NAP-GSP Regional Training Workshop for Asia - Mainstreaming cca into water resources 13-16 September 2017, Seoul: DAY 1 - WHat is mainstreaming CCA and what information do we need for decision making?

13- 16 September 2017 - NAP Regional Training Workshop for Asia on 'Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into Water Resources', has opened in Seoul, Korea. Asia is the world's most vulnerable region for water insecurity and water-related disaster risk. This event will enhance the ability of governments in Asia to mainstream climate change adaptation into water resources, and build resilience.

Extreme flooding is currently ravaging countries in South Asia, affecting as many as 40 million people. Developing countries in Asia are also experiencing pressures on water availability. Variations in the temperature and the hydrologic cycle complicates planning for water supply. Already, developing countries can barely meet their minimum clean water-related needs. Climate change is likely to increase water demand and shrink water supplies, whilst increasing the likelihood of intense flooding and sea level rise.

Extreme flooding is currently ravaging countries in South Asia, affecting as many as 40 million people.

With a focus on managing medium and long term national level adaption planning for the water sector, practitioners at this workshop will advance their understanding of how to build resilience, to manage extreme events and other slow onset aspects related to water - such as droughts, floods, sea level rise and salinity.

More than 50 policy makers and technical specialists from 20 countries are attending the workshop, to build their capacity for effective decision-making to tackle climate change adaptation (CCA) for water resources. Emphasis is on the importance of water resources and the cross sectoral linkages with other priority sectors (agriculture, infrastructure, health, etc.). This will ensure alignments with the international development and climate agenda, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

'As countries progress towards implementation of NAPs there must be scale up of financial and technical assistance.' Sarwat Chowdhury, UNDP Seoul Policy Centre

'Asia is the world's most vulnerable region for water insecurity, impacting approximately 75% of the population. There is no doubt that CCA is crucial to water management. The available water resources are decreasing and fresh water systems are under stress.' Young-hoon Kim Director General of Climate and Future Policy Bureau, MoE, Korea

'Water is the first victim of climate change. Around 90% of disasters related to water.' Dr Jongsoo Yoon, Head of UNOSD

This workshop is co-organized by NAP-GSP, the UN Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD) and the Korean Environment Institute (KEI), Korea Adaptation Center for Climate Change (KACCC), and is being facilitated by UNITAR.

'As a key natural resource, water is a multi-sectoral issue and provides an entry-point for mainstreaming climate risk management through the NAP process. As technical and sector specialists, we will work together to deepen our understanding of CCA, with the water sector as a main focus and entry point.' Mozaharul Alam, UN Environment

Understanding climate risk and the international context

Sonam Laden Khandu presented the overview of the process to formulate and implement NAPs, from the establishment of the NAP process through the Cancun Agreement, linking to the Paris Agreement global goal on adaptation. She presented the UNFCCC LEG NAP-SDG i-frame to assist countries in seeing linkages in adaptation options, providing a holistic approach for adaption planning and implementation between SGC and NAP goals. The NAP-SDG i-frame ensures consideration of all driving factors, key players and stakeholders thereby avoiding silo approaches.

Motsomi Malatjane, UNFCCC, presented on Adaptation under the UNFCCC - He stressed the need for learning through policies and programmes to push NAPs forward. He briefly reviewd the LEG Technical Guidelines, developed to provide support to LDCs in the process of formulating and implementing the NAP. He considered the current focus on how to integrate SDGs and how to monitor and evaluate the adaptation process.

Eunhae Jeong UNOSD, presented on water-related SDGs and the policy support system. She spoke to how water is not only a sector but a connector - linking through many of the SDGs. She outlined the indicators on the progress of meeting SDG water goals, based on 6 components: capacity finance, policy frameworks and institutional strength, Integrity, Gender, Risk Reduction and Resilience. The policy support system Of UNOSD is being developed to help countries in achieving SDG goals.

“If climate change is a shark then water is its teeth. Water is a fundamental resource, with cross linkages to all sectors. It is fundamental to human dignity and the source of life.' Eunhae Jeong UNOSD
Countries discuss how climate variability / climate change is affecting their water sector and key water related sectors

Climate and hydrological information and services

Amir H. Delju, WMO, presented on Climate Information and Services. Climate information is the collection and interpretation of weather and climate data that is credible, relevant and usable. He outlined types of climate data, products and information, including raw data, spatial distributions and historical climate data sets. He described the types of users for climate information, including policy makers and planners, communities, the private sector. He emphasised that anybody who needs to make a decision on a matter that is affected by the weather and climate can benefit from climate information and services. He demonstrated some knowledge management systems for monitoring and disseminating climate information and services.

'Climate information and services are crucial resources for decision-makers at all levels working on medium and long-term planning, relevant to adaptation planning, sectoral development, to manage disaster risk and plan for future risk.' Amir H. Delju, WMO

Hwirin Kim, Han River Flood Control Office, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Advisory Working Group of Commission for Hydrology, Korea, presented on climate and hydrological information and services. He covered systems in Korea for integrated water management, flood forecast and control, and hydrological services. He looked at annual trends in variability and intensity of rainfall, and of water related disasters. He reviewed the water management system in Korea, which is divided into divided into 'Water Quantity' (flood, water shortage control),'Water Supply' (domestic, industrial, irrigation), and 'Water Quality and Hydropower. The integrated information monitoring and real time river flow management, flood forecast and dam controls, and hydrological services were also discussed.

'Water will be the primary medium through which the effects of climate change will materialise. Climate change will cause sea level rise, which will place coastal communities at higher flood risk, and changing precipitation patterns will lead to an increased occurrence of flash floods. Integrating CCA into flood management takes account of those expected effects. This provides an autonomous adaptation strategy to climate variability and change.' Hwirin Kim, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Korea

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