Topics
Sorted by (Issue date descending, Date of update descending, Date of creation descending, Number of collection descending) Add the result to your favourites Refine your search
Stories of success: Piloting a Regional Early Warning System for Increased Resilience in the Lake Victoria Region
HIGHWAY delivers improved early warnings to local communities by using innovative products and leveraging existing scientific expertise of the national meteorological services in the East African Region.
HIGHWAY : High impact weather lake system
HIGHWAY delivers improved early warnings to local communities by using innovative products and leveraging existing scientific expertise of the national meteorological services in the East African Region.
HIGHWAY : High impact weather lake system
HIGHWAY delivers improved early warnings to local communities by using innovative products and leveraging existing scientific expertise of the national meteorological services in the East African Region.
Forecasters' Overview of the Middle East
This lesson provides an introduction to the Middle East for Navy meteorologists. It focuses on the major aspects of synoptic and mesoscale weather patterns, hazards to aviation and maritime operations, geography, oceanography, and climatology. The “Geography” Unit covers major political boundaries, cities, ports, topographical features, rivers, and seismicity. The “Oceanography” Unit includes major bathymetric features, mean sea surface temperature, vertical temperature profiles, salinity and velocity, ocean currents, and tidal ranges. The “Climatology” Unit covers the seasonal climatology of ...
Leveraging the Best Available Science for Increased Effectiveness of Climate Finance
Effective results from climate finance require evidence- and science-based information on the state and behavior of the Earth’s atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, regional climates, and the resulting distribution of water resources. The high demand for such information, however, has led to a fragmented flow of internationally-funded projects that lack operational linkages with broader hydrological and meteorological systems and national-regional-global integration. To address this, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have established an innova ...
Using Climatology in Forecasting Convection in West and Central Africa
This case-study lesson provides an opportunity to apply the information in the ASMET lesson “Satellite-Derived Climatology Products for Monitoring Convection Over West and Central Africa” to a case that occurred over West and Central Africa in June 2014. It demonstrates how to integrate climatology information with satellite, global instability indices (GII), and NWP data when convection is forecast to occur.
The Sahel Drought Mechanism: insights from two contrasting extreme events
The Sahel drought mechanism: insights from two contrasting extreme events during boreal summer July-August-September (JAS) is investigated in this study using the standardized precipitation index (SPI). Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) and composite analyses were deployed in this study, where the global precipitation climatology center (GPCC) rainfall data is used. The SPI shows large widespread decreasing rainfall trend in the Sahel in the mid-1980s; thereafter, Sahel rainfall have recovered somewhat through the late 1990s, even though the drought conditions have not ended in the region. A ...
Interannual variation monthly rainfall from May to August associated with large-scale circulation anomalies over south coast of West Africa
The southern coastal region of West Africa (SCWA) is located between 40N-80N latitudes and 100W -50E longitudes near the equator in the northern Hemisphere, the south and west are respectively equatorial and West Atlantic Ocean, and it is consisted to seven countries (Sierra Leon, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria). The rainy season starts from spring to the summer, mainly from May to October. The rainfall is very important for southern coastal of West Africa region which their economy and food supply are highly dependent on agricultural production. Understanding of previo ...
Satellite-Derived Climatology Products for Monitoring Convection Over West and Central Africa
A weather forecaster’s knowledge of climatology is important to the success of a forecast, especially where convection is involved. That’s particularly true over Central and West Africa where convection has a strong diurnal cycle and usually develops over particular geographic regions and during specific time intervals. The lesson describes satellite-derived cloud climatology products and several global instability indices, all of which can be integrated with other products to forecast convection. Although the lesson uses examples of climatology products from specific months, it makes the full ...
Forecasting Heavy Rains and Landslides in Eastern Africa
Good rainfall draws many people to settle across the eastern Africa highlands for farming and other businesses. However, factors such as steep terrain, logging, livestock grazing, agriculture, and construction, have increased erosion and contributed to less stable slopes. These factors can lead to devastating landslides and mudslides, especially during episodes of very heavy rain. Forecasting and monitoring heavy rainfall is challenging, especially in mountainous regions that have few surface observations. This make satellite data critical for meteorologists and hydrologists forecasting for th ...
![]()
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.
![]()
Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience and Sustainable Development in the Arab Region
This brief gives an overview of the disaster trends and challenges across the Arab region.
There is a special emphasis on infrastructure, informal settlements, climate change, and cross-cutting issues such as governance, inclusiveness, decentralisation and legislation. The report also provides an analysis of proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Targets from an Arab Perspective.
As introduction is given to the issues around disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the Arab region. The main trends and challenges in DRR and reliance building are identified, spec ...
![]()
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 ...
![]()
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 ...
