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Big data for climate change and disaster resilience: realising the benefits for developing countries
This synthesis report explores the opportunities, challenges and required steps for leveraging the new ecosystem of Big Data to monitor and detect hazards, mitigate their effects, and assist in relief efforts. Ultimately the goal is to build resilience so that vulnerable communities and countries as complex human ecosystems not only ‘bounce back’ but also learn to adapt to maintain equilibrium in the face of natural hazards.
Assessing the impacts of temporal resolution of precipitation forcing data on the surface energy and water balance
In urban climate research, spatial and temporal variability of precipitation is always a critical element for numerical modelling. However, the effects of temporal resolution of precipitation forcing data has received little attention. Moreover, there has always been a difference practically and theoretically in the availability of precipitation data. This study was carried out to assess the impact of temporal resolution of precipitation forcing data on the modelled surface energy and water balance using available data from a site at the Strand campus of Kings College London. Analysis has been ...
Investigating apparent aerosol effects on precipitation in climate model simulations
Aerosols in the atmosphere serve as condensation nuclei for the cloud formation. This brings an important influence on the microphysical properties of cloud water that in turn affect the processes in the formation of precipitation. Aerosol-cloud-precipitation interaction which simultaneously change cloud albedo interest many studies to find out aerosol impact on precipitation formation. The studies were done by observation measurement and simulation. UK Met Office Unified Model (UM) is one model that includes aerosol direct and indirect effect in the NWP configuration which leads to study aero ...
Arctic drives new era in climate and weather services
The Arctic is changing. Melting sea ice, thawing perma¬frost and a greening tundra are some of the consequences of Arctic temperatures that have been higher in the past few decades than at any other time over the past 2000 years. Unanticipated alterations in weather patterns and ocean currents are driving changes both on land and in the oceans.
Satellites for Climate Services: case studies for establishing an architecture for climate monitoring from space
The report describes case studies that demonstrate the direct or indirect value of Earth observation satellites for climate services.
Metaguidelines for water and climate change: for practitioners in Asia and the Pacific
Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF) ; Asian Development Bank (ADB); Global Water Partnership (GWP) - 2015This document identifies five key principles and corresponding actions to address climate change impacts on water and land resources in the region, focusing on what to do and why it should be done. These are: Usable knowledge; No regret investment; Resilience; Mitigation and adaptation; Financing. It addresses how the recommended actions can be implemented, with a focus on practical solutions illustrated by case studies from Asia and the Pacific.
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High mountain adaptation partnership: lessons learned in Nepal and Peru
This report details the lessons learned during the implementation of the High Mountains Adaptation Partnership (HiMAP)(www.highmountains.org) project between March 2012 and June 2015. Located under the broader USAID Climate Change Resilient Development (CCRD) project, the goal of the HiMAP is to strengthen the climate change adaptation capacities of people who live in, or are dependent on, high mountain glacial watersheds and the ecosystem services which they provide. The document is intended to be a resource for USAID Missions, donors, practitioners, and NGOs interested in learning more about ...
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Climate resilient infrastructure services: lessons learned
The Climate Resilient Infrastructure Services (CRIS) program was an initiative of USAID’s Climate Change Resilient Development (CCRD) project. CRIS worked to improve the ability of cities in developing countries to provide reliable and sustainable infrastructure services that support smart and lasting development, even in a changing climate. For two-and-a-half years the CRIS program worked with cities to develop, test, and implement approaches to improve the climate resilience of infrastructure services. These services—which include transportation, water, sanitation and waste management, energ ...
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Assessing the evidence: Migration, environment and climate change in Papua New Guinea
This national assessment brings together existing evidence on the migration, environment and climate change nexus in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
The report provides a review of environmental migration materialised in local realities and compiles data from a wide variety of sources, including government policy documents, academic research, working papers and other publications and research carried out by national and international organizations, NGOs and research institutions.
An overview of PNG’s exposure to environmental and climatic changes is provided, as well as t ...
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How can climate change vulnerability assessments best impact policy and planning? Lessons from Indonesia
This research looks at climate change vulnerability assessments (CCVAs) conducted in cities across Indonesia.
Two models are explored: one that was deployed in the cities of Semarang and Bandar Lampung through the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) programme, and another developed by UNDP and implemented by Yayasan Kota Kita in Manado and Makassar. They vary in duration, funding, emphasis on shared learning, stakeholder involvement, and external support; studying them helps indicate how different processes may have different impacts upon decision-making and ...
