Green Recovery And Reconstruction: Training Toolkit For Humanitarian Aid 1 Disaster Risk Reduction Session 2: Environment-based DRR Activities and Assessments

2 Last session we discussed… Links between disaster risk & environment Ecosystem-based DRR activities This session we will discuss Mod 9 Ses 1 Mitigate neg. impacts on the environment How to Integrate environment into DRR assessments Next session

3 Exercise: What can go wrong? The activity focuses on how DRR can go wrong from an environmental perspective. 1.You will be provided with a case study 2.Identify what environmental issues (problems) can occur 3.List the results on a flip chart 4.Select someone to present the results 5.You have 10 minutes to discuss your ideas and prepare your report See Handout Mod 9 Ses 2

4 How to avoid environmental surprises in DRR projects…  Consider the environment in the project design process – locally as well as downstream or remote locations to avoid unintended consequences  Conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the proposed project  Environmental reviews can be  fairly simple  fast  can identify ways to improve the impact (including disaster reduction impact of the planned activities) Mod 9 Ses 2

5 EIA Process An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 1.Starts with a “scoping” of possible environmental issues 2.The scoping is followed by more specific investigation of possible serious environmental impacts. 3.The process ends with an identification of ways to avoid or mitigate the impacts which have been identified, i.e., DRR activities. Mod 9 Ses 2

6 Key EIA Information Sources  Green Recovery and Reconstruction Toolkit Module 3 Environmental Impact Assessment Tools and Techniques for procedures to review post-disaster DRR interventions  -- For general background information on EIAs  for information on EIA procedures and EIAs for small scale projects (relevant for many DRR activities) Mod 9 Ses 2

7 Ecosystem-based activities for DRR In this part of the session, we will… Identify a set of ecosystem-based DRR activities that can enhance disaster risk reduction programs Mod 9 Ses 2

8 What is “Ecosystem”?  An ecosystem is “a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit.” Source: Article 2 of the Convention on Biological Diversity How would you restate this in “conversational English”? What are the links between ecosystems and disasters? Mod 9 Ses 2

9 Ecosystem-Disaster Links  Hazards occur in ecosystems and may affect them in the short- or long-term  Human actions which damage ecosystems can increase the impact of disasters  Restoring ecosystems (e.g., restoring wetlands which can absorb flood waters) can reduce disaster impact in some cases Any other links? Mod 9 Ses 2

10 Ecosystems and Vulnerability Reduction Vulnerability is often linked to  Access to natural resources  The quality of resources available Mod 9 Ses 3

11 Ecosystems and Vulnerability Reduction  Improving access to natural resources  Improving the quality of the natural resources available  Poor quality water  Poor shelter  Lack of access to food (sustainable, healthy ecosystems are part of the answer) Mitigating vulnerability through an ecosystem approach often involves: How would you use ecosystems to reduce vulnerability related to: Mod 9 Ses 3

12 What are ecosystem services? The benefits that people and communities obtain from ecosystems. Integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use provides the basis for maintaining ecosystem services, including those that contribute to reduced disaster risks. - Source: the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Mod 9 Ses 2

13 Ecosystem Services Ecosystems provide us with many services, including:  Provisioning services: such as food and water  Regulating services: such as regulation of floods, drought, land degradation and disease  Supporting services: such as soil formation and nutrient cycling  Cultural services: such as recreational, spiritual, religious and other non-material benefits Mod 9 Ses 2

14 Examples of Ecosystem Services Wetlands and peatlands buffer flood waters Mod 9 Ses 2

15 Forests “Protection forests” reduce damage from avalanches, landslides and rock falls Mod 9 Ses 2

16 Intact Coastal Ecosystems For example, stabilized sand dunes, coral reefs, lagoons and mangroves can reduce flood damage from coastal storms Coral_Reef_Torres_Strait_Islands_Australia.jpg Mod 9 Ses 2

17 Shelter Belts, Greenbelts, Hedges, “Living Fences” …can help regulate drought, sand storm and fire Mod 9 Ses 2

18 Discussion Questions How is DRR part of the “integrated management of land, water and living resources”? Provide examples. Please write your ideas on a flip chart. Mod 9 Ses 2

19 Integrate Environmental Issues into Typical DRR Assessments DRR assessments determine the nature and extent of the risk by analyzing potential hazards and evaluating existing conditions of vulnerability that could pose a potential threat or harm to people, property, livelihoods and the environment on which they depend. Mod 9 Ses 2

20 DRR assessments consist of… 1.A hazard assessment to determine the characteristics of hazards facing a community Such as?? 2.A vulnerability assessment to determine who and what is vulnerable, level of vulnerability and underlying reasons for vulnerability An example?? 3.A capacity assessment to determine a community’s existing capacities to cope with a hazard and the gaps in capacity An example?? 4.An action plan To do what?? Mod 9 Ses 2

21 Exercise: Integrating the Environment into DRR Assessments Environmental links to the DRR assessment process: 1.Describe hazards in a community 2.Conduct hazard mapping 3.Describe vulnerabilities and capacities 4.Determine disaster risks See Handout Mod 9 Ses 2

22 Lunch Time Mod 9 Ses 2