![]()
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 ...
![]()
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 ...
SDS-WAS. Regional Center for Northern Africa, Middle East and Europe of the WMO Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System : activity report 2010-2012
This report presents the Center’s activities in the 2010-2012 period. It reports on its efforts to build capacity in the region and to develop user services to reduction of adverse impacts of dust in countries heavily impacted by dust storms. There remain important SDS-WAS research issues to be considered and it is hoped that the Center will continue to play a coordinating role in addressing these. These research topics include the assimilation of observations in numerical dust prediction models; role of dust chemical/mineral composition on health and environment; direct and indirect interacti ...
![]()
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 ...
![]()
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 ...
![]()
Natural disasters in the Middle East and North Africa: a regional overview
Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, the ; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR); et al. - GFDRR, 2014This report focuses on the challenges of managing natural disasters, presenting a synthesis of the status of disaster risk in the Middle East and North Africa (MNA) Region, including gaps and areas for remedial or enhanced actions. It highlights the progress already made and opportunities to learn from best practices, and provides critical feedback to governments and partners on efforts and processes required to make the region disaster resilient. This report proposes a strategic framework to help MNA countries shift from disaster response to proactive risk management.
Adaptation to climate change in the southern mediterranean: a theoretical framework, a foresight analysis and three case studies
This report addresses the main policy relevant questions about climate change adaptation in the Mediterranean region and provides answers based on a theoretical framework applied to the case of three Mediterranean countries, namely Türkyie, Egypt and Tunisia. The first sections deals with adaptation to climate change from a theoretical viewpoint, covering not only economic issues, but also fairness and international agreements on mitigation and adaptation.
The second part makes use of the conceptual framework developed in the theoretical discussion to analyse the adaptation-rel ...
WCDMP, 81. WMO Workshop on Climate Monitoring including the Implementation of a Climate Watch System in RA I with focus on eastern and southern Africa
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 ...
ESCWA Water Development Report, 5. Issues in sustainable water resources management and water services in the Arab region
The global community was proud to announce in 2012 that the global drinking water target articulated in the Millennium Development Goals had been met five years ahead of schedule. However, the countries of the water-scarce Arab region still face the continuing challenge of providing safe and sufficient water, and improved sanitation to its growing population. There is high variability in access to drinking water and sanitation services among Arab countries, with some countries nearly fully reliant on desalination, while others are not able to secure sufficient investments to meet basic needs.< ...
![]()
Reflections on 20 years of land-related development projects in Central America: 10 things you might not expect, and future directions
Drawing upon several sources of information and types of analysis, including literature reviews, field visits and rapid participatory assessments, this paper provides a critical assessment of land-related development policies and projects over the past two decades in Central America. Reflections on past land-related development policies and projects in Central America are based on their contributions to growth and poverty reduction. The paper calls for future projects to better integrate poverty reduction and development goals, natural resource management, disaster risk management and climate ...
ASMET 7: Convective Weather and Aviation in West and Central Africa
The hazards associated with convective systems present some of the most dangerous conditions encountered by aircraft and pose many challenges to aviation operations. When convection is forecast to develop, aviation forecasters are required to issue a series of warning messages and other meteorological aeronautical products to various members of the aviation community. This lesson teaches these forecasters how to produce the products, doing so in the context of a case study in which learners assume the role of aeronautical forecaster on duty at the airport in Niamey, Niger on a night when conve ...
ASMET 7: Forecasting Fog for Aviation: Kenya Case Study
This lesson aims to improve aviation forecasts of fog in the African airspace by teaching forecasters to make more accurate forecasts using satellite imagery, numerical weather prediction, and other available data. A process for diagnosing and forecasting fog is presented and applied to a case over the Nairobi, Kenya region. Learners assume the role of aviation forecaster, analysing various products to determine whether the current Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) is valid or needs to be amended. The lesson is intended for aviation forecasters, general weather forecasters interested in aviati ...
![]()
Supporting the vulnerable : Increasing adaptive capacities of agropastoralists to climate change in West and southern Africa using a transdisciplinary research approach
This publication seeks to identify promoted policy entry points to support the implementation of priority adaptation strategies, and identifies policy mechanisms as appropriate interventions to allow agropastoralists to buffer the effects of climate variability and change. The purpose of this project is to co-generate methods, information and solutions between local communities, local and international scientists, policymakers and other actors involved in climate change and adaptation programs, for coping mechanisms and adapting strategies to climate change and variability in West and Southern ...
