Exploring the nexus between Climate change adaptation and DRR

This was the discussion topic for the cluster group meeting on the 15th of June 2012 including two presentations:

1) Water access in Sudan and South Sudan to the needy – how it works, by International Aid Services (IAS), Sweden by Andreas Zetterlund, Director

2. "Climatools" developed by FOI, Umeå University, KTH and Konjunkturinstitutet to identify long term vulnerability and measures (presented by FOI).

Water access in Sudan and South Sudan to the needy – how it works, by International Aid Services (IAS), Sweden by Andreas Zetterlund, Director

IAS is an International NGO (INGO) based in Vällingby, with many practical projects for improving access to water. IAS has on site activities in mainly Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Chad, Uganda, Kenya, and Somalia, where they drill/rehabilitate wells, construct shallow wells, dams, depending on the local demand and context. They also work with community development in general. The annual turnover is 60 million SEK.

The activities in access to water are corresponding to real needs, which are assessed, for example through:

    • National Plans

    • Climate scenarios via a website maintained by USAID: FEWS is Famine Early Warning Systems Network.

    • Country specific information about Sudan and South Sudan as society and vulnerabilities is also posted e.g. on the prevention web.

    • IAS is also part of the Sudan INGO Forum Steering Committee (for 75 INGOs) where much of the information sharing is taking place of what are the mechanisms at work in Sudan and South Sudan.

    • IAS is also part of the cluster group for WASH in Sudan and South Sudan. (For more info on the global WASH clusters click here or google humanitarianreform. Then there are corresponding clusters at national level coordinating efforts by many organizations aiming for the same goal. For Sudan and South Sudan they have different strategies depending on year. There has been a draft survey to assess how effective this group is.

    • IAS works in close collaboration to line ministries, and together with UNICEF they are the biggest actor in the country. They also coordinate with UN OCHA. A general problem is that NGOs do not communicate with the government ministries, and recently a “South Sudanisation” is ongoing where this is being improved.

    • Reliefweb information on Sudan - see a sample here. Sign up on the Reliefweb pages.

IAS then mobilize to provide services in areas with most need, in collaboration with UN OCHA and UNICEF etc.

In terms of DRR these activities contribute to Preparations for need for water, and preventing influx to the cities, making the countryside an attractive place to stay. Sometimes water is provided by trucks, sometimes by building water reservoirs (5 m deep pit with concrete ceiling to avoid evaporation). Sida provides to some extent funds which are flexible to allow for mobilizing resources to areas in need.

Climatools, by Karin Mossberg Sonnek, Research leader at FOI, Sweden

Climatools are tools to aid Swedish municipalities in their climate adaptation efforts. It is a joint collaboration between Umeå University, KTH, Konjunkturinstitutet, and FOI.

Most of the tools are of general character and used to identify climate change impacts on society and to evaluate advantages and disadvantages of different adaptions measures. But there are also tools for assessing the impacts of extreme rainfall on the drinking water quality and for assessing the impacts of heat waves on human health. All tools have been tested in municipalities in Sweden.

FOI is thinking that these tools may be useful also for implementation in low and middle income countries. For this purpose they have applied for funds from Sida Vietnam to test their application.

The tools are built on the process where:

1) Facts and uncertainties about predicted climate changes are collected

2) Facts about society are collected, where are the vulnerabilities?

3) Predicted changes for society is forecasted, how will it change?

4) What can we do to reduce vulnerability?

Most relevant Climatools for the cluster group

Other tools that may be relevant for IAS in Sudan and South Sudan:

FOI has previously done work in Southern Africa on security. There is a report from Zambezi River Basin (Mozambique and Zimbabwe) on vulnerability and conflict assessment for future climate change. Find the report here.

FOI was earlier in Sudan looking at environmental health impact of peace keeping missions. Find this report here or in the list below.

Find the ppt presentation here or click on the file in the list below.

