-stakeholder platform for making seasonal climate forecasts useful) into the broader context of climate communication, with a focus on Africa.
It is aimed at new users and intermediaries interested in integrating climate information into adaptation, resilience, disaster risk reduction (DRR), early warning, agriculture and other sector-based development programmes and related work. It explains why and how climate information is a valuable resource for informing responses to climate variability and change. Based on lessons fro ...
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Climate change in Central and South America : recent trends, future projections, and impacts on regional agriculture
Central and South America. The report assesses the implications of climate change for agriculture, with a particular focus on those aspects of climate change that will have greatest impact on the crops currently grown in each region. The study investigated the ability of General Circulation Models (GCMs) and downscaled climate change scenarios to reproduce already observed climates, to establish the reliability of future climate projections, as well as projections of how associated crops might grow under future conditions.
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The Vulnerability Sourcebook : concept and guidelines for standardised vulnerability assessments
The Vulnerability Sourcebook sourcebook provides a standardised approach to vulnerability assessments covering a broad range of sectors and topics (e.g. water sector, agriculture, fisheries, different ecosystems) as well as different spatial levels (community, sub-national, national) and time horizons (e.g. current vulnerability or vulnerability in the medium- to long-term). It refers to vulnerability as ‘the degree to which a system is susceptible to, and unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes. Vulnerability is a function of the char ...
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A catalyst for change: how the Hyogo Framework for Action has promoted disaster risk reduction in South East Europe
Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, the ; United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR); World Bank the - GFDRR, 2014This report celebrates some of the many achievements made in the South East Europe (SEE) region in the context of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters (HFA), and suggests areas for further development and improvement. It is set in the context of the South Eastern Europe Disaster Risk Mitigation and Adaptation Programme (SEEDRMAP) and aims to present some evidence-based elements of success and key regional achievements in addressing the HFA, as well as highlighting areas for further work at regional and national level. The res ...
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The IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report : what’s in it for Small Island Developing States?
This report distils the richest material on climate impacts and trends in small islands, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS)’ experiences in adaptation and mitigation from the thousands of pages of the Fifth Assessment Report and complemented with similar, peer reviewed case studies from such countries. It aims to make the IPCC’s important material more accessible and usable and responds to wide demand for this type of information.
The guide is part of a suite of materials to promote the key findings of the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report, which include companion volumes f ...
Assessing the costs of climate change and adaptation in South Asia
This report synthesizes the results of country and sector studies on the economic costs and benefits of unilateral and regional actions on climate change in ADB’s six South Asia developing members, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The study takes into account the different scenarios and impacts projected across vulnerable sectors and estimates the total economic loss throughout the 21st century and amount of funding required for adaptation measures to avert such potential losses. It is envisioned to strengthen decision-making capacities and improve understa ...
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Linking food security, climate adaptation and carbon management : a case study from Indonesia
Suni Yulius P.K.; Lassa Jonatan A.; Institute of Resource Governance and Social Change (IRGSC) - IRGSC, 2014This paper addresses the reduction of carbon emission as a global climate mitigation imperative and considers the negative impacts of climate change on food production. It argues that, in order to ensure that climate adaptation, food security and climate mitigation objectives are mutually achieved, local level intervention is necessary.
The case study shows local level action where efforts achieving food security through mutual adoption of climate adaptation (e.g. drought and soil erosion management through land and water conservation measures) and carbon mitigation. The resear ...
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Climate variability, adaptation strategies and food security in Malawi
This study has a focus on climate adaptation strategies for farmers in Malawi.
This paper assesses farmers’ incentives and conditioning factors that hinder or promote adaptation strategies and evaluates its impact on crop productivity by utilizing household level data collected in 2011 from nationally representative sample households in Malawi. The study distinguishes between (i) exposure to climatic disruptions, (ii) bio-physical sensitivity to such disruptions, (iii) household adaptive capacity in terms of farmers’ ability to prepare and adjust to the resulting stress, and, finally, ( ...
Climate Data Management System Specifications
This publication establishes a framework defining the functionality required within a climate data management system (CDMS). A CDMS is an integrated computer-based system that facilitates the effective archival, management, analysis, delivery and utilization of a wide range of integrated climate data.
Canada in a changing climate: sector perspectives on impacts and adaptation
Government of Canada, 2014This report focuses on new information and knowledge, assessing advances made in understanding climate change impacts and adaptation from a sectoral perspective, based primarily on literature published up to the end of 2012. It draws from the individual chapters of Canada's national-scale science assessment of climate change impacts and adaptation, which include an overview of Canada’s changing climate (Ch. 2), thematic chapters focused on sectors (Ch. 3 to 8) and the concluding chapter on adaptation research and practice (Ch. 9). The rest of the synthesis is structured around high-level concl ...
