Proposal for a Working Group Paper on DRR Tools and Methodologies forClimate Change Adaptation—For Discussion

Rationale for a Paper on DRR Tools and Methodologies for Climate Change Adaptation

The climate change community is becoming increasingly aware of the experience the disaster reduction community holds in managing risk and in building resilience to hydrometeorological hazards.States have specifically requested, through the UNFCCC, information on tools and methods to evaluate impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change. In 2004, the UNFCCC Secretariat invited the DRR community, through UNISDR, to contribute to a paper on relevant tools and to present at a side event on the topic at the tenth conference of the parties. The UNFCCC Secretariat has since reiterated its interest in a report on DRR tools and methods used in assessing impacts, vulnerability and response measures to hydrometereolgical hazards. Responding to this request may be an area of work of interest to the Working Group.

Proposed Process for Development of the Paper

Should the WG decide to pursue development of the paper, a first source of information is IATFWorking Group 3, the Working Group on Risk, Vulnerability and Impact Assessment. Led by UN-Habitat, WG3 agreed to develop the following:

  • a register of tools and practices for risk-vulnerability-impact assessment,
  • a critical review of tools and practices for risk-vulnerability-impact assessment,
  • criteria guidelines for the development of best practice on the design and application of risk-vulnerability-impact assessment
  • a network and referral facility of practitioners and institutions.

If the WG decides to go forward with the production of the paper, the Secretariat would support the process by compiling and analyzing the results of WG3, among other tasks below.

Next steps:

  • WG Members may wish to identify one Member to take the lead for this project.
  • The Secretariat would draw up a final outline and work schedule, based on comments to the outline below.
  • WG Members could contribute detailed information on the tools and methods each uses, its application and scope, as well as limitations and cost of implementation.
  • The Secretariat could compile the tools-and-methodsinformation from Members and develop the remaining sections of the proposed outline below.
  • The paper should be ready for presentation at a WG side-event at COP-11 in December 2005. Members may wish to present at the side-event on specific tools and methods they use.

Proposed Outline of Paper on DRR Tools and Methods for Climate Change Adaptation

1. Background

1.a. Reasons for this study:

DRR has tools and methods useful to CC adaptation

UNFCCC Secretariat request

NAPA request

1.b. DRR tools and methods: purposes, methods for using them, scope

2. Existing DRR-tools compilation efforts

2.a. Results of IATF WG 3

2.b. Compendium by Provention Consortium

4. UNFCCC

4.a. Mandate on tools

4.b. UNFCCC Adaptation tools and methods compilation

5. New climate adaptation tools

5.a. World Bank

5.b. Livelihoods Partnership: IUCN etc

6. DRR tools and methodstypes relevant to CC adaptation including application, scope, limitations and cost of implementation.

6.a. to forecast hydrometeorological hazards and impacts

6.b. to assess vulnerability (of people and environment)

6.c. to track historical patterns: can be used to identifyclimate change and quantify losses

6.d. to provide early warning: communicating risk

6.e. to assess impacts/losses: to people, infrastructure, environment

6.f. to reduce vulnerability and cope with impacts/adapt

7. Recommendations on tools and methods:

Explanation of the DRR approach to using the tools