Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into Disaster Risk Management/ Reduction - Reducing vulnerability

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Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into
Disaster Risk Management/ Reduction - Reducing
vulnerability building resilience
GoI/UNDP Disaster Risk Reduction Program State
Project Officers Orientation 14-16 December
2009 Matteo Marchisio Environmental Specialist
(Adaptation) UNDP India matteo.marchisio_at_undp.org
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1. Setting the stage a few initial concepts

• 1.1 What is CC?
• 1.2 What are (some) of the impacts of CC?
• 1.3 Why does CC matter?
• 1.4 How to address CC risk? - A few basic
  concepts
• Mitigation
• Adaptation, vulnerability resilience
• Adaptation vs Disaster Risk Mgt

2. How to mainstream/integrate adaptation to CC
into sector programs projects?

• 2.1 How to build CC resilient programs projects
  (A 4 step approach)
• 2.2 Possible entry points to mainstream

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Setting the stage a few initial concepts

• 1.1 What is CC?

• IPCC Definition
• Any change in climate over time, whether due to
  natural variability or because of human activity
• A more practical definition for our purpose
• An unnatural change in the climate due to
  average increase in temperature due to anthropic
  emissions of GHGs into the atmosphere

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• 1.2 What are (some) of the impacts of CC?

• Changes in
• Precipitation (timing, amount, intensity,
  distribution)
• Sea level
• Frequency, intensity distribution of extreme
  weather events (e.g. floods, droughts, etc.)
• Ecosystem distribution composition

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• 1.3 Why does CC matter?

• (A) Because it affects every sector of
  development

PUBLIC HEALTH
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
COASTAL SYSTEMS
WATER RESOURCES
FORESTRY
AGRICULTURE
Less predictability, changing yields, changing
irrigation demand, pest infestations
More variability in water supply, changes in
water Quality/ distribution, competition
Infectious, respiratory, water-borne,
vector-borne diseases, heat
Forest composition, range, health productivity
Erosion, inundation, salinisation, stress
on mangroves, marshes, wetlands
Loss of habitat species, migration

• But also
• Infrastructures (roads, bridges, dams)
• Energy (hydropower)

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• (B) Because it makes development more costly

• 1.3 Why does CC matter?

ODA losses from climate-related events will
delay development gains
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• (C) Because the longer we wait, the more
  expensive adapting will become

• 1.3 Why does CC matter?

Stern Review, 2006
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• (D) Because coping will not suffice as a
  strategy
• CC affects the distribution, nature severity of
  climate-related hazards
• CC erodes peoples coping abilities (e.g. longer
  dry periods, decreasing predictability of
  seasonal rainfall, etc.)

• 1.3 Why does CC matter?

Climatic variations
Time
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1.4 How to address CC risk? - A few basic
concepts (I)

• Mitigation

• Adaptation/ Resilience to CC

• Reduce the concentration of GHGs in the
  atmosphere
• Examples of mitigation actions
• Reduce GHG emissions (renewable energy, energy
  efficiency, etc.)
• Improve CO2 storage/sequestration (forest
  conservation, reforestation, )

• Reduce vulnerability to CC impacts
• Vulnerability degree to which a system is
  susceptible or unable to cope with the effects of
  CC - including variability and/or extremes
• Vulnerability f (exposure, sensitivity,
  adaptive capacity)
• Increase resilience to CC
• Resilience ability of a system (community) to
  resist a stress before a change occurs

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1.4 How to address CC risk? - A few basic
concepts (continues)

• Adaptation

• Adaptation to CC adjustment in a (human or
  natural) system in response to an actual or
  expected climatic stimulus
• Examples of adaptation actions
• Hard resilience (physical interventions flood
  control structures, dams, water harvesting
  structures, etc.)
• Soft resilience (skills, processes, institutions,
  social systems, policies, programs, etc.)

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A few basic concepts (continues) - Adaptation and
DRM/DRR

• They both look at risks (though from a different
  angle short vs long-term, extreme vs gradual)

• Adaptation

• Disaster Risk Management

• Concerned about uncertainty
• Focuses on both extreme and low-impact events
• Focuses on maintaining long-term productivity/
  resilience
• Is a long-term, continuous process
• Involves strengthening systems, building
  resilience

• Deals with foreseeable risks
• Focuses mainly on extreme, catastrophic events
• Focuses on preparedness and post-disaster
  recovery
• Short-term, immediate, reactive

• They are complementary approaches that can
  reinforce each others effectiveness

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1. Setting the stage a few initial concepts

