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Building Community Resillience in the Water Sector (IWRM) through Capacity Building, Policy Research and Action, Awareness Creation and Education
Submitted by wrcclimate on Mon, 2011-09-05 20:55
Summary:
The project sought to coordinate efforts to conserve and store water, reducing the effects of flooding through flood water retention, strengthening existing adaptation strategies (e.g. dry season farming), and providing mechanisms for timely climate forecast and information for communities in times of expected floods and drought in over ten Districts. Water storage facilities of different types depending on uses such as flood storm reduction, livestock watering, dry season gardening, groundwater recharge and domestic uses, were provided in over twenty communities across the three northern regions. These were preceded by customised awareness creation and tailor made capacity building and training activities. Major parners were Alternative Initiative for Development (AID), Centre for Human and Environmental Security (CHES), and University for Development Studies.
Adaptation Experience:
Results and Learning:
The project activities have shown contributions to building and strengthening the resilience of socioeconomically weakened communities with benefits trickling down to households especially those that are poor, having very limited resources with less mobility. Decision making for project activities had no gender imbalances as both gender contributed equally to approaches, the selection and siting of facilities as well as the overall management of connected small projects including expected benefit sharing. Water harvesting facilities were expected to not only serve food crop production purposes and gardening but also for livestock watering, and building and construction of houses, as well as for flood control in some cases.
Sustainability:
The factors that underline the replicability of the activities are already practical recipes for sustaining the project. Local communities are determined in their own little ways to emulate what have been achieved in other communities. However, these efforts would require some high level adoption and intervention to avoid lags in adaptation and to also ensure quality, the order of the day. Most materials developed under the project are already being used nationally especially those on flooding which are providing necessary resources for the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) hence some project activities are already enjoying an up-scaling and which must be sustained. Danida provided further support to the outcomes of this pilot so as to enhance sustainability. This takes the form of a practical climate change adaptation learning centre in Bolgatanga at the White Volta basin office to ensure sustained awareness, education and technical support through visitations made to the centre. However, this pilot phase should have been scaled up to real project status and then later years to programmes by the District Assemblies but just when the Assemblies started imbibing the concept of climate mainstreaming, the pilot phase was already concluding. A community investment support fund would in no doubt be an asset to continue with this project until such time that communities learn the appropriate way in harnessing water resources for their own water usage in the face of climate change and variability.
Replication:
The most achieved and conspicuous impact of the approaches for implementing the project was to ensure easy replicability and knowledge sharing. This includes technical and non-technical assistance from the WRC through interaction of various communities’ leadership and their offer to help neighbours. What this project has therefore nurtured as an innovation and thinking outside the box is to promote intercultural exchange of experiences with respect to the project activities involving the deliberate movement of people into new environments to assist in providing adaptation support. Awareness creation materials and information brochures are tangible resources that are being used by poor and vulnerable communities to tell their own stories and specifically what they are looking forward to doing. Such materials have enlightened several actors interested in adaptation. There were no big or small actors as equal playing field was maintained for all to do what was expected of them and in spite of being a pilot project with limited financial resources a lot more was achieved than commensurate with the level of funding. The potential to replicate therefore is very straightforward, readily available human capacity and requiring very little financial investment to undertake. For the good of sustainability most of the activities are now seen as cross-cultural in the context of adaptation to climate change rather than as livelihoods support only.
Funding Source:
Critical infrastructure and population/civil protection in the context of climate change related extreme events - KIBEX
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Project details
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Implementing Agency and Partnering Organizations:
Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschuz und Katastrophenhilfe, BBK), Postdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (Potsdam Institut für Klimafolgenforschung, PIK), German Aerospace Centre (Deutsches Luft- und Raumfahrtzentrum, DLR)Summary:
Within the framework of the KIBEX project, methods for the vulnerability assessment of population and critical infrastructure towards climate change related extreme events (high intensity rainfall events, storms, droughts and heat waves) will be developed with several representative communities in Germany. Thereby, the close cooperation with local actors (e.g., infrastructure operators, administration, protection agencies) plays an essential role, as important information can only be obtained on this level.
