MainDBNew: ECLIM (Environment and climate: Impacts, risks and adaptation), Department of Geography, University of Zurich and Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg,

Title: ECLIM (Environment and climate: Impacts, risks and adaptation), Department of Geography, University of Zurich and Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg,
NWPWeblink: http://eclim-research.ch/

NWPTypeOfOrganization: Research institution; University/education/training organization
NWPGeographicRegion: Asia; Europe; South America
Scope of work: Assessment; Design of approaches; Data collection and management; Stakeholder engagement; Communication and outreach
NWPMandatesandFrameworks: For entities working on national and/or sub-national levels: 


Please describe your efforts underway to integrate consideration of slow onset events into development plans, poverty strategies, etc.

We primarily have a mandate to produce knowledge on climate change impacts, adaptation and disaster risk reduction with a particular focus on mountain and cryosphere systems. We study impacts and associated risks over a large range of space and time: from analyzing impacts in the past and its attribution to climate change to projections into the future. We are also responsible to train the next generation of climate researchers and to develop training activities.

NWPModalityApproachandMechanism: The work of our group is undertaken in the context of national and international climate and environmental research and policy.  We collaborate with national and international academic institutions, governments and organizations, typically with an adaptation and risk reduction perspective. In this sense our work is conceived at the boundary between research, policy and practice. We provide information to our stakeholders through scientific articles, policy briefs, participative workshops and inputs at conference and workshops.

NWPEffortsToAddressSOE: In the following we provide an overview of selected projects, which also give an idea of the tools and mechanisms developed for addressing slow onsets events and in particular glacial retreat impacts, and temperature increase.

AquaFuturo: The project addresses several key scientific gaps related to the analysis of current and future water risks in data-scarce mountain regions. This is achieved by coupling hydro-climatic (water supply) and socioeconomic (water demand) data in an integrated water balance modeling framework, as a basis to develop scenarios for the future with local stakeholders, and iteratively analyse water risks and adaptation strategies based on the IPCC and IRGC risk governance frameworks (2016-ongoing).

Glaciares+: Efforts on risk reduction and climate change adaptation in the Peruvian Andes, with a particular focus on capacity building activities and efforts for strengthening public institutions and collaborations with the private sector, namely regarding hydropower production (future activity): 2012-ongoing.

SMD4GC: Sustainable Mountain Development for Global Change. In the framework of this programme, the role of our group is to create and transfer knowledge between and within a number of Mountain Hubs in the Andes, Himalaya, Central Asia, Europe and Africa on sustainable mountain development, which also include knowledge on climate change impacts and risks in mountain areas and option for adaptation (2014-ongoing). This work is carried out with contributions from the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS).

Indian Himalayas Climate Adaptation Programme (IHCAP): strengthening institutions for adaptation measures among vulnerable communities; Mainstreaming adaptation policies for improved action in the Indian Himalayan Region (2012-2016).



PACC (Climate Change Adaptation Programme in Peru): we supported a number of Peruvian Universities in data analysis, climate model and scenario development, climate impact and vulnerability assessments in the different thematic fields, in climate change monitoring and information systems, and in teaching courses at the academic level (2008-2016).


Cost-benefit assessment of climate adaptation measures in Switzerland under uncertainties: we developed a dynamic, stochastic model and used dynamic programming to explore the optimal adaptation decisions under uncertainty in face of uncertain impacts from climate change such as debris flows and flooding (2013-2015).

NWPRelevantStakeholders: The target beneficiaries of our work are local communities, local institutions, practitioners and policy makers in mountain regions around the world. Our efforts are to build knowledge and capacities for the local population starting from the training of young and senior researchers as well as professionals and the involvement of local stakeholders and communities in the design of research questions and in the communication of research results.  We closely work with research institutions worldwide; we produce joint publications, outreach material and develop joint project proposals.

In our research, we look in particular to enhance the understanding of key climate change impacts on mountain systems, the cryosphere and on related downstream systems in terms of socially, culturally, economically and politically relevant aspects. In this sense we support the development of innovative adaptation strategies to successfully manage risks from such impacts.

NWPFocusonNElossesFlag: We focus amongst other on the loss of ecosystem services such as cultural heritages and identity (e.g. loss of permanent snow and ice), regulating services (e.g. buffer against extreme events) and the provisioning services (changes in fresh water availability).

NWPImpactAreas: The impacts addressed are in mountain and high mountain ecosystems and are strongly related to changes in glaciers, run offs and water availability. The impacts of our activities are mainly in mountain areas where data scarcity is a real issue for future planning and on marginalized segments of mountains communities.

NWPOutputs: Perceptions and coping strategies of local communities in mountain areas (in particular in the Andes) with loss related to slow-onset events (loss of glaciers) documented in reports and scientific publications (in journals and books).

Experiences on specific adaptation strategies and implemented measures addressing impacts from slow onset events, together with local communities, local and national governments and NGO’s documented
Workshops and conferences addressing analysis of impacts and adaptation in relation with slow onset events.

Good practices and lessons learned: For local communities risks related to slow onset events may be perceived as more important than risks from sudden onset events, among other because the probability of occurrence of slow onset events is typically much higher.

Adaptation and risk reduction strategies that only focus on sudden onset events and risks without considering slow onset risks may fail in their local implementation because of the aforementioned local perception
Loss related to slow onset events (such as loss of permanent snow, or glaciers) may imply fundamental social and cultural disruption for local (indigenous) communities.

NWPGapsChallenges: Research on understanding the impacts and risks of slow onset processes, and how different social groups perceive these impacts and risks along with possible coping strategies, needs to be strengthened substantially
Slow onset events need to be explicitly considered in adaptation strategies
Efforts need to be strengthened how to deal with loss related to slow onset processes and in particular non-economic losses.



Launch of a dedicated programme on loss related to slow onset events, which integrates the scientific, policy and practice communities. In particular, there is a lack of appropriate modeling for glacial retreat and subsequent impacts integrated in risk assessments for loss and damage.

Other challenges pertain: data scarcity in mountain areas; and different gaps and challenges depending on the region (e.g., regarding glacier change: water availability in Central Asia; glacier risks/natural hazards in Peru).

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Climate hazard: Glaciar retreat; Increasing temperatures
Country: Nepal, India, Switzerland, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikista
NWPDataSource: SOE
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Further information: veruska.muccione@geo.uzh.ch
http://eclim-research.ch/




NWPGeographicScope: Global; Local; National; Regional; Subregional; Transboundary
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NWPInformationType: Organizations working on slow onset events
NWPJoinDate: 05/04/2017
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Target group: Academics and scientists; Communities; Policy makers; Practitioners; Private sector
NWPWorkStream: L＆D
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Created at 10/10/2018 14:30 by Serkant Samurkas
Last modified at 10/10/2018 14:30 by Serkant Samurkas
 
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