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Extreme weather and resilience of the global food system
This report examines the resilience of the global food system to extreme weather.
This summary is built on three detailed reports and presents evidence that the global food system is vulnerable to production shocks caused by extreme weather, and that this risk is growing. It highlights evidence that our reliance on increasing volumes of global trade, whilst having many benefits, also creates structural vulnerability via a liability to amplify production shocks in some circumstances. It argues that action is needed to improve the resilience of the global food system to weather-re ...
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School of Economics and Finance Working paper, 08/2015. Natural disasters and climate change in the Pacific island countries : new non-monetary measurements of impacts
In this article, the author tabulates and measures the burden of disasters on the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) by aggregating and comparing the data found in the two global datasets on disaster impacts.
The paper shows that the most commonly used dataset greatly underestimates the burden of disasters for the Pacific islands. Next, it describes a new index that aggregates disaster impacts, calculates this index for the PICs, and then compares the burden of disasters for the island countries of the Pacific with the island countries of the Caribbean. This comparison demonstrates ...
Human rights, climate change and cross-border displacement : the role of the international human rights community in contributing to effective and just solutions
The Policy Brief is primarily aimed at a human rights audience, and intends to both inform human rights policymakers and provide guidance on how international human rights law, institutions and mechanisms might contribute to more effective, just and sustainable policy responses (at the international and national levels) to climate change and crossborder displacement.
It reflects primary and secondary research; the outcome of a meeting during the 25th session of the Human Rights Council (the Council) on the ‘human rights implications of displacement in the context of disasters’ o ...
Monitoring and evaluating climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in Uganda
This scoping study report is an analysis of the monitoring and evaluation frameworks and tools in Uganda with focus on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. It provides an overview of Uganda’s climate change and other related policy context and their provisions for monitoring and evaluation frameworks. The report also highlights the current reporting systems and the mandates of different institutions for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. The tools and systems used for data and information collection, processing, reporting, storage and dissemination are hig ...
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Does adaptation finance invest in disaster risk reduction?
This report argues that there is a gap for disaster risk reduction (DRR) financing, which could be filled by adaptation funds that have the capacity to invest directly in DRR activities and to integrate DRR into their other activities.
It suggests that water and coastal protection are the sectors where DRR is most integrated. DRR investments through adaptation funds appear to be more focused on the poorest countries in comparison to DRR finance from international aid.
This was particularly the case for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). DRR channelled through ...
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The (mis) allocation of public spending in a low income country : Evidence from disaster risk reduction spending in Bangladesh
This paper focuses on the regional allocation of public spending for disaster risk reduction (DRR) in Bangladesh.
The objective is to identify all of the directly observable determinants’ of publicly allocated and realized spending at the local government (sub-district) level. The Heckman two stage selection model is used with detailed public finance and other data from 483 sub-districts (upazilas) across the country. It is found that government does not respond to the sub-district’s risk exposure as a factor affecting the DRR financing mechanism. The DRR regional allocations do ...
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Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction : success or warning sign for Paris?
This report reviews and discusses the agreed commitments and targets, as well as the negotiation leading to the Sendai Framework for DRR (SFDRR).
It discusses briefly its implication for the later UN-led negotiations on sustainable development goals and climate change, including the Conference of Parties taking place in Paris, France at the end of 2015.
SFDRR was adopted by UN Member States in March 2015 and was the first major agreement of the post-2015 development agenda, with seven targets and four priorities for action: 1) Understanding disaste ...
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Migration and natural resource scarcity within the context of climate variability in West Africa
Drawing from research in rural north-western Benin, this policy brief looks at the effect of migration on the in-land fisheries subsector.
It emphasizes the need for effective participation of all stakeholders in the management of natural resources to improve livelihoods in the region facing population growth and climate variability.
The brief highlights that migration – internal and international – is an important feature of the social lives of people across West Africa. While movements within the subregion are generally due to complex and multi-causal factors, n ...
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Agricultural vulnerability to climate change in Sokoto State, Nigeria: In African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
Atedhor G.O. - Oxford Policy Management, 2015This paper examines agricultural vulnerability to climate change in eight selected rural settlements in Sokoto State, Nigeria.