Establishing a WMO sand and dust storm warning advisory and assessment system regional node for West Asia : current capabilities and needs - Executive summary
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - WMO, 2013 (WMO-No. 1122)The report, Establishing a WMO Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System Regional Node for West Asia: Current Capabilities and Needs, has been elaborated under the overall supervision of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Atmospheric Research and Environment Branch, with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for West Asia. Its aim is to assess the observation and prediction capabilities of sand and dust storms in West Asia and provide guidance in establishing a WMO Sand and Dust Storm (SDS) Warning Advisory and Assess ...
Establishing a WMO sand and dust storm warning advisory and assessment system regional node for West Asia : current capabilities and needs - Technical report
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - WMO, 2013 (WMO-No. 1121)Sand- and Dust Storms (SDS) are a major problem in West Asia, where their main characteristics – intensity, extent and frequency – are either not well known or have not yet been scientifically addressed. The growing concern of countries in the region about these phenomena has led to a number of high-level international meetings in recent years at which the creation of a system for SDS monitoring and forecasting has repeatedly been raised.
![]()
Urban disaster risk management in Latin American cities
Watanabe Eiji - ELLA, 2013Complex interactions between urban population dynamics, social processes and a wide variety of natural hazards are increasing the vulnerability of Latin American cities to disaster risk. So how are cities in the region aiming to strengthen disaster risk management?
This Guide begins by describing the complex interaction between processes of urbanisation and natural hazards that generate and intensify disaster risk in Latin America. It then provides a panorama of the evolution of urban disaster risk management in the region, including examples of key achievements towards building ...
![]()
Capitalising on public transport: reducing GHG emissions in Latin American cities
Green Short Baptista V. - ELLA, 2013The transport sector is one of the largest contributors to global GHG emissions, both worldwide and in the Latin America region. In response, some cities in Latin America are taking steps to revamp their transport sectors as part of a strategy to mitigate GHG emissions. This Brief begins by discussing the environmental impacts of the transport sector before turning to three key Latin American transportation innovations: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems; bicycle lanes; and electric taxis. While stronger monitoring systems are still necessary, initial results do point to important mitigation effe ...
![]()
Southern African Agriculture and Climate Change
With agriculture being the main source of both employment and income for southern Africa’s rural population, there is great concern regarding the potential impact of climate change. This study, produced by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), represents a comprehensive analysis of ways to foster agricultural development and food security to reduce such impacts. Several weather-based scenarios have been developed by the authors, describing how climate change may affect the region up to 2050. National contributors from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swa ...
![]()
Ozone-depleting substances 2012
EEA, 2013Aggregated data reported by companies on the import, export, production, destruction and feedstock and process agent use of ozone-depleting substances in the European Union – SUMMARY
![]()
Impact of climate change on ASEAN food security: downscaling analysis and response
This Issues Brief is based on the proceedings of the Expert Group Meeting on the Impact of Climate Change on ASEAN Food Security held in June 2013. This meeting called for higher priority to be given to research on climate shifts, a greater focus on agricultural research and development and also highlighted the need for resource and knowledge inputs from those involved in food value chains across Southeast Asia.
![]()
Gender, climate change, agriculture and food security: a CCAFS training-of-trainers (TOT) manual to prepare South Asian rural women to adapt to climate change
This manual provides users with the information, tools and training skills required to deliver Capacity Enhancement Workshops (CEWs) to rural women farmers and rural elected women leaders to raise their awareness of the causes and effects of climate change, especially on agriculture and food security; help empower them to adapt successfully to projected changes by being aware of available government plans and programmes and field-based adaptation models by non-government actors; make them aware of gender-differentiated impacts and the different roles that men and women need to play in adapting ...
![]()
Developing a methodology to evaluate climate services for farmers in Africa and South Asia workshop report
CCAFS, 2013This report summarizes the proceedings of the international expert roundtable on “Developing a Methodology to Evaluate Climate Services for Farmers in Africa and South Asia” held in Kaffrine, Senegal on May 19-25, 2013. The roundtable brought together global experts in the area of gender-responsive impact assessment for farmers, to develop a useable monitoring and evaluation (M&E) protocol to guide baseline data collection, identify the locally-specific function, benefits, and beneficiaries of climate services, and measure the added-value of climate services for farmers. This protocol links to ...
![]()
Unlocking the power of local knowledge : a novel framework to cost community-based adaptation to climate change
Current approaches to identify the costs and benefits of adaptation are primarily quantitative, using top-down methodologies that may grossly underestimate the true costs. This policy brief argues that global policies require credible evidence from the local level. Given that a single generic adaptation model is unworkable, the policy brief introduces a new analytical costing framework – Participatory Social Return on Investment (PSROI) – which has been piloted successfully in subsistence farming communities in East and West Africa.
Although the Kenyan example is very specific, the PSRO ...