• 1.1 What is CC?
• 1.2 What are (some) of the impacts of CC?
• 1.3 Why does CC matter? - 4 reasons
• 1.4 How to address CC risk? - A bit of
  terminology
• Mitigation
• Adaptation, resilience
• Adaptation vs Disaster Risk Mgt

2. How to mainstream/integrate adaptation to CC
into sector programs projects?

• 2.1 How to build CC resilient programs projects
  (A 4 step approach)
• 2.2 Possible entry points to mainstream

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How to mainstream/integrate adaptation to CC into
sector programs projects? 2.1 How to build CC
resilient programs projects

• A four step approach
• Identify CC risks
• Identify risks that result in maladaptation
  (i.e. business as usual)
• Identify opportunities
• Identify potential adaptation measures

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2. How to mainstream/integrate adaptation to CC
into sector programs projects?

• (I) Identify CC risks

• Is the program potentially sensitive to CC?
• Does the program target areas/sectors that are/
  may be affected by CC?
• What are the climate hazards that may affect the
  program?
• What are the existing hazards? How the existing
  hazards are expected to evolve as a result of CC?
• Which hazards are most relevant to the outcomes
  of the program?

• In case CC risks uncertain, useful a risk
  assessment
• What information are needed? Where can they be
  obtained?
• Develop CC scenarios representing plausible
  futures
• (collect historical data recent changes,
  select CC models)
• Assess vulnerability (i.e. exposure, sensitivity,
  adaptive capacity)
• Combine info on potential future climate
  scenarios/hazards with those of vulnerability of
  target population/communities

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2. How to mainstream/integrate adaptation to CC
into sector programs projects?

• (III) Identify opportunities

• (II) Identify maladaptation

• What the opportunities/ entry points to deliver
  adaptation within the existing program?
• Can synergies be identified with other
  existing/planned activities that can help
  delivery of adaptation outcomes?

• Are there elements of the program that may
  amplify the impacts of CC?
• Are there elements of the program that may
  increase vulnerability to future CC?

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2. How to mainstream/integrate adaptation to CC
into sector programs projects?

• (IV) Identify adaptation measures

• What interventions may reduce vulnerability of
  communities to CC? may increase their capacity to
  adapt to CC?
• What can be done to increase the awareness of CC,
  associated risks, and possible adaptation
  strategies?

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How to mainstream/integrate adaptation to CC into
sector programs projects? 2.2 Possible entry
points to mainstream
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2.2 Possible entry points to mainstream

• Entry point 1 Policy

• What regulations are in place to govern/promote
  resilience in different sectors?
• Are there policies and strategies that are
  particularly at risk e.g. food security?
• Are commitments to climate risk reflected in
  sector budgets? Development plans? Infrastructure
  investments?
• Who is the political champion for climate change
  / disaster risk reduction?

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2.2 Possible entry points to mainstream

• Entry point 2 Organizations

• Do sector departments/organisations have a focal
  point for Climate Change?
• Do officials know why they should care about
  climate change and its associated impacts? Whats
  their status of knowledge?
• Have there been past experiences with
  climate-related damages/disasters?
• Which key networks/partnerships do exist?

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2.2 Possible entry points to mainstream

• Entry point 3 Advocacy Knowledge

• Is there awareness of the latest tools and
  methods in climate projections, vulnerability
  assessment and economic analysis?
• Who is doing climate change and vulnerability
  research, and where is it located?
• Are there public awareness campaigns to promote a
  culture of safety/resilience?
• Are there projects or studies that provide
  relevant lessons, knowledge and information?

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2.2 Possible entry points to mainstream

• Entry point 4 Targeted Actions (Implementation)

• Are hazard and risk assessments carried out
  before new infrastructure is built?
• Is the resilience of existing development
  projects being monitored?
• Are there pilot projects that provide information
  about the effectiveness of particular risk
  reduction approaches in different sectors?

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2.2 Possible entry points to mainstream

• Entry point 5 Citizens Civil Society

• Are political structures accountable on risk
  reduction issues?
• Are there adequate groups representing needs and
  concerns of those vulnerable to climate change
• Do local civil society groups and communities
  participate in development planning?
• Is existing and indigenous knowledge informing
  planning for climate change?

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Recap a few key messages

• Why understanding/including CC is important?
• gt because CC adds a factor of uncertainty/
  complexity in our work, because it makes our work
  less effective
• DRM/DRR and Adaptation two sides of the same
  coin
• gt need to maximize areas of synergy
• What can be done to make DRM/DRR program climate
  resilient?
• gt include climate change factor in risk
  assessments and vulnerability assessments

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• Thank-you
• Feel free to contact me
• matteo.marchisio_at_undp.org