An integrated approach is used which combines environmental and socio-economic determinants. Results show that while there were downward trends of annual rainfall and raindays in Sokoto, annual mean temperatures show upward trend. Annual droughts were of slight and moderate intensities during the period under review. The results also revealed that unreliable rainfall, desertification, increasing temperatures, scarcity of pastures and inaccessibility to c ...
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Climate finance and water security: Synthesis report
This synthesis report summarises research on how climate finance has been spent so far, and whether or not it has been spent on improving people’s water security.
The report highlights that the global community has committed to mobilise US $100 billion every year, from 2020 onwards. The study aims to identify the type and scale of national and subnational programmes and projects that have been funded by climate finance and how they relate to local water security. Findings are summarised from three case studies in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Zambia.
There is a brief d ...
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Can green growth really work and what are the true (socio-) economics of climate change?
Hoffmann Ulrich - United Nations, 2015This paper argues that growth, technological, population-expansion and governance constraints as well as some key systemic issues cast doubt ‘green growth’ hopes.
It argues that such an evolutionary (and often reductionist) approach may well not be sufficient to cope with the complexities of climate change. It may rather give much false hope and excuses to do nothing really fundamental that should bring about a turn around on global GHG emissions.
The paper argues that climate change calls into question the global equality of opportunity for prosperity and is thus ...
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Case study: Nepal’s agriculture, climate change and food security
Grist N. - Evidence on Demand, 2015This brief is a country case study of Nepal produced alongside the DFID Topic Guide on Climate Change, Food Security and Agriculture. It highlights how climate change affects the situation of food security and agriculture in Nepal. The aim is to provide country offices with specific guidance on activities, barriers and opportunities for integrating climate change and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) approaches within the national context.
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Selection of climate policies under the uncertainties in the Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC: In Nature Climate Change, Letters
This paper is based on the premise that strategies for dealing with climate change must incorporate and quantify all the relevant uncertainties, and be designed to manage the resulting risks.
It attempts to quantify the uncertainty of mitigation costs, climate change dynamics, and economic damage for alternative carbon budgets. The paper ranks climate policies according to different decision-making criteria concerning uncertainty, risk aversion and intertemporal preferences. The findings are taken to show that preferences over uncertainties are as important as the choice of the ...
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Potential impact of climate and socioeconomic changes on future agricultural land use in West Africa: In Earth Syst. Dynam. Discuss., 6
Copernicus Publications, 2015This study compares the contributions of climate change and socioeconomic development to potential future changes of agricultural land use in West Africa.
It uses a prototype land use projection (LandPro) algorithm which is based on a balance between food supply and demand, and accounts for the impact of socioeconomic drivers on the demand side and the impact of climate-induced crop yield changes on the supply side. It considers the impact of human decision-making on land use.
The paper argues that without agricultural intensification, the climate-induced decrease ...
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A guide to measuring urban risk resilience : Principles, tools and practice of urban indicators
This guidebook describes the principles, tools and practice of developing and implementing urban disaster risk and resilience indicators.
It focuses on the application of three indicator systems of urban risk and resilience which have been developed as complementary tools to communicate risk and promote discussion around appropriate local level risk and resilience strategies at city level: the Urban Disaster Risk Index (UDRi), the Risk Management Index (RMI) and the Disaster Resilience Index (DRI).
The authors present their collective experience and findings in th ...
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Local level planning to cope with heat waves in India: In Southasiadisasters.net, issue no. 132, June 2015
This issue of Southasiadisasters.net focuses on the theme of the 'Risk of Heat Waves and Climate Change in India'. It tries to highlight the phenomena of heat waves from the perspectives of various stakeholders ranging from the local authorities to the vulnerable communities such as street vendors, construction workers, children and the elderly. The Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan has been highlighted as a policy level intervention worth emulating in other Indian cities. Similarly, an anthropological perspective to heat wave planning is also posited.
This issue's contents includes: ( ...
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The Disaster-Knowledge Matrix – Reframing and evaluating the knowledge challenges in disaster risk reduction: In International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Volume 13, September 2015
Elsevier, 2015This study identifies and addresses key challenges concerning monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for climate change adaptation (CCA).
It documents good practices and good practice principles on the development, selection, and use of indicators used in the M&E of adaptation interventions. The study also looks at the steps and contexts M&E personnel should consider when formulating, selecting, adjusting, and/or using indicators. The study also identifies common themes in the literature and gaps in data – including the role of learning in an adaptation M&E system and the identificatio ...