![]()
Profile of emissions reduction potentials in developing countries
UNEP, 2013UNEP Risoe, with the support of the UNFCCC Secretariat and the ACP-MEA Programme (www.acp-cd4cdm.org), has decided to assess the emissions reduction potential in 15 diverse countries. 15 country reports have been developed, from which this synthesis report gathers the main messages. The definition of sectors and technologies used in these country reports takes its point of departure from UNEP Risoe’s CDM Methodology and Technology Selection Tool (www.cdm-meth.org). This tool has been specifically developed for the identification of technologies and related CDM methodologies for exploitation o ...
![]()
Institutionalising Disaster Risk Management: Latin America’s systems approach
Watanabe Masahiro - ELLA, 2013How are Latin American countries mainstreaming decentralised, democratic and participatory strategies to disaster risk management across public policy?
Through a systems approach, the region is making important advances. Against a backdrop of inadequate disaster preparedness and repeated humanitarian aid interventions, Latin American countries have driven forward the institutionalisation and mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in public policy. Based on a systems approach, Latin American governments are establishing coherent policy and regulatory frameworks for DRM f ...
![]()
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.
![]()
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 ...
![]()
Latin American experience in combining Disaster Risk Management with poverty reduction
Watanabe Masahiro - ELLA, 2013Extreme weather events have a direct impact on households' welfare, and in particular, the poorest, most socially excluded populations. Increasing frequency and intensity of disasters, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and flooding, is closely linked to the growing vulnerability of households and communities. Thus, the impacts of extreme events on poverty, income, consumption, health and education present a serious challenge to the well-being of these populations, and also produce negative long-term consequences for economic and social development across the region. In order to reduce the impact ...
![]()
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.
![]()
IRGSC working paper, 04. Public private partnership in disaster reduction in a developing country: findings from West Sumatra, Indonesia : In American Journal of Geographic Information System, 2013 2(1)
This paper addresses the fiscal gaps in resource experienced by local governments in developing countries to address overall stock of disaster risks and vulnerabilities because there are many other competing priorities. It looks at Indonesia, who developed a new form of risk governance by inviting non-state actors such as civil society and private entities to collaborate in risk reduction. This collaboration emerges as form of disaster risk governance namely public-private partnership under the coordination of civil society.
![]()
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. ...
![]()
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 ...
![]()
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.
Human Development Report 2013 - The Rise of the South : Human Progress in a Diverse World
UNDP, 2013The 2013 Human Development Report, The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World looks at the evolving geopolitics of our times, examining emerging issues and trends and also the new actors which are shaping the development landscape. The Report argues that the striking transformation of a large number of developing countries into dynamic major economies with growing political influence is having a significant impact on human development progress. The Report notes that, over the last decade, all countries accelerated their achievements in the education, health, and income d ...
Economics of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in South Asia: Options and Costs
ADB, 2013South Asia is considered vulnerable to the impacts and consequences of climate change, including sea level rise, melting Himalayan glaciers, and increased frequency of typhoons. Notwithstanding these challenges, sustained and rapid economic growth is necessary for the region to achieve significant poverty reduction, uplift the economic well-being of its people, and increase its resilience to environmental shocks and natural disasters, including those associated with climate change.
Economics of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in South Asia
Against a backdrop, co ...
![]()
Climate legislation study: a review of climate change legislation in 33 countries
CDKN, 2013This review of climate change legislation in 33 countries shows that developing countries are leading action on climate change. Overall, there has been significant progress in the climate and/or energy-related legislation of almost all major economies, but a great amount of the 2012 effort took place in emerging countries. In particular, among major economies Mexico and China are leading the action against climate change thanks to their recent steps to cut carbon emissions and raise energy efficiency. The study aims to support legislators advancing climate-related legislation by providing deta ...
Disaster risk reduction in urban areas
This document presents the disaster risk reduction (DRR) processes developed in several Latin American cities. It shows the benefits of making risk reduction an integral part of local development. It also highlights the importance of good information for risk assessment, government-civil society collaboration, and links between local, national and regional levels of government. It is intended to offer a wealth of lessons for African and South Asian counterparts embarking on their own urban risk reduction processes.
Efectos del cambio climatico en la costa de América Latina y el Caribe: vulnerabilidad y exposición
CEPAL, 2012Este documento es el primero de una serie de textos que se han elaborado en el marco del Estudio regional de los efectos del cambio climático en la costa de América Latina y el Caribe. La zona de estudio comprende una longitud total de costa de aproximadamente 72.182 km distribuidos en cuatro zonas geográficas: Norteamérica, Centroamérica, Sudamérica y las Islas del Caribe. En el dominio de estudio se han analizado los cambios detectados en las dinámicas costeras, la influencia de la variabilidad climática, información diversa sobre la vulnerabilidad presente en las costas de la región, abarca ...
