Ecosystems, Livelihoods and Disaster Risk Reduction Workshop at UNU-EHS

The workshop, organized within the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR), took place from 21 until 23 September 2010 on the UN Campus in Bonn. It brought together scientists and practitioners studying and working in the field of ecosystems and disaster risk reduction (DRR), who had the opportunity to brainstorm on the links between ecosystems, livelihood and DRR in order to help translating knowledge into action.

Rationale

Ecosystems contribute in many ways to DRR. However, in some cases, the multi-dimensional role of ecosystems in bringing about (i) exposure reduction, (ii) protection, (iii) reduction of vulnerability of coupled social-ecological systems, (iv) increased resilience of these systems, and (v) livelihoods are still not sufficiently understood. The workshop aims at bringing together both the scientific and the practitioner communities involved in DRR to foster dialogue in order to (1) highlight good practices that facilitate the adoption of ecosystem approaches in DRR when this is appropriate and (2) identify knowledge gaps and needs of both communities in maximizing ecosystem services for livelihoods and DRR.

Objectives

• to take stock of the latest scientific developments on the linkages between ecosystems and their role in DRR, with a focus on reducing threats and vulnerabilities and increasing resilience of social-ecological systems

• to take stock of good practices on ecosystem-based approaches for DRR

• to enhance the dialogue between the scientific and practitioner communities in order to improve knowledge and practice.

Format

The workshop comprises oral presentations, a poster display during coffee breaks, as well as “brainstorming” discussions on pre-identified themes. The types of hazards considered are the following:

• coastal hazards including (but not limited to) storm surges, hurricanes, tsunamis, flooding, coastal erosion, salinization 

• hazards related to hinterlands such as fires and landslides.

Expected Outputs

• Workshop proceedings targeting two stakeholder groups: (i) scientists, experts and practitioners and (ii) policymakers and decision makers

• Roster of scientists, experts and practitioners working on ecosystems and DRR

• Research agenda and capacity-building needs identified.

About PEDRR

This workshop is an initiative of the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR) which is a global alliance of UN agencies, NGOs and specialist institutes. PEDRR aims to influence policy, enhance implementation and better coordination efforts in environmental management for disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and sustainable livelihoods. It promotes ecosystem management as the key strategy to reduce disaster risk, increase local resilience and adapt to a changing climate. ( www.pedrr.net ). The following organizations are in the PEDRR: Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Global Fire Monitoring Center, International Union for the Conservation of Nature, ProAct Network, Stockholm Environment Institute, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction;,United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security and World Wide Fund for Nature.