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Asian Development Bank urges countries in Asia to invest in nature-based solutions
New research produced as part of the Asian Development Bank publication Asian Development Outlook 2019 points to the crucial need for Asian countries to continue reinforcing disaster risk planning, including climate-friendly and disaster resilient infrastructure, better water resource management to tackle droughts, and rebuilding mangrove forests to mitigate coastal erosion. Read the story here
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Protection from cyclones: Benefits of integrating green and gray infrastructure
A new World Bank blog post highlights the importance of mangrove forests in reducing vulnerability from storm surges, although their potential is often unused due to the scarcity of location-specific information on their protective capacity. The post provides useful links to World Bank studies quantifying existing mangroves and estimating their protection potential, as well as the most recent study highlighting the importance of integrating green and gray infrastructure.
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Blue Oceans Conference commits to caring for mangroves
The Blue Oceans Conference was held 18-21 March in Monrovia, Liberia. The conference highlighted how mangroves increase the resiliency of coastal communities against hazards such as seal level rise, coastal erosion, and storms. Mangrove conservation and restoration is a nature-based solution that Liberia can employ in their fight against climate change as well as a means for making a significant contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read story here
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Can New Haven save its shoreline and protect the city from climate change?
The state of Connecticut has authorized bond funds of US$ 4 million to employ natural methods to reverse erosion, protect from hurricanes and storms, and make New Haven's East Shore Park shoreline more resilient in the coming decades. The regenerated marsh will not only increase resilience, it will also restore the habitat for a large number of species, allowing biodiversity to thrive. Read the story here
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Cyclone Idai: A wake up call for long term investments in nature
In this opinion piece published in The Independent, Maxwell Gomera, Director of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Branch of UN Environment, reflects on the devastating impacts of Cyclone Idai and calls on governments in Southern Africa to "take a stand for the lives and dignity of their citizens", through long-term investments in nature-based solutions to help them prepare for, cope with, and recover from future disasters. These solutions include forest conservation, coastal and wetland restoration, among others.
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Project Insights
Blue-Green Infrastructure for Climate Change Adaptation:
Insights from Peru
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“Blue-Green Infrastructure” (BGI), as opposed to grey infrastructure, is the interconnected network of natural and semi-natural areas. BGI is vital for building city and landscape resilience in the face of climate threats and reduce disaster risk. In Peru, BGI includes wetlands, floodplains and ancestral techniques such as amunas, connected with blue and green building elements like green roofs. As a part of an integrated master plan, nature restoration and BGI can be combined with traditional engineering measures. Read more here
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The Face of Disasters 2019
This report by the Sustainable Environmental and Ecological Development Society provides an overview of natural hazards in India, focusing on the increasing risks brought about by climate change, rainfall variability, increased water use, population growth, the built environment and urbanization. It focuses on promoting an approach going beyond disaster response including better resilience and sustainability. The report highlights the importance of wetland preservation and restoration for disaster risk reduction. Read the report here
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Scientific Corner
Quantifying the services of natural and built infrastructure in the context of climate change: The Tana River Basin, Kenya
A study published by the International Water Management Institute was conducted in the Tana River Basin, exploring the synergies and trade-offs between built and natural infrastructure. The results provide initial monetary values of some ecosystem services and highlight the need for policy-makers to recognize natural infrastructure as a national asset, to ensure that environmental issues associated with human well-being are considered in decision-making, and to plan and manage natural and built infrastructure in tandem.
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The value of China’s coastal wetlands and seawalls for storm protection
The storm protection functions of coastal wetlands are often ignored by decision makers in China. This study published in Ecosystem Services estimates the value of coastal wetlands for storm protection by analyzing historical storms and associated economic loss. Results show that wetlands considerably decrease economic loss from storm damage. Coastal wetlands have fewer construction and maintenance costs, and provide valuable ecosystem services that grey infrastructure, such as seawalls cannot.
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Events
The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2019
The sixth session of the biennial Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction will take place in Geneva, Switzerland from 13 to 17 May, 2019 under the theme "Resilience Dividend: Towards Sustainable and Inclusive Societies". The GPDRR is a critical component of the monitoring and implementation process of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) and serves as a platform for governments and stakeholders to share good practices, identify gaps and make recommendations to further accelerate the implementation. More information here.
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Policy Advisor, Adaptation
Organization: IISD
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Closing date: Unspecified
See here
Senior Communications Officer (GEF)
Organization: World Bank Group
Location: Washington, DC
Closing date: 26 April 2019
See here
Intern (Disaster Management Team)
Organization: UNDP
Location: Beijing, China
Closing date: 28 April
See here
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Project Coordinator
Organization: IUCN
Location: St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
Closing date: 5 May 2019
See here
Intern/Assistant to the Senior Regional Adviser for the Asia/Oceania Region
Organization: Ramsar Convention Secretariat
Location: Gland, Switzerland
Closing date: 7 May 2019
See here
For more information please see PEDRR's Linkedin.
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