![]()
Building resilience for adaptation to climate change in the agriculture sector : Proceedings of a Joint FAO/OECD Workshop
FAO, 2012
![]()
Seasonal forecasting outlook for precipitation and average temperature in North Africa for the February-March-April season
ACMAD, 2012
![]()
Strengthening capacities for climate change adaptation in mountain ecosystems: the Latin American response
This document presents a range of experiences, publications and organisations involved in the strategies used to build capacities for climate change adaptation in the Latin American region, by: (i) improving natural resource conservation; (ii) providing access to new technologies; (iii) capturing traditional knowledge and practices; and (iv) maintaining water resources and agrobiodiversity. It concludes with lessons that could prove useful to other mountain regions of the world.
![]()
A Risky Climate for Southern African Hydro
Beilfuss Richard - International Rivers, 2012This in-depth study of the hydrological risks to hydropower dams on the Zambezi River gives an early warning about what Southern Africa could be facing as it contemplates plans for more large hydropower dams in a time of climate change.
![]()
Reducing Black Carbon Emissions in South Asia : low Cost Opportunities
EPA, 2012This report is intended to help achieve near-term climate and other benefits by providing information and examples of a variety of low-cost, high-impact and high feasibility opportunities to reduce black carbon emissions in South Asia. The report states this region is especially vulnerable to the multiplicity of impacts attributable to black carbon.
ASMET: Flooding in West Africa
The rainy season in Sahelian West Africa extends from June to September and is tied to the position of the intertropical front. During this period, mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) often produce significant rainfall that can lead to flooding. This module examines an extreme flooding event that occurred in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso from 31 August to 1 September 2009. Learners assume the role of forecaster, assessing meteorological conditions to see if an MCS will develop that can lead to heavy rain and flooding. They follow a forecast process that emphasizes the use of satellite data, standa ...
![]()
Integrated Urban Water Management - Lessons and Recommendations from Regional Experiences in Latin America, Central Asia, and Africa
The purpose of this working paper is to review a set of Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM) initiatives and pilot studies funded by the World Bank’s Water Partnership Program (WPP) in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, and Central Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
The report is structured into three chapters:
(1)Introduces the main concepts of IUWM;
(2)Reviews the findings of 10 case studies;
(3)Puts forward recommendations to sustain and enhance the scope of IUWM activities;
![]()
The challenges of climate change and exposure growth for disaster risk management in developing countries
Over the past 30 years, total economic losses from natural hazards have more than tripled in real terms. The economic and social impacts have been particularly great in developing countries, where past development gains are at risk and human security is increasingly threatened. This report argues that at a global level, exposure growth could remain the main driver of risk in the short-term, but beyond about 2030, climate change could begin to play a more significant role. Climate change and the rapid accumulation of people and assets in hazard-prone areas increase the need for a more forward-l ...
![]()
Improving small farmers' adaptive capacity in semi-arid regions
In Latin America, as in Africa and Asia, 15-25% of the population lives in semi-arid areas, mostly in small isolated rural communities that are often the most severely affected by climate change. Strategies employed to build adaptive capacity in Brazil’s semi-arid areas focused on improved water supply, management and use, while at the same time promoting access to technology and improved production techniques, all with a focus on knowledge sharing and multi-level collaboration. The lessons from Brazil’s response will be useful for policymakers and community organisations in other semi-arid re ...
Using scenarios to improve understanding of environment and security issues
EEA, 2012Analysing the security risks resulting from climate change is essential for effective policy-making. The Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the European Environment Agency (EEA) is running the joint project 'Security implications of climate change in the OSCE regions' with the aim of improving understanding of the links between global megatrends and environment, and the security of food, fuel and water in different regions. It also aims to enhance cooperation and networking among the main institutions addressing climate security issues. A participatory-based scenario-bu ...
![]()
Adaptation to a changing climate in the Arab countries : a case for adaptation governance and leadership in building climate resilience
Adapting to climate change is not a new phenomenon for the Arab world. For thousands of years, the people in Arab countries have coped with the challenges of climate variability by adapting their survival strategies to changes in rainfall and temperature. Their experience has contributed significantly to the global knowledge on climate change and adaptation. But over the next century global climatic variability is predicted to increase, and Arab countries may well experience unprecedented extremes in climate. Temperatures may reach new highs, and in most places there may be a risk of less rain ...
Regional Meeting for Strengthening Regional Cooperation in Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Services for Disaster Risk Management : Final Meeting Report
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); European Commission - WMO, 2012
Climate ExChange
Climate ExChange is a fully illustrated 250-page book with over 100 authors relating their work in weather, climate and water services at international, regional, national and local levels. The commentaries draw upon experiences around the world reflecting how people are using climate information to improve their lives. Climate ExChange reflects the progress and challenges in these fields, highlighting good practices in a wide variety of societies and disciplines.