Other resources from FOI:

Regions vulnerable to climate change findings and methodological considerations by Hannes Sonnsjö, FOI

Summary:

Klimatförändringarnas effekter kommer inte att vara jämt fördelade över jordklotet. Ett flertal studier har därför försökt identifiera de regioner som kan förväntas vara särskilt sårbara eller uppvisa särskilt hög risk för konflikter till följd av klimatförändringarna (s.k. ’hotspots’). Föreliggande rapport syftar till att beskriva vilka regioner som har identifierats samt att analysera de utgångspunkter som har använts i studierna. I analysen har ett särskilt intresse riktats mot vilka effekter av klimatförändringarna som behandlas, vilka perspektiv på säkerhet som tas, vilket tidsperspektiv analysen anlägger samt hur samspelet mellan klimatförändringar och andra parallellt pågående förändringsprocesser införlivas. Analysen har strukturerats utifrån fyra övergripande teman: biofysisk utsatthet, socioekonomisk sårbarhet, miljöförstöring samt konflikthistoria.

Sammantaget behandlas nio regioner i studierna: Arktis, sydöstra och östra Europa, södra medelhavsområdet, Sahelområdet, södra Afrika, sydvästra Asien, centrala Asien, östra Asien samt Sydamerika.

The Impact of Climate Change on Human Security in the Zambezi River Basin A pre-study with a focus on Chinde District in Mozambique and Bulawayo in Zimbabwe by KARIN MOSSBERG SONNEK, HENRIC ROOSBERG,ANGELICA OLSSON

Summary:

Den här studien syftar till för att öka förståelsen av hur mänsklig säkerhet påverkas av klimatförändringar i två områden i Zambezi River Basin i södra Afrika. De två områdena är Chinde-distriktet i Mocambique och staden Bulawayo i Zimbabwe. I en tidigare studie, som har gjorts inom forskningsprogrammet Climate Change, Natural Resource Governance, and

Conflict Prevention in Africa av Swain m fl (2011), har just dessa områden pekats ut som särskilt utsatta för klimatrelaterade konflikter. Detta eftersom de förväntas drabbas hårt av klimatförändringar samtidigt som de lider av ett svagt

samhällsstyre. Den här studien är en fortsättning på den tidigare studien och fokuserar på den lokala nivån i syfte att ligga till grund för ett fortsatt anpassningsarbete. Idag utsätts regionen runt Zambezi River av såväl översvämningar som långa torrperioder. Längs kusterna är det vanligt förekommande med cykloner. Varje år påverkas hundratusentals människor av extrema väderhändelser som leder till dödsfall, förlust av egendom, migration, svält, epidemier och miljöförstöring. Människorna som bor i regionen är beroende av floden för dricksvatten, transporter och bevattning av jordbruk och är därför sårbara för de förändringar i vattencykeln som klimatförändringarna kommer att föra med sig.

Climate change adaptation and DRR - differences and similarities

What to expect with climate change

More extreme events

Water quality under pressure

    • More erosion, more suspended solids

    • Rising sea level: saltwater intrusion

    • Higher temperature: higher algal blooms

    • Increase of heavy precipitation leads to flooding, vector born disease, landslide

    • Less precipitation

    • Deterioration of water availability increases risk of water-washed infections, water collection system may not

    • Deterioration of water quality increases risk of water borne infections, water treatment systems may not cope

    • Higher risk Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)

    • Loss of water security

Source: Erik Rottier training presentation

The below picture illustrates the differences and common focus areas of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

Shared aims and approaches for DRR and CCA:

    • Poverty reduction and sustainable development

    • Reducing vulnerabilities to natural hazards, both acute and slow-onset/long term (ie drought)

    • Recognizing that the poor are disproportionately impacted by natural hazards

    • Mainstreaming goals by influencing policy, planning, and implementation of development ministries (infrastructure, water, agriculture, energy, housing etc).

    • Recognition that vulnerability includes food and socio-economic insecurity

    • Reliance on NGOs and local partners to implement at community level

    • Reliance on common instruments, incl structural and non-structural adaptation and mitigation measures, insurance and targeted safety net programmes.

DRR

    • Emerges from historic disaster relief discipline

    • Covers all hazards including technical/human induced risks

    • Addressing present, or immediate and medium-term risk

    • Limited funding support

(Source: Riyanti Djalante, Shantana Halder, Farah Mulyasari and Shabana Khan. Linking DRR and CCA: Comparing experiences from developed and developing countries. In: DRR and CCA, CAse studies from South and South East Asia, UNU-EHS, DAAD, Eds: Neysa Setiadi, Joern Birkmann, Philip Buckle, SOURCE Publication series, No 14, 2010)