12-15 nidm report

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International Training Workshop on Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction

(ecoDRR)

Jointly organized by National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM),

Government of India, And the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR),

United Nations

12-15 December 2011, New Delhi

Course Report

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Background

Lately, it has been realized by the disaster managers that environmental degradation is a major driver

of disaster risks, whereas the ecosystems provide an efficient buffer against the disaster impacts.

Hazards, in particular those related with water and climate, are aggravated by the impacts of

environmental changes, viz. climate-change, land-use and natural resource degradation. Loss of

ecosystem services is responsible for increasing vulnerability by reducing livelihoods, health,

resources and economic sustainability of the communities. A Partnership for Environment and

Disaster Risk Reduction (UN-PEDRR) under the aegis of United Nations has been shaped during 2009

with a major goal towards ecosystem approach to disaster risk reduction for inducing the culture of

sustainability within the entire disaster risk reduction framework. Since the official launch of the

PEDRR Training Course on Ecosystem-based DRR at the Global Platform and the first pilot training

programme in Sri Lanka in May 2011. NIDM has been involved with the PEDRR since 2010, the

International Workshop on ‘Ecosystems, Livelihoods and Disaster Risk Reduction’ in Bonn, Germany

in September 2010, and also collaborated in delivering the first Pilot ecoDRR Training Course at

Colombo, Sri Lanka in May 2011. Following these initiatives, an International Training Workshop on

EcoDRR was taken up by NIDM in association with UN-PEDRR during December 12-15, 2011 at New

Delhi.

Aim and Objective of the Course

The PEDRR Training Course, entitled “Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable and

Resilient Development”, is a collaborative initiative of the PEDRR partners including UNEP, UNDP,

IUCN, ADPC, WWF, and Global Risk Forum (GRF). PEDRR has recently collaborated with global

partnership – the Ecosystems and Livelihoods Adaptation Network (ELAN) – to further develop

courses focusing on Ecosystem-based Adaptation and DRR linkages and leverage resources.

The Training Course aimed at

strengthening the capacities of

vulnerable countries and communities

to mainstream Ecosystem-based DRR in

national and local development

planning. It specifically targets

government officials, as well as National

Disaster Management Institutions (andtheir respective Training Divisions) and

National Public Training Institutions with

the mandate to provide trainings on

DRR-related issues in-country. Key thematic sessions include environment and disaster linkages,

ecosystem services for DRR, ecosystem management tools for DRR (e.g. integrated coastal zone

management, integrated watershed management, etc), linkages with Ecosystem-based Climate

Change Adaptation, mainstreaming Eco-DRR in Recovery and Reconstruction, etc. Additional details

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on the Training Course may be found on the PEDRR Training Course flyer and website www.pedrr.net

PEDRR_training_flyer_v2 (1).pdf

India National Training Workshop

National Institute of Disaster Management

(NIDM) and PEDRR delivered for the first

time its 4-day Training Course (“the full

package with all the modules”) at New

Delhi. The Training Programme was

developed in close consultation with NIDM

faculty members, and was focused on

establishing an interactive classroom

setting, combining technical /content

presentations with invited guest speakers,

case study analysis, small group

discussions, group work, dynamic learningexercises, and videos.

Both the opening and closing sessions were attended by high-level government officials. Dr. Rakesh

Hooja, Director of Indian Institute of Public Administration inaugurated the course. Dr. Anil Kumar

Gupta, Associate Professor, presented the welcome note focusing the course objectives and scope.

Introduction to course and PEDRR was done by Dr. Muralee Thumarkkudy, Senior Programme

Coordinator of UNEP. Special Address was delivered by Dr. Satendra, Executive Director of NIDM.

The Training included a field visit coordinated by Wetlands International to the nearby Yamuna

Floodplains where participants had the opportunity to analyze the local disaster risk context and talk

with vulnerable farming communities. The field study was used as the basis for undertaking groupwork that focused on Action Planning and resulted in proposed initiatives related to Ecosystem-based

DRR.

First day aimed at introducing the concepts of

Eco-DRR and linking Eco DRR with climate

change adaptation. Sessions include

Introduction to Eco-DRR, Enhancing Resilience

in Development, Linking Eco-DRR to Climate

Change Adaptation, Climate Change and

Ecosystem based Adaptation, Demonstratingthe links between Eco-DRR and EbA, ECO-DRR

and Recovery. Resource persons for this

session included UNEP (Ms Marisol Estrella,

Dr. Muralee Thummarukudy), Ms Ioana

Creitaru UNDP (CADRI), Ms Radhika Murti and Ms Kaia Boe from IUCN.

On Day 2, the forenoon session was focused on various ongoing projects or initiatives in the country

that integrate environment and DRR priorities. There were brief presentations followed by a panel

Dignitaries on the dais: Chief Guest Dr. Rakesh Hooja, Director, Indian

Institute of Public Administration, Dr. Satendra,IFS, ED NIDM and Dr.

Muralee Thumarakkudy, UNEP during Inaugural Session of the Eco- DRR Training Workshop

Radhika Murti of IUCN taking Technical Session 3 during day 1

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discussion with the resource persons, viz., Prof. R.B Singh, Department of Geography and Dr.

Shashikant Chopde, Institute of Social and Environmental Transition (ISET).

