Webinar on accessing and using data and information for adaptation planning

FLYER    |    REGISTRATION

BACKGROUND

The science of climate change, together with public awareness, has been progressing in recent years contributing to the need to address climate change which also increasing significantly. In such atmosphere, among other prerequisites, clear climate data and information is necessary to identify climate risks and to inform decision-making for effective risk management. In short, the quality of decision-making depends on the quality and availability of climate information and data.

With the support of the Ministry of Environment (MoEJ), Japan and AIT RRC.AP continues to engage with the people in the region in bridging the gap between science and its users to ensure adequate access and use of climate data and information. Through the effective use of climate information, decision-makers can make investment and planning decisions that are practical, robust, and sustainable to ensure longer-term sustainability, and avoid decisions that will limit future options. At the same time, they will help avoid maladaptive situations that involve making decisions in one sector that might damage other systems, sectors, or social groups, or increase the vulnerability of people and communities.

Countries in the region continue to assess their national vulnerability to climate change and develop plans for adaptation. However, a considerable number of resources and effort are required. Therefore, MoEJ has supported the development of efficient tools that provides an efficient way of addressing this need, the tools that enables developing countries to generate their climate related change scenarios and predictions for use in impact studies, even where capacity and resources are limited. The intention is to make such tools freely available for use by developing countries seeking to understand and manage the development of climate predications and impact scenarios for their regions, particularly for those officials involved in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, but also widely applicable for all climate adaptation practitioners as well as for educational purposes. Three most recent tools are ClimoCast and S8DS climate change downscaling tool, and FloodS for the flood forecasting tool.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this webinar is to introduce these three climate scenario planning tools for strategic decision making, as well as how to access them. Specifically, it aims to:

• to inform the availability of tools in adaptation planning
• to provide an overview of available platform as forecasting tool in predicting floods at a certain condition that can mitigate the effect on communities.
• to provide an overview of an online tool that can be used to access and analyze climate data available from web which provide higher accuracy in climate forecasting towards well sounded adaptation planning.
• to introduce the S8DS climate downscaling tool, a tool that can provide climate change model at a local level which helps more accurate information for adaptation planning especially those organizations that is dealing with local areas.
• to help participants understand the importance, role and availability of open access geospatial data, information, and platform for adaptation planning.
• to provide brief demonstration in accessing and utilizing the above-mentioned tools and platform with regards to adaptation planning.

This will empower climate adaptation practitioners in the region and beyond to use their own field knowledge in understanding the future scenario of climate change impacts and develop appropriate actions. The webinar will be conducted in collaboration with the National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan and HITACHI, Japan.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The target audience includes individuals and organizations that are involved in adaptation planning, disaster management, and climate change research. This may include cities and local governments, International Non-government Organizations (INGOs), Civil Society Organizations Officials, Urban Planners, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), adaptation experts, university researchers, faculty, institutional researchers, and students that are dealing with the understanding of how the climate in shaping community’s adaptation strategies.

The webinar will also be a designed platform for stakeholders, policy makers and developers to interact bridging the gap between the availability of technology and the needs of such planning strategy towards well sounded adaptation planning for future research and development in climate resiliency.

AGENDA

Welcome   address

Dr. Guilberto Borongan, Director of Regional Resource Centre for Asia   and the Pacific (RRC.AP), Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand

14.00 – 14.10

Opening Remarks

Ms. Yuko   Yoshida, Deputy Director, Climate Change   Adaptation Office, Global Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment,   Japan

14.10 – 14.20

Presentation 1

Dr. Satoshi Yamaguchi , Chief Researcher, Research & Development   Group, Hitachi, Ltd., Japan.

Presentation: Introduction to FloodS, a flood forecasting   tool

14.20 - 14.40

Presentation 2

Dr.   Masutomi Yuji, Head   of Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Research Section, Center for   Climate Change Adaptation, National Institute for Environmental Studies,   Japan.

Presentation: Introduction   to ClimoCast, an online tool   for climate   forecasting

14.40 - 15.00

Presentation 3

Mrs. Hnin Lai Win, Programme   Officers of Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RRC.AP), Asian   Institute of Technology, Thailand

Presentation: Introduction of S8DS climate downscaling  tool

15.00 - 15.20

Q&A session

Open floor for all relevant   questions. Panel to answer all questions.

15.20 - 15.30

Closing

Dr. Ramesh Soysa, Head, Climate Change Cluster, Regional Resource Centre for Asia   and the Pacific, Asian Institute of Technology (RRC.AP), Thailand

15.30 – 15.35