![]()
The poverty and welfare impacts of climate change quantifying the effects, identifying the adaptation strategies
Although poverty remains widespread in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, substantial progress has been made especially in the past three decades. Nevertheless, this report stresses that climate change is likely to reduce agricultural productivity, which will directly affect poor people's livelihood assets including health, access to water and other natural resources, homes and infrastructure. Increasing climatic variability will make poor households even more vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, which could in turn exacerbate the incidence, severity and persistence of poverty in developi ...
![]()
Zones in relation to EU air quality thresholds, 2010 : In EEA Datasets
EEA, 2012Member States provide an annual assessment of air quality in comparison to EU air quality thresholds.
![]()
Infrastructure for development: meeting the challenge
Bhattacharya Amar; Romani Mattia; Stern Nicholas - Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, 2012
![]()
Developing a climate-smart agriculture strategy at the country level: lessons from recent experience
Since the Global Conference on Climate Change, Food Security and Agriculture held at the Hague in 2010, the concept of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has gained increasing attention at international and national levels, with several countries initiating related activities. The objective of this paper is to highlight recent experiences with country-level implementation of CSA to identify some key lessons to incorporate in ongoing efforts to expand the use of the approach in developing countries. Section 1 describes the evolution of the concept of CSA since the Hague conference. Section 2 i ...
Climate vulnerability monitor
DARA, 2012The Climate Vulnerability Monitor 2nd Edition reveals that climate change has already held back global development and inaction is a leading global cause of death. Harm is most acute for poor and vulnerable groups but no country is spared either the costs of inaction or the benefits of an alternative path.
Commissioned by the world’s most vulnerable countries and backed by high-level and technical panels, the new Monitor estimates human and economic impacts of climate change and the carbon economy for 184 countries in 2010 and 2030, across 34 indicators.
Himalayan Glaciers: Climate Change, Water Resources, and Water Security
National Academies Press, 2012Scientific evidence shows that most glaciers in South Asia's Hindu Kush Himalayan region are retreating, but the consequences for the region's water supply are unclear, this report finds. The Hindu Kush Himalayan region is the location of several of Asia's great river systems, which provide water for drinking, irrigation, and other uses for about 1.5 billion people. Recent studies show that at lower elevations, glacial retreat is unlikely to cause significant changes in water availability over the next several decades, but other factors, including groundwater depletion and increasing human wat ...
![]()
Fluorinated greenhouse gases 2011 : Aggregated data reported by companies on the production, import and export of fluorinated greenhouse gases in the European Union — Summary
EEA, 2012Greenhouse gases covered by the UNFCCC Kyoto Protocol include amongst others, three groups of fluorinated greenhouse gases (the so called 'F-gases'): hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). These F-gases typically have very long lifetimes in the atmosphere and high global warming potentials (GWPs).
The European Union Regulation (EC) No 842/2006 on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases (the 'F-Gas Regulation') introduced a requirement for each producer, importer and exporter of more than one tonne of F-gases to report to the European Commission ...
Water for wealth and food security: supporting farmer-driven investments in agricultural water management
IWMI, 2012This report addresses the effective use of available water as a way to help to improve productivity and reduce poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. It combines the practical improved water management systems and approaches, including the reduction of risks associated with climate variability through environmental risks monitoring. It documents the benefits of irrigation already been invested by farmers in small-scale irrigation, and provides practical recommendations and tools for governments, the private sector, donors and organizations to effectively support these farmer-led initiatives to improve ...
Perspectivas de investigación y acción frente al cambio climático en Latinoamérica
Briones Fernando; Red de Estudios Sociales en Prevención de Desastres en América (LA RED) - LA RED, 2012This report explores practical approaches to building urban resilience, focusing on tools and methodologies that can facilitate the use of risk information in public infrastructure investment and urban management decisions as integral elements of reducing disaster and climate risks. It demonstrates that risk-based methodology focused on building urban resilience can be implemented within a range of contexts, with risk assessments as crucial tools for decision-makers. It encourages national, local and city level governments to invest in geospatial risk information, as well as making risk inform ...
Information for climate change adaptation: lessons and needs in South Asia
This wokring paper aims to identify barriers to information use for climate adaptation in South Asia. It serves as background for a South Asian regional workshop that will bring together adaptation information users and producers to inform likely new investments in the information base for climate adaptation. This paper aims to support progress toward the regional workshop's objectives by: (i) identifying barriers to effective information production, access, and application in the South Asian region; (ii) posing a practical vocabulary for characterizing relevant information types; (iii) articu ...
