Call for Abstracts - Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation: guiding development policies in the 21st century

Four years after its first workshop held in Bonn, 2009, which led to the publication “The Role of Ecosystems in Disaster Risk Reduction” (2013), the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR), the Centre for Natural Resources and Development (CNRD) and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) is inviting researchers, policy makers and practitioners to a Science-Policy workshop to share success stories and discuss how the science and evidence-base of ecosystem-based DRR/CCA could more effectively inform and influence development decisions.

The PEDRR/LIPI/CNRD International 2014 workshop is being held at a time when three major global policy agendas are being negotiated, namely the post-2015 global framework on disaster risk reduction (HFA-2), the post-2015 sustainable development agenda, and the post-2015 global climate change agreement. Discussions and outputs will have clear relevance to these major policy processes. The workshop will also aim to identify a research agenda for the next 10 years which would have direct relevance to policy and decision-making.

The workshop will examine how to maximize integration of DRR and CCA through ecosystem-based approaches and how these integrated strategies can help inform policies and programming that aim to build local and national resilience to disasters. While the inter-linkages between climate change and DRR are now widely acknowledged, these two domains continue to develop in silos with different stakeholders, expert groups, funding mechanisms and processes. One way to promote the integration of climate change adaptation (CCA) and DRR is through the adoption of ecosystem-based approaches. Ecosystem-based approaches to DRR and CCA integrate the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services into an overall strategy to reduce people’s vulnerability and increase their resilience to natural hazards and climate change. They refer to the sustainable management, conservation and restoration of ecosystems to provide services that help people cope with and adapt to natural hazards, climate variability, and impacts of climate change.

Abstracts can be submitted to the following four thematic areas:

1) Evidence and economics of Eco-DRR/CCA
Ecosystem-based DRR/CCA is often under-valued and under-appreciated as part of a
comprehensive approach to risk reduction. Decision-makers need to know to what extent
investments in ecosystem protection will be cost- effective, given their multiple benefits (many
intangible). This thematic area seeks to examine the main challenges and opportunities in
measuring both the effectiveness (i.e. impacts/results) and cost-effectiveness of ecosystem-based
solutions for DRR and CCA. Participants are invited to share experiences in conducting
economic assessments of Eco-DRR/ CCA interventions and valuation of ecosystem services for
DRR and adaptation, including use of cost-benefit analysis, payment for ecosystem services
(PES), replacement methods, etc.

2) Decision making tools for Eco-DRR/CCA
At the heart of challenges to mainstream ecosystem-based DRR/CCA is the limited or lack of
institutional and human capacities to implement ecosystem-based DRR/CCA through plans,
programmes and projects. This session will focus on contributions to feature efforts that utilize
environmental management tools to support decision-making, planning and programming for
ecosystem-based DRR/CCA, for instance risk-sensitive spatial planning, environmental impact
assessments (EIAs) and strategic environmental assessments (SEAs), integrated coastal zone
management (ICZM), integrated watershed management, (IWRM) etc. Many such tools already
exist but may not have been adopted for DRR or CCA.

3) Innovative institutional arrangements and policies for Eco-DRR/CCA
In order to promote and scale up ecosystem-based DRR/CCA approaches in countries, an
enabling environment is needed that provides the right policy and institutional support. This
session invites contributions that feature innovative institutional arrangements and policies that
have supported ecosystem-based DRR/CCA in countries. It aims to generate discussion on
different types of incentives – e.g. financial, regulatory and institutional incentives – that have
worked - for promoting more comprehensive DRR/CCA. Case studies on innovative
institutional arrangements and policies that pose challenges are also welcome to promote
discussions on science – policy gaps.

4) Cutting edge scientific research and technical innovations on Eco-DRR/CCA
While there is already solid empirical evidence that ecosystem-based DRR/CCA works in many
contexts, knowledge gaps remain which need to be addressed by the scientific community.
Session 4 seeks to showcase current research and technical innovations (e.g. in GIS modelling
and use of space technology) that are providing knowledge required to influence and inform
policy and planning decisions. This session is especially intended to promote trans- and
interdisciplinary research that combines DRR/CCA with ecosystem components.

Expected Outcomes:

1. A book publication – Ecosystems as a bridge between DRR and CCA: Opportunities and emerging issues (title TBD) to be based on the top submissions generated from the Call for Abstracts, in addition to invited papers;

2. Policy publication summarizing the main conclusions, emerging issues and recommendations for mainstreaming Eco-DRR/CCA, which will be used as input to ongoing consultations on the HFA-2, UNFCCC, and post-2015 sustainable development agenda;

3. Workshop photo documentation of workshop proceedings.
Organisers/co-sponsors (additional sponsors and partners are being sought):

Main organisers are: The Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR)
United Nations University United Nations Environment Programme, The Nature Conservancy
And Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) (hosting institution) Center for Natural Resources and Development (CNRD)

The deadline for abstract submission is 10 February, 2014

Please submit your abstract (max. 300 words) with subject heading as “science-policy workshop 2014” at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Information about the acceptance of your abstract will be provided by 1 March 2014. The workshop will have a maximum size of 50 participants and only abstracts of direct relevance to the four themes described above will be considered.