UN University: Comprehensive Climate Risk Management - Loss & Damage
United Nations University
contact: warner@ehs.unu.edu
Description
Science today points to widespread current and future impacts of anthropogenic climate change, including extreme weather events (IPCC 2007, IPCC SREX 2011). Recent case study findings and a world risk index from United Nations University (UNU) underscore that residual impacts of climate change (“loss and damage”) are already a significant consequence of an inadequate ability to adapt to changes in climate patterns.
In the future, increasing impacts from combinations of extreme weather and slow onset climatic processes are expected to induce even more loss and damage. Most decision makers today recognize the importance of assessing and managing the negative impacts of climate change, particularly in areas like disaster risk reduction.
Disaster risk reduction in a comprehensive framework to manage climate risks can help reduce loss and damage. However, more work is needed between practitioners, academics, and UN agencies and other decision makers. This session supports the objectives of the Global Platform 2013 by reflecting on good practice, lessons learned, and policy implications of climate change related loss and damage.
United Nations University (UNU) invites experts and delegates to discuss comprehensive climate risk management and climate change related loss and damage. The session will explore evidence including original recent case studies and a world risk index, linkages with disaster risk reduction practice, and policy implications for HFA post-2015.
This session aims to
• Present evidence on loss and damage related to weather-related disasters and the consequences for societies in developing countries in LAC, Africa, and Asia)
• Discuss linkages between disaster risk reduction and loss and damage in the future
• Explore implications of research findings on loss & damage for emerging institutional responses to disaster risk reduction, adaptation
Tentative Panel:
1. Jakob Rhyner – Managing Loss & Damage Through Comprehensive Risk Management: Implications for Human Security
2. Maximilian Witting – Vulnerability trends and disaster root causes
3. Axel Rottländer – Necessity and Constraints in Addressing Disaster Root Causes
4. Koko Warner – Evidence from the Frontlines of Climate Change: Loss & Damage to Communities Despite Coping and Adaptation
With expert comments from the floor from inter alia Susan Cutter ( University of South Carolina), Joern Birkmann (UNU-EHS), Anthony Oliver-Smith (University of Florida).
Expected Outcomes
• Enhance understanding about current evidence of loss & damage, and the consequences of loss and damage for the livelihoods and safety of communities worldwide.
• Mapping of the functions of private sector and public sector stakeholders in addressing loss and damage, and how these functions may need to evolve in the future to adequately address disaster risk reduction and loss and damage in the future
• Contribution to post-2015 HFA discussions on how loss and damage, climate change and adaptation relate to the emerging institutional responses to disaster risk reduction
