Climate risk management

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Climate Risk Management (CRM) is a term is used for a large and growing body of work, bridging the climate change adaptation, disaster management and development sectors, amongst many others.

Contents

[edit] Definition

“Climate Risk Management” or “CRM” is a generic term to refer to an approach to climate-sensitive decision making that is increasingly seen as the way forward in dealing with climate variability and change. The approach seeks to promote sustainable development by reducing the vulnerability associated with climate risk. CRM involves proactive 'no regrets' strategies aimed at maximizing positive and minimizing negative outcomes for communities and societies in climate-sensitive areas such as agriculture, food security, water resources, and health. The 'no regrets' aspect of CRM means taking climate-related decisions or action that make sense in development terms anyway, whether or not a specific climate threat actually materializes in the future. (IRI: Climate Risk Management in Africa: Learning from Practice, 2007; pg. 8).

[edit] Context

“While important exceptions exist, poor incorporation of climate considerations in development:

Are widespread from top to bottom (policy level to field operations);
Are prevalent in all sectors agriculture, food security, water, health, planning;
Are similar across all regions (with a few fine exceptions that show the potential);
Affects government, private sector and civil society partners similarly; and
Has persisted for a long time.

In essence, the problem is one of market atrophy: negligible demand coupled with inadequate supply of climate services for development decisions. The .. value of better management of climate risk is clear since:

Climate variability lies behind much prevailing poverty and food insecurity;
Climate variability must be managed vastly better to deliver the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa; and
Climate variability will continue (and may even increase) as a major obstacle to development under climate change.

A major .. effort to integrate climate risk management into climate-sensitive development processes (at all levels) is an urgent and top priority requirement for Africa today.”A Gap Analysis for the Implementation of the Global Climate Observing System Programme in Africa, IRI, 2007

[edit] Major international conferences and workshops

[edit] UNISDR Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction - Jun, 2007

The Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction was held in Geneva, Switzerland in June 2007. The Global Platform is the main consultative forum on disaster risk reduction at the global level. It brings together a wide range of actors in the various sectors of development and humanitarian work, and in the environmental and scientific fields related to disaster risk reduction.

[edit] UNFCCC Climate Change Conference - Nov, 2006

The UNFCCC Climate Change Conference, or 12th Conference of the Parties (COP12) was held in Nairobi, Kenya in November, 2006.

[edit] WMO Living With Climate - July, 2006

The Living with Climate Conference was co-hosted by the WMO, the IRI [http://portal.iri.columbia.edu/portal/server.pt and the Finish Meteorological Institute] in July, 2006. The meeting was designed to review opportunities and constraints in integrating climate risks and uncertainties into the mainstreams of decision-making where sensitivity to climate variability and change is but one among many factors to consider. A major outcome was the Espoo Statement.

[edit] Leaders in the sector

Some of the leaders in the sector include:

[edit] See also

[edit] Major publications