News
China: ADB loan supports addressing water pollution and flood protection in Hubei prefecture
Photo from Asian Development Bank
In an effort to address environmental and public health concerns relating to widespread water pollution and flooding, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$100 million loan to Hubei Province, China. The loan will support major upgrades in flood protection infrastructure as well as comprehensive water and environmental management actions. Ecological “buffer zones” including wetland areas will be created in parts of the Qing River. Read more
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh wins top United Nations Environmental Prize for policy leadership
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh, H.E. Ms Sheikh Hasina, is awarded the United Nations Environmental Prize, in recognition of Bangladesh's comprehensive policy initiatives and investments to address climate change risks and impacts of environmental degradation. Under her leadership, the forestry policies have provided a natural barrier from some extreme weather events and the country's forest cover has increased by almost ten per cent. Read more
Vietnam: Measuring cities' resilience to climate change
A flood sweeps away a dyke construction in Lao Cai, Vietnam in 2014.
- VNA/VNS Photo Van Toan
On 4 September 2015, a project was launched in Ha Noi, Vietnam to develop an index for supporting urban resilience against disasters and climate change. The four components used to analyze a city’s resilience are health and welfare, economy and society, infrastructure and environment, and leadership and policies. Learn more
Sandstorms worsen in the Middle East due to deforestation
A heavy dust storm originated on 07 September in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine and swept southwest over the Middle East towards Egypt and Saudi Arabia, causing casualties and aggravating respiratory problems. The meteorological department at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport described the storm as being "unprecedented" in Lebanon's modern history. Dust storms have worsened in the Middle East, North Africa and East Asia over the last decade and are linked to deforestation and increased droughts. Read more
|
|
|
|
Publications
Case studies in building community resilience
Georgetown Climate Center and Georgetown faculty recently produced 100 new case studies that explore how sub-national jurisdictions in the United States and China are taking action to build resilience to natural hazards, extreme weather, and climate change. For example, case studies from Louisiana and Shanghai focus on reducing vulnerability to coastal storms and flooding by building seawalls and green infrastructure, while Washington, DC, and Hong Kong use green roofs to tackle urban heat impacts and vegetation to prevent landslides. Learn more
|
|
Upcoming Event
10th International Community-Based Adaptation Conference (CBA10)
The CBA 10 will be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 21 – 28 April 2016 with the theme “Building urban resilience”. It will consist of a two-day field visit to CBA projects in different ecosystems across Bangladesh, such as drought, flood-prone, forest and urban areas, followed by three days of interactive conference. For more information, please contact Saleemul Huq, IIED: saleemul.huq@iied.org and Hannah Reid: Hannah.reid@iied.org. Learn more about the CBA
|
|
Tools and Innovation
Measuring Flooding’s Impact on Wetlands
Scientists designed a new, on-site method for studying potential impacts of rising sea levels on vital wetlands. The scientists designed, constructed and tested low-costenclosures called weirs, to realistically simulate three flooding levels on coastal wetlands. Dr. Julia Cherry recognizes that coastal wetlands serve as a “last line of defense” against storm surges, and that wetlands remove pollutants from the soil and shallow water. Learn more
|
|
Job Vacancies
University College London (UCL)
Position: Post-doctoral Research Associate in Urban Risk
Location: Africa (Kenya, Nigeria, Niger, Karonga, Malawi and Senegal)
Deadline: 30 September 2015
Charles Darwin University (CDU)
Position: Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, Emergency & Disaster Management
Location: Australia (Casuarina Campus, Darwin, Northern Territory)
Deadline: 10 October 2015
Charles Darwin University (CDU)
Position: Lecturer, Humanitarian & Community Studies
Location: Australia
Deadline: 10 October 2015
World Food Programme (WFP)
Position: Consultant, Climate Risk Analysis
Source: Location: Sudan (Khartoum)
Deadline:1 October 2015
For more information and other job vacancies, please see PEDRR's Linkedin
|
|
|
|