SESSION DESCRIPTION . E1 Stepwise approach to adaptation planning and implementation in two coastal cities in Mozambique Reality Check Workshop Date: Tuesday, 9 June 2015 Time: 16:45-18:45 Rooms: S29-S31 Language: English and Portuguese ICLEI contact: Evgenia Mitroliou Organized by: Chemonics International OBJECTIVE This workshop illustrated how coastal cities Pemba and Quelimane are responding to major challenges by taking a stepwise approach to building their climate change adaptation planning capacity, engaging communities with concrete demonstration projects, and working in conjunction with national agencies to improve their disaster response capabilities. More specifically: While avoiding costly and time-consuming initiatives, Pemba and Quelimane are adopting a variety of adaptation planning tools that are simple and inexpensive yet effective, as they build their adaptation planning capability. To demonstrate results in the field, Pemba and Quelimane are launching efforts to design and test climate-smart housing, while training local construction firms to build houses with locally available materials at reasonable costs. To overcome the obstacles of obtaining information during and following natural disasters, the cities are piloting a SMS-based early warning and data collection platform that involves the active participation of local community leaders. OUTCOMES The purpose of the workshop was to: Show the participants that it is not necessary to launch complex and expensive adaptation planning activities to significantly increase resiliency and reduce the vulnerability of coastal cities; Develop the understanding of participants in the stepwise approach to building a more comprehensive adaptation plan while it is being implemented; Allow presenters to share their efforts in the design and putting in place of climate-smart infrastructure demonstrations and to seek feedback from other workshop participants; Enable presenters to learn from other city and disaster management agencies during the breakout groups about better ways to approach adaptation planning, demonstration activities and disaster response data collection and management. METHODOLOGY, CONTRIBUTORS Facilitator: Carlos E. Quintela, Chief of Party, USAID Coastal City Adaptation Project, Chemonics International, Washington DC, USA 16:45-17:00 Welcome, Introduction and Context The facilitator introduced the delegates to the audience and will provide the general context of the cities of Pemba and Quelimane. 17:00-17:20 Manuel de Araújo, Municipal President, City of Quelimane, Mozambique Local Adaptation Planning, Vulnerability Mapping and Other Climate Change Adaptation Tools Implementation of effective climate change adaptation and resilience solutions in resource-constrained cities requires a stepwise approach. Mayor Araújo presented the tools that are being adopted to ensure that the direction and pace of the changes he in Quelimane and his colleague, Mayor Tagir Ássimo Carimo, in Pemba, are promoting to prepare their cities for the short-term impacts of natural disasters and the longer-term effects of climate change are being effective. He explained how they are building on their current capacity to accomplish immediate objectives as they construct more complex, integral and sustainable solutions for their cities. 17:20-17:40 Armando Martins John, Senior Advisor to the Municipal President of Pemba, City of Pemba, Mozambique The Power of Results on the Ground: Demonstration Activities Senior Advisor John presented the plans that the cities of Pemba and Quelimane have for showing their communities, in very concrete terms, what climate smart household infrastructure looks like, its cost and benefits. He described the process they are starting, how they are engaging their communities, what other complementary green infrastructure actions they are undertaking and asked the workshop participants about their own experiences with housing, sanitation and potable water, specifically, in floodprone and vulnerable urban areas. 17:40-18:00 Ana Cristina João Manuel, Director of Prevention and Mitigation, National Institute of Disaster Management (INGC), Maputo, Mozambique Use of Mobile Phone Technology in Disaster Preparedness and Response Director Manuel introduced Mozambique’s Disaster Management Agency and their recent effort at designing and implementing an early warning and data collection platform based on mobile phone technology. She showed that, although early warning capabilities need to be enhanced, the biggest challenge in disaster preparedness and response in Mozambique is the ability to collect information about field conditions during and following major natural disasters so decisions can be made quickly with accurate and timely information that is shared with all the actors involved. 18:00-18:30 Breakout discussion groups Group facilitator: Lee Gerston, Manager of the Coastal City Adaptation Project, Chemonics International, Washington DC, USA Group Themes: 18:30 -18:45 Local Adaptation Planning, Vulnerability Mapping and Other Climate Change Adaptation Tools The Power of Results on the Ground: Demonstration Activities Use of Mobile Phone Technology in Disaster Response Final Discussion and Outlook The facilitator invited input and feedback from the participants. Further recommended reading Adapting to Climate Change in Mozambique’s coastal cities http://www.chemonics.com/OurWork/OurProjects/Pages/Mozambique-Coastal-City-Adaptation-Project.aspx Saving lives through cell-phones in Mozambique http://www.chemonics.com/OurImpact/SharingImpact/ImpactStories/Pages/Saving-Lives-through-Cell-Phones-inMozambique.aspx
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