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National climate change adaptation: emerging practices in monitoring and evaluation
Unblocking the climate finance negotiations will unlock a new global agreement on climate change in Paris later this year. Developing countries need to see tangible commitment to providing the finance needed to combat the negative effects of climate change.
As global emissions continue to increase, so does the cost of managing the impact. Africa’s Group of Negotiators (AGN) is positioned to take the lead, consistently presenting common positions for 54 countries. A breakthrough necessitates focus on a key issue that will yield win–win outcomes. The global climate finance architecture, w ...
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Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 outlines seven clear targets and four priorities for action to prevent new and reduce existing disaster risks: (i) Understanding disaster risk; (ii) Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk; (iii) Investing in disaster reduction for resilience and; (iv) Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to "Build Back Better" in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction. It aims to achieve the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physica ...
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Analyzing the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction : International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, June 2015, Volume 6, Issue 2, Special
Springer, 2015These articles represent a first attempt to develop a baseline for understanding, analyzing, praising, and critiquing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) and its progress in implementation.
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Promoting ecosystems for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation : Opportunities for Integration
This discussion paper examines differences and similarities between ecosystem-based approaches to disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) and ecosystem-based approaches to adaptation (EBA).
It suggests key integration points at the project level through examining a number of Eco-DRR, EBA and hybrid (Eco-DRR/CCA) projects. A total of 38 (Eco-DRR, EBA and hybrid Eco-DRR/CCA) projects are examined in terms of their aims, assessments, implementation, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and policy and institutional contexts to understand how in practice these approaches differ and overlap and ...
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The Antalya report : Disaster risk reduction in a changing climate - lessons learned about lessons learned
The report documents the Disaster Risk Reduction Expert Forum 2015: which took place in February 2015 in Antalya, Turkey. The Forum was convened to discuss and share lessons learned about lessons learned about hydro-meteorological disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
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Minimum standards for local climate-smart disaster risk reduction : informing the development of the post-2015 HFA
Red Cross, 2015This paper presents the Minimum Standards for local climate-smart disaster risk reduction and details how they can help trigger action on climate change under the post-2015 HFA framework.
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Planned relocations in the context of natural disasters and climate change : a review of the literature
This paper provides an overview of the literature on case studies on planned relocations. For that purpose, it reviews 38 documents, which present case studies on planned relocations.
The main focus of the study lies on case studies focusing on the first and second category of relocations (1. in anticipation of disasters, environmental change, and/or the effects of climate change, and 2. as a response to disasters, environmental change, and/or the effects of climate change), which this paper will call anticipatory and reactive relocations.
The paper provides an ov ...
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Impact of climate change on food production: options for importing countries
This policy brief identifies possible implications of climate change disturbances on crops and livestock in world production centers by 2030, 2050 and 2080. Most of the studies on food systems under climate change are producer-centric, while this brief looks at options for importing countries, and discusses some recommendations.
The imperative of climate change adaptation for a resilient food system requires institutional, technological and economic transformation not only in food exporting but also food importing countries. Furthermore, mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in ...
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Climate finance for cities: how can international climate funds best support low-carbon and climate resilient urban development?
This paper reviews the approaches taken by multilateral climate funds in the period 2010-2014 to support low-emission and climate-resilient development in developing country cities. It identifies US$842 million in approved climate finance for explicitly urban projects, which equates to just over one in every ten dollars spent on climate finance over these five years. The majority of this finance has supported low-carbon urban transport systems in fast-growing middle-income countries. Adaptation funds financed only a handful of explicitly urban projects in the review period.
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The institutionalisation of climate policy in India: designing a development-focused, co-benefits based approach
This paper examines climate policy in India, its coordination, design and implementation.
It looks at three periods: pre-2007; 2007–2009 and 2010-mid-2014 and several key themes are identified: First, the formation of climate institutions have frequently been driven by international negotiations, even while filtered through domestic context. Second, once established, institutions tend not to be stable or long-lasting. Third, while various efforts at knowledge generation have been attempted, they do not add up to a mechanism for sustained and consistent strategic thinking on clim ...
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The 2015 Global Climate Legislation Study: A review of climate change legislation in 99 Countries – Summary for policy-makers
This study covers national laws and policies directly related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, across 99 countries.
It looks at those passed before 1 January 2015 and covers 33 developed and 66 developing countries; 32 Annex-I and 67 non-Annex-I countries. Taken together, the study countries produce 93 per cent of world emissions, including 46 of the world’s top 50 emitters. They are home to 90 per cent of the world’s forests.