Horn of Africa Risk Transfer for Adaptation (HARITA) quarterly report: October 2011–December 2011
Swiss Re, 2012This report discusses the Horn of Africa Risk Transfer for Adaptation (HARITA) project, which is an integrated risk management framework to enable poor farmers in drought-prone areas of Ethiopia to strengthen their food and income security through a combination of improved resource management (risk reduction), insurance (risk transfer), and microcredit (prudent risk taking). It addresses the critical need to build rural resilience for climate change adaptation to address global poverty, focusing on farmers who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. It specifically demonstrates how cash-p ...
![]()
Accessing International Funding for Climate Change Adaptation - A Guidebook for Developing Countries
State of Arab cities 2012
UN-Habitat, 2012This report, the first report in the UN-Habitat series on the state of cities to focus on the Arab world, highlights issues of environmental and natural disasters, risk and vulnerability, within a collective picture of urban conditions and trends in each of four Arab regions - Maghreb, Mashreq, Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) and Southern Tier. It provides a discussion of the similarities, differences and linkages between these countries in the context of a larger Arab region.
Climate change education for sustainable development in Small Island Developing States : report and recommendations
UNESCO, 2012This report summarizes the key outcomes of a three-day meeting which discussed and reflected on the challenges that climate change poses to education systems in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and on the role that education must play in adaptation to climate change. Acknowledging that SIDS are already confronted with the effects of climate change, including rising sea levels and changes in weather and climate extremes such as droughts, floods and tropical cyclones/hurricanes, it considers the need for them to reduce their vulnerability to climate change by strengthening their adaptive c ...
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2012
United Nations, 2012Three important targets on poverty, slums and water have been met three years ahead of 2015, says this year’s Report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Meeting the remaining targets, while challenging, is possible ─ but only if Governments do not waiver from their commitments made over a decade ago.
![]()
Climate change, vulnerability and human mobility: perspectives of refugees from the east and Horn of Africa
This study aims to understand the extent to which refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) have perceived, experienced and responded to climatic variability and long-term negative climatic change in the east and Horn of Africa. The report is based on discussions with 150 IDPs and refugees from Ethiopia and Uganda, many of whom were farmers and pastoralists from Eritrea, Somalia and eastern Sudan. Key findings include: many of the refugees interviewed had perceived discernible shifts in weather in their home countries over the past 10 to 15 years; where movement away from homelands was ...
The decade of Latin America and the Caribbean, a real opportunity
This book takes a unique look at the current economic and social development trends in Latin America and the Caribbean and the region’s challenges for the future, including those of climate change and 'natural' disaster mitigation. It calls on cities to integrate the management of the possible impacts of climate change as well as the obvious disaster risks into urban planning, and to prepare action plans focused on adaptation methods that include an analysis of the added dangers faced by the urban population, adequate land-use planning, effective water resource management, risk management, the ...
![]()
The Climate and Development Challenge for Latin America and the Caribbean: Options for Climate Resilient Low Carbon Development: executive summary
IDB, 2012Climate change will have broad impacts on human activities and ecosystems during this century. The likely consequences are of such magnitude that the simultaneous need to adapt to the new climate conditions and reduce the carbon footprint to prevent further damage will likely become one of the main driving forces for the global community. Specifically, a rise of 2C over pre-industrial levels is now seen as unavoidable with significant negative effects in economic activities, social conditions and on ecosystems.
This study, a joint IDB-ECLAC-WWF effort, addresses key topics related to th ...
![]()
A cost effective solution to reduce disaster losses in developing countries : hydro-meteorological services, early warning, and evacuation
In Europe, it can be estimated that hydro-meteorological information and early warning systems save several hundreds of lives per year, avoid between 460 million and 2.7 billion Euros of disaster asset losses per year, and produce between 3.4 and 34 billion of additional benefits per year through the optimization of economic production in weather-sensitive sectors (agriculture, energy, etc.). The potential for similar benefits in the developing world is not only proportional to population, but also to increased hazard risk due to climate and geography, as well as increased exposure to weather ...
![]()
Agricultural GHGs in East and West Africa baseline emissions and mitigation potential
Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from agriculture are substantial. This paper looks into how can agricultural greenhouse gas emissions be reduced or sequestration enhanced while maintaining and even increasing food supply. The paper relies on a research undertaken in nine chosen African countries.
The authors reveal that croplands and grazing lands cover more than half of the East African countries’ lands and about 40% of the West African countries’ lands. In the nine African countries, the largest amount of GHG emissions is from the livestock sector, followed by emissions f ...
