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In Memoriam: Celebrating Prof. Sam Hettiarachchi, a true Eco-DRR Champion
This week's newsletter is dedicated to Prof. Samantha Hettiarachchi, civil engineer, ecosystem proponent and Professor of Civil and Coastal Engineering at the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. A graduate of Imperial Collage, London in Coastal and Harbour Science in 1987 he greatly promoted increased investments in coastal vegetation for protecting coastal communities in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
Prof. Hettiarachchi was one of the first scientists to model the relation between mangroves and wave attenuation. While leading the efforts to modernize the Disaster Risk Management in Sri Lanka by setting up the Ministry of Disaster Management and Disaster Management Centre he served the global community as the Chairman of the Working Group on Risk Assessment of the UNESCO/Indian Ocean Commission (Paris) and Inter-governmental group for the establishment of Indian Ocean Tsunami Early Warning System (IOTWS). His expertise was reflected in UNESCO guidelines on coastal hazards, risk assessment and management.
PEDRR celebrates Dr. Sam Hettiarachchi’ s significant contribution to the field of ecosystem protection for human resilience. Dr. Sam is also remembered as a humble and gentle man, who mentored many young students and professionals who will undoubtedly carry forward his dedication for advancing knowledge and humanity.
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PEDRR Partner News
Project launched in Caribbean to build climate resilience by using nature to reduce risks
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The Resilient Islands project, led by The Nature Conservancy and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), combines cutting-edge conservation science with the world’s leading expertise in disaster response to develop tools and test solutions that use nature to protect communities in the Dominican Republic, Grenada and Jamaica. Read the article here |
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First national workshop held in Indonesia to address land subsidence problems
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A national seminar was held on 27-28 March in Jakarta on the issue of land subsidence in coastal lowlands, which increasingly affect coastal communities with flooding and erosion problems throughout Indonesia. The seminar, organised by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Wetlands International and the Partners for Resilience alliance, established a Land Subsidence Declaration which calls for urgent control of ground water extraction and peatland drainage, wetland-friendly development, and a joint roadmap for regional and national government levels to mitigate land subsidence. Read more here |
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News
The National Stormwater Conference highlights green infrastructure as the #SolutionToPollution
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On the occasion of Earth Day on April 22, StormCon, the national stormwater and surface water quality conference in Denver, Colorado, USA has launched a brand-new Earth Day campaign, #SolutionToPollution, to promote low-impact development practices and other green infrastructure as the go-to solution to prevent stormwater pollution across the country. Read more here |
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Featured Publications
Enhancing action on wetlands as a key strategy to reach Paris Agreement objectives
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Water-related disasters account for 90% of all disasters. When wetlands are better safeguarded, managed and restored, their ecosystem services can greatly contribute to attenuating water-related impacts of climate change. This paper provides an overview on wetlands' contribution to the implementation of Paris Agreement objectives. Read the full report here |
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Flood risk management in Dhaka: A case for eco-engineering approaches and institutional reform
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Dhaka is at high risk of flooding, which is expected to increase with climate change and variability. Urbanization in Dhaka has been accompanied by a significant decline in the city’s wetlands and waterways, with significant implications for flood risk management. This paper explores how flood risk can be managed through eco-engineering and nature based solutions, early warning systems, land use planning and zoning, together with infrastructure based approaches. Read the paper here
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Call for Applications
EcoShape conference ‘Scaling up Building with Nature’
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The EcoShape Conference taking place on 27 June in Utrecht, Netherlands, will focus on best practices and next steps to apply Building with Nature at more places in the world. The conference organizers invite you to share your knowledge on the following themes: ecosystem restoration, Living Lab for Mud, Reducing the CO2 footprint, Nature based flood defences, sustainable port development and resilient delta cities. For more information visit the website here |
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Upcoming Events
3rd Ecosystem based Adaptation Knowledge Day
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Ecosystem based Adaptation Knowledge Day, organized by GIZ and IUCN under the Friends of EbA (FEBA) network, will take place on 7 May in Bonn, Germany. The event brings together UN negotiators, policymakers, practitioners, researchers, among others working on issues relevant to climate adaptation, ecosystem management and human resilience. It aims to enhance knowledge on strategies and partnerships for upscaling EbA at policy and implementation level. For more details click here
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Expert, Climate Change and Agro-sylvo-pastoral Systems
Organization: GOPA Consultants mbH
Location: Nouakchott, Mauritania
Close date: 2 May, 2018
Asia Pacific Mitigation Consultant
Organisation: CTCN
Location: Copenhagen, Kobenhavn, Denmark
Close date: 3 May, 2018
For more information please see PEDRR's LinkedIn.
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Senior Analyst
Organisation: ClimateWorks Australia
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Close date: 11 May, 2018
Internship in Financial Systems Development and Insurance/Climate Risk Insurance
Organization: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Location: Germany (Eschborn)
Close date: 8 May, 2018
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