21 February 2017: The past month was dominated by capacity-building activities on issues ranging from early warning systems and adaptation to energy efficient maritime shipping and coastal systems’ response to climate change.

Over the past weeks, socioeconomic aspects of climate action, including engaging arts and youth, featured prominently on the capacity-building arena. Technology development and transfer news included a published update on technology needs assessments (TNAs), and activities involving innovative uses of technology to advance regional climate efforts. This Update outlines these and other initiatives, along with a brief outlook on the Bonn Climate Change Conference 2017.

Outlook on Bonn Climate Change Conference 2017

The UNFCCC Secretariat announced that the Bonn Climate Change Conference to be held in Bonn, Germany, from 8-18 May 2017, will consider the following capacity building-related issues:

The UNFCCC Secretariat also issued a call for submissions on the fourth review of the implementation of the framework for capacity building in EITs. [UNFCCC Webpage on Capacity Building Frameworks]

WMO Enhances Regional Early Warning Systems

A number of capacity-building initiatives led by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) focused on improving early warning systems in various regions. The WMO Regional Association for Asia convened in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), from 11-16 February 2017, to consider ways to improve early warnings and forecasting of high-impact weather events and environmental hazards, and to enhance resilience to climate change. [WMO Press Release]

Forecasters from hydrological and meteorological services in South-East Europe met in Skopje, Macedonia, from 7-9 February 2017, to discuss the requirements of forecasting offices for the development of the South-East European Multi-Hazard Early Warning Advisory System (SEE-MHEWS-A). The system will provide operational forecasters with effective and tested tools for forecasting hazardous weather events and their possible impacts. Funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), the project is implemented by the WMO, with the support from Finnish Meteorological Institute. [WMO Press Release] [SEE-MHEWS-A WMO Webpage]

Participants at a regional workshop, held in New Delhi, India, on 30 January 2017, examined the South Asia Drought Monitoring System (SADMS) and its interactive online portal. The SADMS is expected to provide information on drought onset and progression enabling decision makers to respond in time. The system was developed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), with support from the WMO, the Global Water Partnership (GWP) and others. [WMO Press Release] [IWMI and Partners Press Release] [SADMS Interactive Online Portal]

Flash floods became the focus of a WMO project aiming to strengthen forecasting skills for this major natural hazard. WMO’s Flash Flood Guidance System aims to enhance the capacities of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) to issue timely and accurate flash flood warnings and to integrate these in their day-to-day operational activities. Supported by the US National Weather Service, USAID OFDA and the Hydrologic Research Center (HRC), the initiative involves nine regional projects in: Central America; Haiti and the Dominican Republic; Southern Africa; the Black Sea and the Middle East; South-East Europe; Central Asia; South Asia; the Mekong River Commission; and South-Eastern Asia-Oceania. [WMO Press Release] [WMO Article on Reducing Vulnerability to Flash Floods in the Caribbean]

The third Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) technical workshop on ‘Centre for Hydrometeorology & Remote Sensing (CHRS) Remote Sensing Precipitation and Bias Adjustment of Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks Cloud Classification System (PERSIANN-CCS) Estimation for Water and Disaster Management’ convened in Bangkok, Thailand, from 24-26 January 2017. The workshop aimed to promote capacity building in using satellite-based rainfall estimation products to plan for and manage water-related natural disasters. [UNESCO Press Release] [CHRS Data Portal] [ASEAN Website]

Trainings Build Capacity on Adaptation Project Development, Coastal Systems, Energy Efficient Shipping

Other capacity-building initiatives of the past weeks addressed issues such as climate change impact assessment and response of coastal systems, adaptation project development and energy-efficient maritime shipping.

On 26 January 2017, the UNFCCC Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (CGE) held a webinar on climate change impact assessment and response of coastal systems. [CGE Training Materials] [UNFCCC CGE Webpage] [IISD RS Sources]

During a workshop held in Kuala Lumpur, the IMO trained Malaysia’s maritime educators to introduce the topic of energy-efficient ship operation into their teaching curricula.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Asian Institute of Technology, USAID and partners conducted a training seminar on developing skills to build bankable climate change adaptation projects from 16-20 January 2017, in Bangkok, Thailand. [UNDP Workshop Webpage]

During a workshop held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 20-21 February 2017, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) trained Malaysia’s maritime educators to introduce the topic of energy-efficient ship operation into their teaching curricula. The workshop was developed under IMO’s GloMEEP project, which supports the uptake and implementation of energy efficiency measures for shipping in order to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping. [IMO Press Release] [GloMEEP Website]

Initiatives Support Youth, Art Dimensions of Climate Action

Several initiatives explored socio-cultural aspects of supporting climate action. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) convened the Management of Social Transformations (MOST) School on Sustainability Science in Padang, Indonesia, from 1-3 February 2017, to support Indonesia’s efforts to address the social implications of climate change. [UNESCO Press Release on MOST School and Social Implications of Climate Change] [UNESCO Press Release on MOST School and Linking Science with Social Action and Policy Making]

The Youth Camp for Fostering Leadership in Addressing Climate Change, a joint cooperation between the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and UNESCO Office Jakarta, held in various locations in Indonesia, focused on building the knowledge and skills of youth to act on climate change. [UNESCO Press Release] [UNITAR Press Release]

The 573rd session of the Salzburg Global Seminar, convened in Salzburg, Austria, from 7-12 February 2017, under the theme ‘The Art of Resilience: Creativity, Courage, Renewal.’ The Seminar addressed the power of the arts to inspire, build awareness and catalyze climate action in cities and beyond. [UNFCCC Press Release] [Salzburg Global Seminar 573rd Session Webpage]

From TNAs to Environmentally Sound Technologies

On the technology side, the UNFCCC Secretariat and partners issued a report titled ‘From Needs to Implementation: Stories from the Technology Needs Assessments.’ The publication provides examples of how countries have used their TNAs and Technology Action Plans (TAPs) to advance implementation of environmentally sound technologies for mitigation and adaptation. [From Needs to Implementation: Stories from the TNAs]

Innovative Uses of Technology Advance Regional Climate Efforts, Regional Cooperation on Tech Enhanced

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) announced that, in 2017, the Caribbean Climate Innovation Centre (CCIC) will hold seven “boot camps” for young entrepreneurs in the Eastern Caribbean to find business solutions to climate change. The CCIC assists Caribbean countries in creating clean technologies and businesses so that they can better adapt to, and plan for, the effects of climate change. [CDB Press Release]

On 9 February 2017, in Singapore, the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), together with the Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN), conducted a workshop aiming to develop and strengthen the regional network of National Designated Entities (NDEs), and their relationship with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and clean energy technology stakeholders in South-Eastern Asia. [CTCN Press Release] [Workshop Agenda]

Capacity-Building Resources to Look Out For

The World Resources Institute (WRI), in collaboration with the World Bank, will offer an online course on ‘Designing MRV Systems for Entity-Level Greenhouse Gas Emissions,’ from 1-26 May 2017. [Course Registration Link] [WRI Website]

The World Bank Open Learning Campus offers a number of online courses that build capacity on climate change. [World Bank Open Learning Campus Website]