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Developing Adaptation Policy and Practice in Europe: Multi-level Governance of Climate Change
Submitted by naomi.sleeper on Tue, 2011-02-08 20:01Year:
Editor:
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Summary:
Mitigation is necessary, but will not be sufficient for us to avoid climate change – given existing emission levels, we will also need to adapt to the consequences of climate change. “Developing Adaptation Policy and Practice in Europe: Multi-level Governance of Climate Change” targets the development of adaptation policy in European countries with different relations between central, regional and local government, asking how adaptation policy at different levels has emerged.
Proceeding from a multi-level governance perspective, the book includes a theoretical framework on adaptation.
UNDP Workshop on Socio-economic Assessment of Climate Change Impacts
Submitted by lisa.mattsson on Mon, 2011-02-07 20:47Body:
Bratislava, Slovak Republic, 8-10 November 2010
DESCRIPTION:
UNDP Bratislava Regional Centre is hosting a workshop on socio-economic assessment of climate change impacts as a way to inform UNDP staff as well as clients on the value of economic assessments for decision-making related to adapting to climate change.
Funding Source:
Guidance on Water Supply and Sanitation in Extreme Weather Events
Submitted by s.koeppel on Fri, 2010-06-25 06:36Summary:
Many countries in the European Region experienced a growing number of episodes of extreme weather events, often displaying distinctive features of disasters, associated with a significant burden of premature deaths, diseases and forced displacement of communities. Because of this the linkage between extreme weather events and population health, survival and well being has been increasingly recognized by the scientific and decision-making communities.
WWF Case Study: Water for life: Lessons for climate change adaptation from better management of rivers for people and nature (Danube)
Submitted by tianyili on Thu, 2010-04-08 14:18Summary:
WWF commenced work in the Danube in 1992 and promoted the establishment of the Convention for the Protection of the Danube River in 1994 and European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive in 2000. In 2000 WWF secured agreement from the heads of state of Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine to restore 2,236 km2 of floodplain to form a 9,000 km2 “Lower Danube Green Corridor.” This Corridor is intended to attenuate floods, restore biodiversity, improve water quality, and enhance local livelihoods. Pilot projects to demonstrate floodplain restoration assessed in this case study are the 1993-1996 removal of the 36.8 km2 Babina and Cernovca polders in Romania, and in Ukraine in 2005-2008 the relinking of the 68 km2 Katlabuh Lake to the river and removal of the 7.5 km2 Tataru polder.
The large-scale adaptation in the Danube shows
the value of restoring the natural resilience of the environment to climate events by decommissioning under-performing water infrastructure, in this case by more safely retaining and releasing peak floods. It also highlights how replacing vulnerable monocultures
with more diverse livelihoods based on natural
ecosystems (in this case tourism, fishing, grazing and fibre production) can strengthen local economies. International agreements for better water and river management have been a powerful driver of change in the Danube.
Adaptation Experience:
Results and Learning:
Government implementation of restoration of the lower Danube floodplain has been slow: it has taken too long to appoint officials and agencies to lead the work; to develop national implementation plans; and allocate funds. Most of the funding for floodplain restoration has come from the EU, NGOs and other donor organizations. In some instances local people have not consented to restoration, and changes in land laws have hindered progress.
Making use of post-disaster policy windows is a key lesson. The policy of floodplain restoration is viewed much more favourably following the 2005 and 2006 floods, for instance, Romania is currently completing a national floodplain restoration strategy. Persistent work over more than ten years has been required to achieve the outcomes to date. Linking and drawing strength from simultaneous work at the pilot site, national, basin and European scales has been critical to achieving reforms.
Sustainability:
Reversion is unlikely because: the cost of re-building flood “protection” dykes is very high; in most cases the restored floodplains are designated as protected areas; local peoples’ livelihoods have improved; and the threat from flooding remains. Management costs of the restored floodplains are low.
Replication:
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