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 PEDRR Shoutout: Inter-governmental Expert Working Group on Indicators and Terminology relating to
Disaster Risk Reduction convenes in Geneva
In June 2015, the UN General Assembly endorsed the post-2015 global DRR framework, known as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) (2015-2030), and also agreed to establish an Inter-governmental Expert Working Group that will develop a set of possible indicators and terminology to measure implementation of the SFDRR. The Inter-governmental expert working group will convene on 29-30 September at the United Nations in Geneva. Main sessions of this event will be live web cast. Learn more
This will be the first out of three formal sessions, with the following two to be held in 2016. The work from these working groups will be completed by December 2016, and its report submitted to the UN General Assembly for consideration. A series of pre-meetings will be held in September in Geneva:
- Technical Panel Briefing on DRR terminology, 4 September. Learn more
- Technical Panel Briefing on DRR indicators, 8 September. Learn more
- Informal Inter-governmental session on indicators and terminology, 28 September. Learn more
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News
Green infrastructure as a solution to increased risk of flooding in U.S. Coastal Cities
FEMA/Charles Powell
According to a new study by Nature Climate Change, US coastal cities are facing increased risk of severe flooding. Investing in green infrastructure for storm water management is important in minimizing future costs of disaster impacts. Green infrastructure techniques, including green roofs, rain gardens, roadside plantings, porous pavements, and rainwater harvesting, use soils and vegetation in the built environment to absorb runoff close to where it falls, limiting flooding and sewer backups. Read more
Philippines: Palawan benefits from DOST’s flood hazard mapping project
Photo by Keith Anthony S. Fabro, for CNN Philippines
On 17 August, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the Philippines, under its Disaster Risk and Exposure Assessment for Mitigation (DREAM) project, presented topographic mapping outputs to the Municipal Governments of Palawan and Puerto Princesa. These topographic maps will be used in flood modeling of disaster-risk prone areas in Palawan. Local governments will also be able to use these data sets to better manage their natural resources, for instance in monitoring forest cover, as well as to create its comprehensive land use plan and development plan. Read more
UNEP and Uganda work to boost wetlands' resilience to climate change
On 26 August, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner presented the Uganda Wetlands Atlas as a contribution to a major national wetlands restoration initiative being launched across the country. Produced at the request of Government of Uganda, the Atlas provides an assessment of the rapid changes taking place in the country's critical wetland ecosystems in urban areas. The restoration initiative will enhance Uganda's resilience to climate change impacts on wetland areas. Learn more
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Reminder!
Don’t forget to send us your opinion of the PEDRR weekly newsletter! Tell us what works for you, and what can be improved! Thank you to those who have already completed the survey. If you have not done so, it's not too late! The survey really only takes 2-3 minutes. Link to the survey
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Special Mention
PEDRR thanks our summer interns Hanna Paulose and Sanna Saleemi for all their contributions, including the MOOC and Eco-DRR training evaluation surveys and analysis, and baseline study for UNEP’s capacity building project with a focus on the oil industry. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours. (Photo from left: Hanna Paulose, Sanna Saleemi)
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Opinion
Hurricane Katrina’s lessons for the world
New Orleans flooded and burning, the week after Hurricane Katrina. Photo by Vincent Laforet/NYT/Redux/Eyevine
Following Hurricane Katrina which devastated the US Gulf Coast states in 2005, the Coastal Protection Restoration Authority (CPRA) of Louisiana embarked on a 2012 Master Plan to prioritize coastal protection and restoration projects over the next 50 years. The Plan aims to create 100 square kilometres of new wetlands by 2031, recognizing how wetlands provide flood attenuation functions. Drawing on lessons from Katrina, Edward B. Barbier outlines a global, coastal resilience strategy based on three main lines of defence, including the right balance of green and gray infrastructure and strengthened institutional and community capacities. Link to the article
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Publication
Natural disasters and climate change in the Pacific island countries: New non- monetary measurements of impacts
This paper describes a new index that aggregates disaster impacts for the Pacific Island countries and demonstrates that the burden of disasters is significantly more acute in the Pacific than in the Caribbean. The study highlights that disaster risk in the Pacific is particularly high, partly because of the combination of sea level rise and coral reef degradation which have made coastal areas considerably more vulnerable to storms. Link to the publication
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Upcoming Event
Vanishing glaciers and coping communities: Insights from around the world
Photo by Paul Keller
Organized by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), this event brings together the Climate Change and Environment (CC&E) & Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) networks. It will be held in Bern, Switzerland on 10 September 2015 to exchange lessons on diverse biophysical and socio-cultural aspects of vanishing glaciers and coping strategies by local communities. A parallel session will focus on reducing disaster risk from precipitation extremes in deglaciating mountain environments in the Hindukush-Himalaya region. Learn more
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Job Vacancies
The Nature Conservancy
Position: Marine Science Project Manager
Location: Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Deadline: 1 Sep. 2015
UNEP
Position: Intern - Programme Support for Division of Early Warming and Assessment (DEWA)
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Deadline: 9 Sep. 2015
Asian Disaster Preparedness Center
Position: Consultant for Disaster Management Capacity Building
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Deadline: 13 Sep. 2015
World Bank
Position: Junior Professional Officer (JPO) within its Energy Sector Management Assistance Program
Location: Washington DC, USA
Deadline: 13 Sep. 2015
UNISDR
Position: Programme Officer, P4
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Deadline: 20 Sep. 2015
For more information and other job vacancies, please see PEDRR's Linkedin.
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