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50 years of urbanization in Africa : examining the role of climate change
This paper documents a significant impact of climate variation on urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa, primarily in more arid countries. By lowering farm incomes, reduced moisture availability encourages migration to nearby cities, while wetter conditions slow migration. The paper also provides evidence for rural-urban income links. In countries with a larger industrial base, reduced moisture shrinks the agricultural sector and raises total incomes in nearby cities. However, if local cities are entirely dependent on servicing agriculture so their fortunes move with those of agriculture, reduced ...
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Climate finance in Ethiopia
Addis Ababa University ; Horn of Africa Regional Environment Centre and Network (HoA-REC&N) ; Overseas Development Institute (ODI) - ODI, 2014This report presents the findings of a study that has explored climate finance delivery in Ethiopia. For the first time, estimates of the level of climate change relevant expenditures that appear in the national budget are presented, and their policy and institutional impacts analyzed.
The report indicates there are major challenges for Ethiopia to finance its response to climate change as there appears to be a major financing gap caused by the difference in the national Climate Resilient Green Economy strategy and the national budgetary resources for climate change-relevant act ...
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Policy Research Working Paper, 6916. Climate change, conflict, and cooperation : global analysis of the resilience of international river treaties to increased water variability
World Bank, 2014Although water variability has already been observed across river basins, climate change is predicted to increase variability. Such environmental changes may aggravate political tensions, especially in regions that are not equipped with an appropriate institutional apparatus. Increased variability is also likely to challenge regions with existing institutional capacity. This paper argues that the best attempts to assess the ability of states to deal with variability in the future rest with considering how agreements have fared in the past. The paper investigates to what extent particular mecha ...
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Climate change and sustainable water management in central Asia
Asian Development Bank (ADB) - ADB, 2014
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Integrating urban agriculture and forestry into climate change action plans: Lessons from Sri Lanka
This case study aims to illustrate how the Western Province in Sri Lanka is promoting urban and peri-urban agriculture and forestry as a strategy to reduce vulnerability to climate change, while at the same time enhancing urban liveability and livelihoods. Key messages include that the province is promoting the rehabilitation of flood zones through their productive use as a strategy to improve storm water infiltration and mitigate flood risks. It is recommended that future upscaling of these interventions will need new urban design concepts and the development of a provincial climate change ...
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Local approaches to harmonising climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction policies: Lessons from India
The Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS) conducted research in the disaster-prone arid zones of India, Leh and Barmer to determine how best to overcome the challenges of integrating effective disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation into development planning. This brief describes the team’s research and observations, and suggests how other communities can address similar challenges by using windows of opportunity in post-disaster situations. The paper argues that special planning and response mechanisms need to be developed at the national level to meet the ...
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A review of droughts in the African continent: a geospatial and long-term perspective: In Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions, 11
2014This paper presents a review and analysis of the available literature and information on droughts to build a perspective on geospatial and temporal variation of droughts in Africa. The study is based on the review and analysis of droughts occurred during 1900–2013 as well as evidence available from past centuries based on studies on the lake sediment analysis, tree-ring chronologies and written and oral histories and future predictions from the global climate change models. The paper argues that the available evidence from the past shows that the African continent is likely to face extreme and ...
Operational plan for integrated disaster risk management 2014–2020
Asian Development Bank (ADB) - ADB, 2014This operational plan highlights the urgent need to enhance the management of residual disaster risk, including through the establishment of adequate disaster risk financing arrangements. It outlines a series of crosscutting actions to address these needs, focusing on institutionalizing integrated disaster risk management, strengthening capacity and knowledge, investing in disaster resilience, and engaging stakeholders. The operational plan recognizes the importance of reducing disaster risk in both the immediate and long term, taking the possible effects of climate change into account.
Glacier status in Nepal and decadal change from 1980 to 2010 based on landsat data
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD); Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway Government - Norway - government, 2014This report provides information on the change in glacial extent over the past decade and quantitative data to support discussion of climate change impacts in the Nepal Himalayas. It presents a comprehensive account of the status of glaciers of Nepal in approximately 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010 based on a semi-automatic standardized analysis of satellite images with post-processing database management in ArcGIS.
Clean-ice and debris-covered glaciers were used to support studies of water resources assessment and climate change impact as mountain areas are particularly vulnerable t ...