Southern Africa disaster risk reduction plan, 2012-2014
Aligning with the priorities outlined in the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters, this plan responds to the need to develop a longer-term strategic approach that helps articulate funding and program priorities to allow for comprehensive disaster programming that reduces future humanitarian needs in the Southern Africa region. It presents the disaster risk reduction DRR activities selected for implementation in coordination with other USG agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), U.N. agencies, other donors, higher educati ...
Recommendations of the round table on women's added value civil protection
PPRD South, 2012This documents presents the recommendations elaborated during the Round Table on The Value Added of Women in Civil Protection organised with the support of Algerian Civil Protection in Algiers on 26 March 2012. The document includes Round Table participants’ suggestions and expectations on how gender issues may be better mainstreamed in the overall disaster management cycle, from disaster risk reduction to response and recovery.
Ethical principles on disaster risk reduction and people’s resilience
Prieur Michel; Council of Europe ; European and Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement (EUR-OPA) - Council of Europe, 2012This document deals with the ethical principles of the whole disaster cycle: from prevention to reconstruction via the emergency phase, irrespective of the duration of the disaster (sudden or progressive) or its context (simple or complex emergency). It concerns both natural and technological disasters. It is intended to deal both with the direct victims of disasters and with the other parties involved, such as public civil defence organisations, public servants of states affected by disasters and of assisting states, and humanitarian NGOs.
This document is the response of the ...
Managing climate extremes and disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean: lessons from the IPCC SREX reports
This summary highlights the key findings of the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) report including an assessment of the science and the implications of this for society and sustainable development. It includes material directly taken from the SREX report, where the underlying source is clearly referenced, but it also presents synthesis messages that are the views of the authors of this summary and not necessarily those of the IPCC. It is intended to illuminate the SREX report’s vital findings for decision maker ...
Building resilience and fostering growth in the horn of Africa
This paper addresses the crisis in the Horn of Africa in 2011 and the need to enable communities to withstand droughts and move forward by building resilience and fostering sustainable growth. It presents USAID's vision for change through: (i) key principles, such as early action in response to early warning, connecting humanitarian and development programmes, fostering women's empowerment, ensuring evidence-based decision making and supporting and strengthening local, national, and regional capacities; and (ii) a new way of doing business, which includes joint planning, joint focus on resilie ...
Sustainable development 20 years on from the Earth Summit: progress, gaps and strategic guidelines for Latin America and the Caribbean
ECLAC, 2012This report describes the progress achieved in relation to sustainable development since 1992 and the gaps still remaining. It is divided into two parts: (i) of the main traits of development in Latin America and the Caribbean in the past 20 years, particularly those which touch upon economic, social and environmental aspects such as the reduction of exposure to disasters; and (ii) proposed guidelines for moving towards sustainable development in the region.
The guidelines recommend: (i) creating synergies among inclusion, social protection, human security, empowerment of peopl ...
![]()
From Transition to Transformation: Sustainable and Inclusive Development in Europe and Central Asia
UNDP, 2012"A report on sustainable development in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, prepared by 13 UN agencies, has highlighted the need for the region to remove fossil fuel subsidies, invest in green jobs, and establish social protection floors in order to ensure a sustainable future."
Source: iisd.org
![]()
Financing renewable energy in developing countries - Drivers and barriers for private finance in sub-Saharan Africa : a study and survey by UNEP Finance Initiative on the views, experiences and policy needs of energy financiers
UNEP FI, 2012This report explores how the opening up of energy markets to private sector investment through the introduction of smart government policies will be the key to unlocking Africa's massive renewable energy potential.
Objectifs du Millénaire pour le développement 2012
Nations Unies, 2012Le rapport de 2011 souligne des avancées réelles dans la réalisation des Objectifs du Millénaire pour le développement notamment un déclin de la pauvreté dans le monde, reflété par un accès à l’éducation plus poussé et un recul de la mortalité infantile. Qui plus est, l’accès à l’eau potable s’est généralisé malgré l’isolement de certaines régions comme en Afrique subsaharienne, où les populations les plus pauvres en milieu rural – les plus vulnérables - sont souvent les plus dures à atteindre.
Face aux disparités demeurantes, ce rapport n’est pas sans rappeler l’engagement réitéré en s ...
![]()
Efectos del cambio climático en la costa de América Latina y el Caribe
CEPAL, 2012Las zonas costeras son sumamente vulnerables a los potenciales impactos del cambio climático, según diversos estudios e investigaciones de los últimos años. Cuál es la situación de la región en esta materia es lo que busca desentrañar un nuevo informe publicado por la CEPAL.
El estudio "Efectos del cambio climático en la costa de América Latina y el Caribe: Dinámicas, tendencias y variabilidad climática" , preparado en conjunto con el Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la Universidad de Cantabria, España, examina una zona costera de aproximadamente 72.182 kilómetros distribuid ...
Add tag 