Project Components:
The results of these techniques, in addition to generating further empirical data (conducting expert interviews and surveys), will lead to a more comprehensive vulnerability assessment of populations and Critical Infrastructures, as well as to an understanding of their interdependencies and functional chains in light of climate change and extreme events.
Within the project duration, a variety of methods will contribute to our interdisciplinary approach. Regional climate scenarios will be evaluated in order to assess vulnerabilities and to develop indicators and criteria that also help to evaluate actual and potential adaptation strategies. Furthermore, cartographic data will be analysed in order to create exposure maps and project scenarios for extreme events.
Through regular workshops the close cooperation with local stakeholders will be sought; not only to share information, but also to generate locally grounded data and to systematize actual experiences that can lead to sustainable dissemination and implementation of adaptive strategies and management in cases of extreme events.
Expected Outputs:
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Assessment of vulnerabilities of different social groups and Critical Infrastructures to climate change related extreme weather events, particularly heat waves, droughts and flash floods
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Development of different assessment methods including criteria and indicators to assess the exposure, susceptibility and adaptive capacities of these systems and components of risk
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Identification of interdependencies of Critical Infrastructures (esp. water supply, electricity supply and transportation)
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Discussion of the resulting conditions and challenges for civil protection
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Development of specific and applicable adaptation strategies
- Exchange of information and experiences with local stakeholders
Contacts:
PD Dr.-Ing. Jörn Birkmann
Tel: + 49-228-815-0208
e-mail: birkmann@ehs.unu.eduClaudia Bach
Tel.: + 49-228-815-0230
e-mail: bach@ehs.unu.eduProject Status:
Under Implementation (2009-2011) -
Climate Change, Hydro-conflicts and Human Security (CLICO)
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Project details
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Implementing Agency and Partnering Organizations:
United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human SecuritySummary:
Potential links between climate change impacts and violent conflict have received wide public attention. International resolutions such as the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the European Security Strategy, and the UN High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges, and Change address these potential links between climate change and violent conflict. However, the alleged causal relationship between water shortages and violent conflict is as a general rule based on single case studies and have not been confirmed by large comparative studies.
Project Components:
Climate change poses several threats to human security. Hydro-climatic hazards such as droughts and floods have the potential to trigger or exacerbate social tensions, intra- and inter-state conflict. The EU-funded project CLICO will examine the relationships between hydro-climatic hazards, human security and conflict. The project will also develop recommendations for the best types of policies and institutions to avoid or better prepare for water conflicts related to climate change.
Expected Outputs:
CLICO pursues the following objectives:
* To understand and model the relationships between hydro-climatic hazards, climate change vulnerability, human security and conflict, on the basis of theoretically-informed, comparative empirical research.
* To map international and national policies for security and adaptation in water resources and hazard management, and develop a policy model for security against hydro-climatic hazards (“hydro-security”) in the MMES region, applicable to the UN, EU and national states.
Contacts:
Fabrice Renaud
renaud@ehs.unu.eduLars Wirkus
wirkus@ehs.unu.eduProject Status:
Under implementation
Food Security Through the Cultivation of Drought-Resistant Plants
Submitted by tianyili on Thu, 2010-05-06 07:32
Summary:
The following case study is featured in the Meister Consultants Group study: *Floating Houses and Mosquito Nets: Emerging Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Around the World*.
South Africa faces serious challenges associated with climate change. Water scarcity is already very high on the political agenda, and climate change will further aggravate the water situation. Other important challenges include health effects. Biodiversity loss will be especially economically important, given some of the country’s unique natural habitats and their relevance to the tourism industry. South Africa is better prepared to deal with the consequences of climate change than many other African countries because of the availability of more reliable climate data and projections than other African states. Since 2004, South Africa has had a national climate strategy that addresses the need for adaptation. A more detailed adaptation policy is currently under preparation and is expected to be released in 2010.