The definition of climate and climate-related laws used in the study reflects the relevance of climate policy f ...
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Climate change-related disasters and human displacement : towards an effective management system
Sciaccaluga Giovanni; International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) - IFRC, 2015The book offers a critique of the dominant trends in thinking about adaptation and climate change, particularly social dimensions.
It presents a framework for making sense of choices around resilience (stability), transition (incremental social change and the exercising of existing rights) and transformation (new rights claims and changes in political regimes).
The resilience– transition–transformation framework is supported by three detailed case study chapters. These also illustrate the diversity of contexts in which adaption is unfolding, from organisations to ...
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Adaptation to climate change: From resilience to transformation
Pelling Mark - Routledge, 2015The book offers a critique of the dominant trends in thinking about adaptation and climate change, particularly social dimensions.
It presents a framework for making sense of choices around resilience (stability), transition (incremental social change and the exercising of existing rights) and transformation (new rights claims and changes in political regimes).
The resilience– transition–transformation framework is supported by three detailed case study chapters. These also illustrate the diversity of contexts in which adaption is unfolding, from organisations to ...
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Transparency and the Paris Agreement : driving ambitious action in the new climate regime
This working paper aims to stimulate the debate around the transparency system in the new climate regime.
It proposes the roles and objectives which the authors see for the transparency system under the new agreement and provides an overview of the current transparency system under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), identifying weaknesses and strengths based on the output generated so far. The paper goes on to develop the main principles of the new transparency system and provides concrete proposals for how to ensure its effective ...
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Building toward breakthrough : Energizing the Paris 2015 climate negotiations and Post-Paris Action Agenda through broader engagement
This working paper argues that raising the trajectory of the 2015 Climate Change Agreement to be concluded in December in Paris demands fresh thinking and an action agenda that goes beyond previous efforts.
It highlights that a truly robust and ambitious Paris outcome must launch a new framework for the global response to climate change that emphasizes broader engagement and celebrates the real progress that mayors, governors, CEOs, and other civil society leaders are already achieving.
The paper presents a model made up of three core components which aims ...
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Overview of climate change adaptation platforms in Europe
European Environment Agency (EEA) - EEA, 2015As adaptation policy progresses in Europe, it is increasingly important, that people have access to relevant and high quality information. A broad range of users consider web-based adaptation platforms an effective means of collecting and sharing experiences and knowledge to interested stakeholders including policymakers, practioners and the general public. The report provides an overview on the state of play of most adaptation platform in Europe including 14 national adaptation platforms. It offers information on the scope, history, targeted users, the selection and presentation of knowledge ...
Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services, Second session : Abridged final report with resolutions
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Community resilience framework : lessons from the field
Swiss NGO DRR Platform, 2015The report presents the main findings from case studies about resilience assessments that were carried out in five countries through workshops: El Salvador, Bolivia, Haiti, Palestine, and Cambodia. It capitalizes on local knowledge and experience and provides important insights not only on how those most at risk build resilience, but also on how they struggle to overcome the barriers that are imposed on them by their natural, socio-political and economic environments. It highlights the range of expertise and commitment for promoting resilience through disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate ...
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Africa's adaptation gap 2 : technical report
While the first Africa Adaptation Gap Report demonstrated how delaying action would result in exponentially rising costs down the road, this second report now turns to possible solutions to respond to this urgency. Based on the analyses contained in this report, policy makers can consider how all options at international, regional and national levels can complement each other.
The report builds on the UNEP 2014 emissions gap report that asserts that by 2050, Africa’s adaptation costs could rise to USD 50 billion per year for a scenario holding global warming below 2°C, and up to ...
Implementing the European Regional Framework for Action to protect health from climate change : a status report
This report provides a snapshot of the implementation status of measures to protect health from climate change in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region by the end of 2012. It describes and summarizes the answers to a survey across the countries.
Water and Climate Change Adaptation in Transboundary Basins : Lessons Learned Lessons Learned and Good Practices and Good Practices
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); International Network of Basin Organizations - United Nations, 2015The APFM has given its contribution to the new publication by UNECE on “Water and Climate Change Adaptation in Transboundary Basins: Lessons Learned and Good Practices”. Launched at the 7th World Water Forum 2015 in Daegu & Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, it follows-up and complements the Guidance on Water and Adaptation to Climate Change.
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