The afternoon session was dedicated on the field visit

to the Wetlands site of the Okhla Bird Sanctuary in

Delhi area along river Yamuna, to understand the role

of ecosystems and ecosystem services in flood risk

mitigation. Resource team and the participants

interacted with the communities in the flood plains

near the Yamuna Bank near ITO and Akshardham

temple area, to understanding the challenges in

implementing ecosystem approaches and advantages

of protecting the ecosystems for livelihood of

the people.

Day 3 forenoon session was aimed at

understanding the policy framework for supporting ECO-DRR in global and national context in India

and role of strategic tools such as EIA. Resource persons for this session were Ms. Marisol Estrella, Dr.

Anil K. Gupta and Ms. Sreeja S. Nair.

Day 3 afternoon focused on the environmental management tools and their implication in DRR. Toolssession discussed in detail on the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (Prof. A L Ramanathan, JNU),

Integrated Water Resource Management (Dr. Ritesh Kumar, Wetland International), Protected Areas

Management for Disaster Resilience and Recovery (Dr Ram Boojh, UNESCO), and Integrating

environmental action plan and disaster management into the local development (G Padmanabhan,

DRR Unit, UNDP India). Other sessions in the afternoon of day 3 and day 4 was focused on situation

analysis and formulation of action plan under group exercise and guided assignments.

The concluding session of the training workshop was presided over by Dr. Muzaffar Ahmad,

Honourable Member of National

Disaster Management Authority,

Government of India. While deliveringthe valedictory address Dr. Ahmad

appreciated the significant of

ecosystem approach to disaster and

development in the present context

where environmental degradation and

decline in ecosystem services are

becoming a key challenge for DRR and

Experts from Wetland International explaining the advantages of

wetlands showing the example of wetland at Okhla Bird Sanctuary.

Dr. Muzaffar Ahmad, Honourable Member of National Disaster

Management Authority delivering valedictory address

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post-disaster recovery process. He recommended that NIDM shall conduct training programmes and

also in particular the Training of Trainers Courses on Ecosystem based DRR in the coming years at

NIDM and also at state level. Accepting the recommendation of he UNEP on behalf of the PEDRR,

Hon’ble Member further declared that NDMA will bring out a national guideline for Eco-DRR by

involving NIDM faculty members, UNEP, UNDP and IUCN. Prof. Santosh Kumar, Head of the Policy

Planning and Cross Cutting Division, in his address emphasizes the economic aspects of Ecosystem

approach and their multiple benefits towards sustainable development and called for a multifariouseffort to promote the environment based disaster management at all levels. Prof V.K. Sharma,

Coordinator of Climate-change and Drought Centre at the Indian Institute of Public Administration,

also addressed the session and reiterated the importance of establishing linkages between

Environment, Disaster Risk Reduction and development at various levels.

Participants’ Feedback

A total of 19 participants attended the National Training, coming from 8 states, specialist agricultural

research institutions (with sub-national offices), and 2 national NGOs. Representatives from the

region (ICIMOD, Nepal & Bhutan) also joined as observers to appreciate the value of replicating the

training in their countries. Overall, the training was regarded to be very successful based on

participant’s feedback, with much appreciation extended to PEDRR partners and NIDM.

Several state level officials and Disaster Management faculty members of Administrative Training

Institutes (ATI) expressed interest to conduct similar trainings in their states in collaboration with

PEDRR and NIDM. Overall, participants appreciated the Training and many showed interest to

replicate and utilize the Training Course materials in their own work and training programmes. The

interactive discussions, especially group work and field visit, were extremely valuable to participants’

learning. The training methodologies (e.g. open sessions/tutorials, games, energizers) used to keep

energy levels high, were also appreciated.

Participants suggested the following to further improve the Training:

- use of more case studies to illustrate and learn concepts

- allow more time for group discussions and group work

- focus on other hazards for group work, aside from floods

- allow more time and space for participants to share amongst themselves their own

knowledge and experiences on Eco-DRR related topics; utilize participants as resource persons

and get them to present their projects, case studies

- better focus in invited guest speakers’ presentations

All of the suggested improvements were welcomed by PEDRR partners and NIDM. PEDRR urged

participants and NIDM to collect Indian experiences and make case studies that can be shared in

global forums and incorporated into the training materials. PEDRR agreed to provide necessary

technical support for the same. During the Closing Session, Dr Muralee Thummarukudy outlined

three ways to move this initiative forward in India, based on the training outputs, which received

endorsement from the NDMA High-Level dignitary present in the session:

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(i) Publication of case studies on ecosystem-based DRR initiatives from across the country to pull

together the experiences and the knowledge base in India and to facilitate networking

amongst Indian practitioners;

(ii) Delivery of Training of Trainers package to bring the Training Course down to the state-level,

for accelerated take-up and implementation;

(iii) Development of National Guidelines on Ecosystem-based DRR tailored for India, which can

provide policy guidance for national and sub-national implementation.

Given the multiple demands on PEDRR to undertake national-level trainings and to maximize

multiplier effects in disseminating the Training Course materials, it was imperative for PEDRR to

develop a Training of Trainers (ToT) package which could be delivered at a regional level and would

target National Disaster Management Institutions, their Training Divisions/Units as well as

collaborating national institutions (which include universities) that provide DRR-related trainings in-

country. A ToT course was successfully piloted in Bangkok on 06-08 December 2011, attended by

national government representatives from 7 countries and 2 regional organizations from the Asia-

Pacific Region. This ToT can be customized for India and could be replicated for state level as well.

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12-15 nidm report

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