_Source: Dr. Hans-Peter Meister, I. K., Martina Richwein, Wilson Rickerson, Chad Laurent. Additional contributors: Jeff Snell, Elisa Burchert, Florian Lux. (2009). *Floating Houses and Mosquito Nets: Emerging Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Around the World.* Boston: Meister Consultants Group. p. 20._
For more detailed information and references refer to: [Floating Houses - Full Report](http://files.mc-group.com/clst/Study%20Climate%20Change%20Adaption.pdf).
[Meister Consultants Group](http://www.mc-group.com/)
Climate change scenarios project an increased risk of continuous and prolonged droughts in the some regions of Tanzania. This is particularly true for the regions of Shinyanga, Dodoma, and Singida. To tackle the impacts of climate change, and to improve the food security for the population, a NAPA project aims to support farmers in these regions with climate change adaptation. For example, the cultivation of corn, which is very vulnerable to droughts, will be reduced, while the cultivation of drought-resistant millet will be fostered. The measures include the identification of resilient crops, the distribution of seeds, and the training of farmers. The project is managed by the Ministry for Agriculture and Food Security in cooperation with local institutions, the national weather service and several NGOs, and has a budget is 8.5 million dollars.
_Source: United Republic of Tanzania, National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA), Division of Environment_
Adaptation Experience:
Results and Learning:
Information not available yet.
Sustainability:
Information not available yet.
Replication:
Information not available yet.
Image(s):
Developing Policies & Adaptation Strategies for Climate Change in the Baltic Sea Region
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Project details
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Summary:
##### Summary
Focussing on the Baltic Sea Region (BSR), the project "Developing Policies & Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change in the Baltic Sea Region" (ASTRA) assesses regional impacts of the ongoing global change in climate. Its aim is to develop adequate climate change adaptation strategies and policies, together with relevant stakeholders, such as planners and decision makers.
##### Background
Climate change has potential long-term effects on the living environment.
Expected Outputs:
The main objective is to assess regional impacts of the ongoing global change in climate and to develop strategies and policies for climate change adaptation.
* The project will address threats arising from climate change in the BSR, such as extreme temperatures, droughts, forest fires, storm surges, winter storms and floods.
In order to elaborate adaptation and mitigation strategies it is inevitable to involve regional and local spatial planners and stakeholders. Entry points and integration to existing planning processes and methods will be identified. Climate change impacts and vulnerability of regions are studied in several regional and local case studies.
Contacts:
Contact
Geological Survey of Finland
Betonimiehenkuja 4, 02151 Espoo
Finland
Philipp Schmidt-Thomé (Project coordinator)
Michael Staudt (Project manager)
E-Mail: michael.staudt@gtk.fiProject Status:
Completed (December 2007).
Climate Frontline Africa
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Project details
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Summary:
Climate Frontline - African Communities Adapting to Survive is a joint initiative between five international NGOs to document how climate change is affecting lives throughout Africa and how communities are adapting to it.
Project Status:
unknown
Adapting pastoral and agricultural practices to the realities of climate change
Submitted by andrea on Fri, 2009-12-11 03:03
Summary:
The CBA project, “Adapting pastoral and agricultural practices to the realities of climate change”, focuses on the village of Rombou in the Maradi region of Niger.
Adaptation Experience:
As a result of changes in the local climate, communities report a marked decrease in the presence of “Doum,” a type of palm tree once common in the region. Increasingly frequent droughts have lowered the water tables upon which this native species depends. Lower water tables have also negatively impacted farmers and pastoralists who depend on wells fed by ground water to water their livestock and crops.
Results and Learning:
Degraded soils can be regenerated though natural fertilization techniques, including planting resilient trees, such as native acacias. The acacia is a type of hardy tree that survives in very arid environments, such as the Sahel, and helps protect against soil erosion.
Sustainability:
n/a
Replication:
n/a
