Newsletter on ecosystems-based risk reduction and climate change adaptation
News from Asia
Wetlands International restoring peatlands in Mongolia
Wetlands International is leading a strategic planning process for peatland restoration in Mongolia. Since the 1990s, overgrazing, mining, drought, forest fires and permafrost thawing have threatened Mongolia’s peatlands. With local partners, Wetlands International will conduct an assessment study and identify main actions to sustainably manage peatlands. For more details.
Tajkistan: Increasing resilience to disaster risk
Tajkistan is a country that is highly prone to disasters. The European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Mercy Corps are working with 29 communities to increase their resilience, through education, bio-engineering, early warning systems and partnerships with private sector. Learn more.
Opinion Joint action on climate change: Facts and figures
By examining the history, connections and conflicts between climate change, development and disaster policies, Ilan Kelman highlights the importance of integrating international policies. Read more. For further reading on integrating CCA and DRR in practice through ecosystem-based solutions, see UNEP’s Discussion Paper (2015).
Video of the Week Senegalese farmers apply nature-based measures
against floods and salt intrusion
Watch the video
Senegalese farmers are working together with IUCN in implementing the Ecosystems Protecting Infrastructure and Communities (EPIC) project to restore healthy ecosystems and reduce vulnerability to floods and salt water intrusion at the community level. Click to watch the video.
Scientific Corner
The vulnerability of Indo-Pacific mangrove forests to sea-level rise
Mangrove forests are known to have the capacity to withstand sea-level rise and protect against flooding. However, a new article published in Nature suggests that changes in sedimentation may reduce the ability of mangrove forests to adapt to sea level rise. Human activities such as damming of rivers in the Indo-Pacific region are reducing sediment supply to coastal areas. As a result mangrove forests cannot maintain soil elevations and may be submerged due to rising sea levels. The study emphasizes the urgent need to take on a reef to ridge approach in order to avoid submergence of mangrove forests. Link to the publication.
Online Course Environmental Education:
A transdisciplinary approach to addressing wicked problems
Cornell University announced a free, new Global Online Course on Environmental Education that will commence from 01 February to 24 April, 2016. The Eco-DRR MOOC team will be featuring a lecture and case study. The course aims to build an environmental education “trading zone” where fellow students will learn about various disciplines to effect environmental change. Learn more.
Job Vacancies
Natural Resources Management, Fisheries Specialist Organization: World Bank
Location: Dakar, Senegal
Closing Date: 29 October 2015
