6th international training course on climate risk management in a changing environment

COURSE BACKGROUND & PURPOSE
Climate change and its impacts have become one of the most significant challenges of the 21st century. Climate-related risks, whether concurrent or prospective need to be addressed swiftly as part of the development strategy at any level, from a global level down to a local level.

With an upward growth trend in urban centers, population expansion and industrialization in both developed and developing countries, policy makers need to ensure resilience of development to the possible exacerbation of risks from hydro-meteorological hazards due to climate change.

However, understanding the science of climate change and potential interventions and their integration into development policies and practices has become a challenge for development and disaster risk reduction practitioners. The “International Training Course on Climate Risk Management (CRM-06)” offers a unique and timely opportunity for development and disaster risk reduction practitioners from: The Government, international organizations, UN agencies, NGOs, civil society organizations, private sectors and others to enhance knowledge, expertise and skills on Climate Risk Management enabling them to face this challenge. The course will illustrate climate risk management in urban and rural settings focusing on the sector challenges.

The course participants will be guided through a number of interactive sessions that will enable them to acquire scientific knowledge to assess climate risks and reduce climate risks strategically through: climate risk management planning, implementation and mainstreaming climate risk management into development policies and programs at different levels. Broadly, the course intends to harmonize climate risk management, disaster risk reduction and development planning to enable a holistic approach for sustainable development.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
By completing the course, participants should be able to:

Discuss the science, systems and societal issues of climate change,impacts of climate change and their linkages with climate induced extreme events;
Assess specific sector vulnerabilities to climate change in different settings;
Utilize decision support systems for assessing climate impacts, vulnerabilities and risks and use the tools for designing climate risk management policies, programs and interventions to reduce climate induced risks at different levels;
Discuss and be familiar with the climate change planning processes fordesigning climate risk management policies, strategies, programs andinterventions at different levels;
Identify a menu of options for climate risk management to a given context. Share good practices and lessons learned on climate risk managementfrom different contexts; and
Develop hands-on skills on how to develop a CRM initiative (project/program/action) using the existing knowledge in an innovative learning environment.

COURSE CURRICULUM
Conducted over a period of ten days, the course is divided into six modules. The module details are as follows:

MODULE 1: Concepts and emerging directions of Climate Change and Climate Risk Management

Basic Concepts and Terminologies in Climate Risk Management
Fundamentals of Climate Change Science oDefining weather, climate and climate change
Science behind climate change: greenhouse effect etc.
Climate Change and climate variability
Emerging directions of Climate Risk Management practice
Climate change and extreme events
Linkage and overlap of CCA and DRR

MODULE 2: Climate change projections and decision support tools in Climate Risk Management

Overview of climate modeling for climate risk management, overview of projection and modeling of climate change and its impacts
Projection of future climate change: General Circulation Model,Regional Circulation Models, Atmospheric and Oceanic Models etc.
Use and applications of the projections and climate modeloutputs in planning and policy formulation
Accessing Local Climate Scenarios and climate risk mapping
Downscaling of global and regional climate models into local climate scenarios
Overview to a downscaled climate modeling output for local climate scenario

MODULE 3: Climate change and urban built systems

Overview of the projected issues of climate change and urban built system oOverview of the urban settings and climate change impacts on the built systems
Housing and public amenities / urban settlements / heat island
Urban infrastructure, common amenities, drainage and flood controls
Water, sanitation and hygiene and health
Managing megacities / coastal cities in changing climate
Case study example of climate risk management in urban built systems
Detailed case study and critical overview of a case study on urban climate risk management (to be taken from ACCCRNprogram)

MODULE 4: Climate change and rural ecosystems

Overview of the projected issues of climate change and rural ecosystems
Overview of the rural ecosystems and climate change impacts on various eco-systems
Sustainable livelihoods
Agriculture and food security
Case study on climate management in rural settings
Detailed case study and critical overview of an agricultural climate risk management project

MODULE 5: Climate risk management planning and implementation

Climate Risk Management Planning Processes at the national level,sub-national and local levels
Climate forecasts and applications for proactive risk management
Description of various types of climate forecast products (including short, medium, seasonal, long-range)
Integration of climate change adaptation in urban built environment and local development programs
Climate proofed housing and infrastructure
Urban drainage and flood controls
Public health
Coastal city and urban land use planning
Integration of climate risk management in rural development and ecosystem-based programs focusing on agriculture and livelihoods oAgriculture based adaptation (crops, aquaculture and animal husbandry)
Incorporation of climate forecasts for selection of livelihood options including selection of crops
Crop insurance and microfinance for climate resilience
Farmer’s field schools and data advocacy for climate resilience
Concrete examples of two climate forecast applications one in rural setting (e.g. CFA examples) and another in urban setting(i.e. Urban flood forecast in Jakarta).
Climate resilience indicators
Overview to climate resilience
Climate resilience indicators in urban built environment
Climate resilience indicators for coastal environment
Climate resilience indicators in rural agriculture based environment
Cross-cutting issues to address climate change, Climate Risk Management and socially vulnerable groups oGender, children, elderly, differently able people
Other marginalized groups
Extreme events and findings of SREX report
Early warning system development and contingency planning foreffective response to changing hazardous environment
Economics of Climate Change and Climate Risk Management
Climate Risk Communication
CRC at national and sub-national level
CRC at local levels

MODULE 6: Future knowledge applications and conclusions

Hands-on exercise on project concept development exercise
Exercise on development of two project concept notes (in briefmanner) using the knowledge from the earlier sessions (one reflecting urban setting and another on rural setting)
Presentation of the project concept in groups and mock-evaluation of the proposals by a technical team, course conclusions and way forward
Post course action planning
Post-test
Course evaluation

Note: The contents are shown for guidance only. ADPCs ongoing course improvement process may lead to some changes in topics and structure.

RESOURCE PERSONS
Internationally experienced practitioners and experts from different organizations will complement ADPCs in house expertise to conduct and facilitate the course.

COURSE METHODOLOGIES
The course has been designed to promote the sharing of: knowledge, expertise and experience amongst the invited resource persons, sector specialists, guest speakers and the course participants. This approach will facilitate to equip participants with strategic planning processes and implement appropriate climate risk management options at different levels. It will encourage participants to think and act innovatively utilizing contemporary adult learning methodologies, including, but not limited to:

Interactive lectures and discussions
Facilitated group exercises
Scenario based simulations
Peer to Peer learning events
Field and institutional visits
Video documentaries
Case studies and good practices sharing
Instructional games
Guest speeches and high-level chats

Participants are asked to participate fully in all of the above course activities. Certificates will only be awarded to participants who complete all course requirements.

LANGUAGE
All teaching and reference materials are in English. Participants must be fully conversant in English.

ACCOMMODATION
Applicants are highly recommended to stay at the hotel where the training is held. The room rate is approximately US$70-90 per single occupancy room per night including daily buffet breakfast.