Climate and disaster risk management online course
AASTMT, RCDRR and GFDRR are offering Climate and Disaster Risk Management on-line course, which is a specialized course within the comprehensive Natural Disaster Risk Management Program, targeting development practitioners, central, state and local government officials, NGO representatives, community leaders and others interested in challenges and issues related to disaster risk reduction and management.
This online course aims at supporting the global agenda of managing the risks associated to climate change through increased knowledge and awareness of development practitioners and policy makers at national and local level. The course gives a brief introduction to the science of climate change, reviews the climate change impacts on natural hazards, the trends in magnitude and frequency of climatic extremes and changes in average climatic conditions. It explores the inter-linkages between disaster risk management and climate change adaptation and outlines strategies, methods and tools for integrated climate risk management.
The main objective of the course is to provide a better understanding of the implications of climate change for disaster risk management. It reviews the causes, trends and impacts and introduces options – methods, tools - to consider for integrating climate change in disaster management. This course aims at improving the understanding of the changes in the global climate and their impact on weather-related hazards, such as floods, heat waves, droughts and storms, the consequences of changes in weather-related hazards on disaster risk with implications on economic development and vulnerability of people; the resulting additional challenges for disaster risk management; and issues to be considered in disaster risk management in light of the changing climate.
Course Format
The course consists of self-paced module, discussion forums, exercises, readings, case studies, tests and learning via interaction with program faculty and peers. The course module includes 3 audio sessions of expert lectures, 30–40 minutes each. The course materials while available on-line will be also provided on a CD to each participant. Participants need internet connectivity to participate in the on-line discussions during the course.
Course Expectations
Participants are expected to commit 8–10 hours per week in order to gain the most out of this course. In addition participants need to:
• Complete the required reading assignments
• Participate in all online activities. Participation involves posting a minimum of two messages per week that are substantive in nature. The message can be either a new topic or a reply to someone else's message. Participants are encouraged to post more often than twice a week in order to be involved more deeply into topics.
• Participate in videoconferencing and asynchronous chat sessions (if applicable)
• Complete assignments and the end of course project
• Pass the final exam
• Complete course evaluation at the end of the course
Certificate
Joint certificate from AASTMT and GFDRR will be issued to all successful participants of the course. Successful participants will also be eligible for specialized courses. Tentative schedule of other courses is attached in Annex 3.
Computer System Requirements
Participants must have access to computers with the following specifications:
Hardware: Pentium 166 or faster, 64Mb Memory, CD-ROM, Sound Card
Software: Windows 95,98,ME,NT 4,2000 or XP Internet Explorer 4 or higher, Netscape 4 or higher Microsoft
Office 2000 (Word, Powerpoint) Acrobat Reader 5
Presenters
the course content was developed through collaboration of the WB and IFRC Climate Center, Netherlands.
Instructors
During the course certified instructors and facilitators from AASTMT , RCDRR and the World Bank will guide the participants and evaluate the project work.