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Natural catastrophes and man-made disasters in 2013 : large losses from floods and hail; Haiyan hits the Philippines
This Sigma report gives a global and regional overview of catastrophes in 2013 when almost 26,000 people died in disasters. It also takes a special look at fostering climate change resilience. Typhoon Haiyan was the biggest humanitarian catastrophe of the year and Asia had the highest economic losses. Worldwide economic losses from catastrophes worldwide were US$ 140 billion in 2013. The report predicts that climate change could contribute to rising losses in the future as the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events increase. It is argued that dealing with climate change requires a r ...
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Water resources - management and strategies in Nigeria: In AFRREV STECH, Vol. 3(1)
This journal paper focuses on water development. It argues that because of the lack of sound early development policy and meaningful investments, the rational use of water resources poses a great problem and challenge to the country. The River Basin Development Authorities, set up to manage the resources, along with the state government ministries and the private sector have all impacted on the management of water resources. The paper examines the sources of surface and ground water resources in Nigeria; the goal and present organisation of water management in Nigeria groundwater protection an ...
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Exploring the role of climate science in supporting long-term adaptation and decision-making in sub-Saharan Africa
The working paper is intended to identify key gaps in science and capacity to feed into the scoping phase of the Future Climate For Africa (FCFA) programme. It brings together information from 1) A review of articles and ‘grey’ (unpublished) literature on knowledge gaps and areas needed to support the capacity of African decision-makers and 2) Two regional activities: a workshop in and a side-event to the Africa Climate Change Conference 2013 in Arusha, Tanzania.
It argues that ensuring that policy-makers are able to respond to the medium- and long-term implications of climate change is ...
Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change
Concluding four years of intense scientific collaboration by hundreds of authors from around the world, this report responds to the request of the world's governments for a comprehensive, objective and policy neutral assessment of the current scientific knowledge on mitigating climate change.
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Planning for the future and adapting to climate change in Ethiopia: lessons from ACCRA
This briefing paper discusses ACCRA's activities in promoting pro-poor and participatory climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in planning processes. It argues that policymakers face difficult trade-offs in planning for a changing and uncertain future. Yet many development actors continue to plan for the near-term, with little room for manoeuvre or contingency. The paper focuses specifically on one specific characteristic of adaptive capacity in order to help decision makers and planners to better prepare themselves for the future: Flexible and Forward-Looking Decision Making ( ...
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Using cost−benefit analysis to inform climate change adaptation projects
This paper argues that cost–benefit analysis (CBA) helps inform decisions about projects, such as whether to proceed with a project or not, which project option to select, and what refinements can be made to improve project design – thus making them more effective. It also argues that CBA can also help to assess and incorporate the risk and uncertainty of climate variability and climate change into project decision making. The most effective, it says that CBA should be included as a key component of the project cycle right from the beginning, involving multidisciplinary teams, and support from ...
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Vulnerability profiling of cities: a framework for climate-resilient urban development in India
This working paper presents a holistic approach for how a city can customise its rapid vulnerability assessment in order to understand what is required for building climate resilience. The framework can be used to highlight the potential impact of climate change on urban services arising from the geographical setting of a city; the nature, size and density of its settlements; and the existing coping capacity of its society and governance system. The paper argues that the situation is aggravated by growing urban populations, high urban poverty and backlogs in the provision of basic infrastructu ...
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How to scale out community-based adaptation to climate change
This working paper explains how to increase the scale and impact of community-based adaptation (CBA). It argues that CBA is a viable way to build communities’ resilience to climate change, particularly those most vulnerable to its impacts. CBA puts them in the driving seat when it comes to designing and delivering adaptation options. However, until recently, analysis of the impacts beyond the immediate beneficiaries was not possible because not enough CBA projects had been implemented. As a result, most of the lessons about best practice have yet to be scaled out or included in wider developm ...
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What does it take to mainstream disaster risk management in key sectors?
This guide draws on the experience of CDKN’s programmes on climate-related disaster risk management (DRM) within the context of climate compatible development. It explores why mainstreaming DRM into development policy has had widely varying results between countries. In doing so, this guide attempts to delve beneath the surface of mainstreaming and identify the ways forward for integrating short- and long-term considerations for disaster risk reduction in important development sectors.
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A global overview of case studies with a focus on infrastructure: economics of climate adaptation - shaping climate-resilient development
This paper overviews the case studies evaluating economics of climate adaptation (ECA) and ranging from assessments of tropical cyclone and storm surge risk in New York to drought risk in India and flash flood risk in Guyana. The ECA methodology is a guide that addresses the questions of climate-related losses and preventive measures to avert these losses in a more systematic way. Looking ahead to 2030 or 2050, it provides decision makers with the facts to understand the total climate risk in their region and design an appropriate adaptation strategy. It highlights that decision makers need th ...
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United Nations World Water Development Report 2014: Water and Energy, Volume 1
This report provides an overview of major and emerging trends from around the world, with examples of how some of the trend-related challenges have been addressed, their implications for policy-makers, and further actions that can be taken by stakeholders and the international community. It argues that water and energy are closely interconnected and highly interdependent. Choices made and actions taken in one domain can greatly affect the other, positively or negatively. Trade-offs need to be managed to limit negative impacts and foster opportunities for synergy. The argument is given that wat ...
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What climate change means for farmers in Africa: A triptych review middle panel: Introductional matters and consequences of global warming for African farmers: In African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development (Vol. 14 No. 1)
This paper deals with the consequences of climate change for farmers in Africa, including increasing temperatures and changing rainfall, increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide content and impacts on agricultural production. The paper attempts to illustrate local conditions that must be taken into account to understand the impacts/consequences of climate change for African farmers and how they may cope with them. The review is in three parts; climate change is approached by dealing with the three sides from which the danger comes: (i) global warming, (ii) increasing climate variability, (iii) mo ...
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Building urban resilience to climate change in the secondary cities in Indonesia
Lassa Jonatan A.; Nugraha Erwin; Institute of Resource Governance and Social Change (IRGSC) - IRGSC, 2014This paper investigates the evolution of institutional transformation and policy change in the area of planing and building resilience to climate change in the Bandar Lampung City, Indonesia. It highlights the experience on how the city adapting to climate change through modified urban development policy. The paper also discusses challenges, barriers, and policy gaps in city-scale climate adaptation planning.
Arctic Ocean acidification 2013: an overview
This overview report presents a summary of the first comprehensive assessment of Arctic Ocean acidification (AOA) conducted by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP).
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Drought in Jalna: community-based adaptation to extreme climate events in Maharashtra
This booklet is based on outcomes from a two-year Indo-Norwegian research and capacity development project titled, ‘Extreme Risks, Vulnerabilities and Community-Based Adaptation in India (EVA)’. The findings draw upon empirical data from rural communities in Jalna District in the dryland region of Marathwada of Maharashtra.
CH2014 - Impacts: toward quantitative scenarios of climate change impacts in Switzerland
Alda Erik - Switzerland Government, 2014This report aims to contribute to a future comprehensive quantitative depiction of potential climate change impacts in Switzerland, from which the impacted community can draw upon to inform and support stakeholders and policymakers. The report compiles quantitative information from multiple fields, based on common climate scenarios. It is thus an effort toward building a set of quantitative scenarios of climate change impacts in Switzerland, in analogy to the CH2011 climate scenarios.
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Planning for an uncertain future: promoting adaptation to climate change through flexible and forward-looking decision making
This report outlines key findings and makes recommendations on how to better support decision-making processes for understanding climate change adaptation and implementing emerging researched approach - Flexible and Forward-looking Decision Making (FFDM). The report describes three case studies conducted in Kotido, Uganda, in Gemechis, Ethiopia, and in Guijá, Mozambique outlining the use of FFDM as well as the effectiveness and limitations of a game-enabled reflection approach in capacity-building activities.
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The economics of climate change adaptation in Africa’s water sector: a review and way forward
This working paper summarizes existing work on the costs and benefits of climate change adaptation for the water sector in Africa. It reviews adaptation cost estimates for the continent and the main economic appraisal methods used, then summarizes results. It focuses on adaptation to climate impacts on the water sector, such as damage to water infrastructure, rather than impacts from water on other sectors, such as agricultural drought.
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Impact of climate change on agriculture and food crops: options for climate smart agriculture and local adaptation in East NusaTenggara, Indonesia
This paper highlights the impact of climate change on agriculture. It argues that the erratic climate of the region has strongly impacted the local food system especially the seed availability and therefore food security in general. This paper identifies some of the innovation in water use efficiency, water management at crop levels, and proposes some agriculture interventions in order to achieve a sustainable local seed systems, participatory breeding, livestock adaptation measures and improvement of existing agroforestry as well as knowledge management.
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The changing architecture of international climate change law
This chapter offers a bird’s eye view of the overall architecture of international climate change law. Following a discussion of the defining features of climate change law, it discusses the origins and development of the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and subsequent arrangements adopted under its auspices, notably the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and the 2010 Cancún Agreements. The chapter shows that while the UNFCCC process has grown more complex over time – in terms of its rules, institutions and the actors involved – so has international climate change law and g ...
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Moving from water problems to water solutions: research needs assessment for the eastern Gangetic Plains : proceedings of the international workshop
The CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (WLE), led by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), and partners organized a two day international workshop which was held on May 7- 8, 2013. The workshop titled “Moving from Water Problems to Water Solutions: Research Needs Assessment for the Eastern Gangetic Plains” focused on reviewing the state of knowledge, institutions and successful practices to enhance productivity of land and water resources within the region. The proceedings of the workshop are highlighted in this report.
WMO Statement on the status of the global climate in 2013
The dramatic impact of climate variability and climate change continued to be felt all over the world throughout 2013.The WMO Statement on the Status of the Global Climate in 2013 pro¬vides a snapshot of global and regional trends in weather and climate over the past year and highlights some of the year’s most significant extreme events.
Stratégie de l’OMM en matière de prestation de services et plan de mise en oeuvre
Les Membres de l’OMM savent l’importance que revêt la qualité de la prestation de services liés au temps, au climat, à l’eau et à l’environnement. L’Organisation facilite la coordination internationale, fixe des normes pour les produits météorologiques et hydrologiques et guide la prestation de services. Bien que de grands progrès aient été accomplis à cet égard, les Membres ont estimé qu’il fallait uniformiser et structurer davantage l’élaboration et la fourniture des services. En conséquence, le Seizième Congrès météorologique mondial (mai–juin 2011) a approuvé la Stratégie de l’OMM en matiè ...
Стратегия ВМО в области предоставления обслуживания и план ее осуществления
Страны — члены ВМО признают важность предоставления высококачественного обслуживания в области погоды, климата, воды и окружающей среды. ВМО содействует международной координации усилий, устанавливает стандарты для метеорологической и гидрологической продукции и обеспечивает руководство по предоставлению обслуживания. Несмотря на то, что в этом отношении были достигнуты определенные значительные успехи, страны-члены согласились с тем, что требуется более единообразный и структурированный подход к развитию и предоставлению обслуживания.
Apoyo del sistema de las Naciones Unidas a ambiciosas medidas en materia de cambio climático : El sistema de las Naciones Unidas, unido en la acción ante el cambio climático y en pro del desarrollo sostenible
Naciones Unidas, 2014
WMO 2013年 全球气候状况 声明
在2013年，世界各地的人们继续感受到气 候变率和气候变化带来的巨大影响。《WMO关 于2013年度气候状况声明》盘点了过去一年天 气与气候的全球和区域趋势，重点突出了2013 年一些最显著的极端事件。
بيان املنظمة العاملية لألرصاد اجلوية عن حالة املناخ العاملي في 2013
طفق العالم يشعر طوال عام 2013 بالآثار الكبيرة المترتبة على تقلبية المناخ وتغيره. ويقدم بيان المنظمة العالمية للأرصاد الجوية عن حالة المناخ العالمي في 2013 صورة للاتجاهات العالمية والإقليمية للطقس والمناخ طوال العام الماضي، ويبرز بعضاً من أهم الظواهر المتطرفة التي شهدها العام الماضي.
Заявление ВМО о состоянии глобального климата в 2013 году
Значительное воздействие изменчивости и измене- ния климата продолжало ощущаться во всем мире на протяжении 2013 г. В Заявлении ВМО о состоянии глобального климата в 2013 г. представлена общая картина глобальных и региональных трендов в погоде и климате за прошедший год и освещаются некоторые из наиболее значимых экстремальных явлений года.
Declaración de la OMM sobre el estado del clima mundial en 2013
Los graves efectos de la variabilidad del clima y del cambio climático continuaron sintiéndose en todo el mundo durante 2013. La Declaración de la OMM sobre el estado del clima mundial de 2013 ofrece un panorama de las tendencias meteorológicas y climáticas mundiales y regionales durante el último año y destaca algunos de los fenómenos extremos más significativos de 2013.
Déclaration de l’OMM sur l’état du climat mondial en 2013
Tout au long de 2013, la variabilité du climat et le changement climatique ont eu des répercussions considérables dans le monde entier. La Déclaration de l’OMM sur l’état du climat mondial en 2013 donne un aperçu de l’évolution du temps et du climat à l’échelle mondiale et régionale pendant l’année écoulée et met en lumière certains des phénomènes extrêmes les plus significatifs.
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