News & Events

The LEAD Network is constantly working towards achieving a sustainable future, these news items give an indication of the breadth and diversity of our work such as our capacity building programmes, innovative projects, the successes of LEAD Fellows, and effective international networking.
 

 

Why I Wrote the ‘Water Resources in a Vulnerable World’ and What’s up with ‘Hydro-Hazardscapes’
21 May, 2013

Geographers don’t write books. We write refereed journal articles. Books are for poets or humanist disciplines like History and Anthropology. We geographers are hard nosed scientists, and social scientists. Peer review is king! Or so I thought. However, upon moving to the British academia I was asked to do, what I thought was heresy in the American academia—write a book.

As an academic trained to write scientific journal articles writing a book can be quite a fine balancing act. On the one hand one must maintain academic rigor to maintain some semblance of respectability amongst your academic peers. But on the other hand the book must also sell. To put it facetiously, if the book is incomprehensible to a lay audience, you get kudos from your colleagues for being academically rigorous—but you don’t sell any copies. But if the book is comprehensible and its sells, you are accused of selling out to the baser sensibilities of the multitude. What to do?

Oh well, I thought I would write the book since, my Head of Department has told me to write it, if I wanted to become a full professor. And I will write it like a really long journal article (journal articles being one thing I can do well in academia—having worked out the machine that passes for academic publishing). Some of the chapters in my book are indeed based upon my earlier journal articles. So that made it a little easier as well. But as I wrote the book, I actually started enjoying it! Remarkable! I can say whatever I want, without worrying about what an egomaniac, or paranoid, or worse, wise anonymous reviewer will say about what I am writing. Freedom! I am free!

But old habits die hard, and one’s insecurities even harder. Whilst I enjoyed the freedom of not having the evil anonymous reviewer at the forefront of my mind while writing, I could not get the image of my superciliously bemused peers out of my mind. “Ah yes—your book . . .” and then nothing, is the worst nightmare for an academic author at a conference. The code communication is, “Are you kidding me? I will stoop so low as to comment on your plebian missives to the fools’ multitude—that you call a book!?” So I guess the book in question is a kind of a jackalope—a mythical North American creature—a jack rabbit with an antelope antlers. The book is definitely an academic jack rabbit with a populist topic of water resources and climate change as antlers.

Responding to an audience member asking me for a reason to buy the book, at the launch of the book at LEAD house in Islamabad, I said—it has pictures, and it will cure insomnia. But seriously, the book is a serious engagement with the signature challenges of our time, water resources management and climate change. What is an academic title without a colon? So this book’s title accordingly is: Water Resources Management in a Vulnerable World: The Hydro-Hazardscapes of Climate Change. Now what the devil is up with hydro-hazardscapes?

I am tempted to say here that buy the book to figure it out. According to Simi Kamal who reviewed the book for the LEAD book launch, the definition of the term is not very helpful. It is only when one reads through the entire book that one finally gets to understand the concept. I guess it is a fair comment. That is the point of writing a book—to make a point that requires a book. The hydro-hazardscape is the book length point here. The whole point of writing the book--in retrospect! I never believed it, but the book did take on a life of its own upon completion and hydro-hazardscape is at its heart.

Enough already! What is this hazardscape gobbledygook? I will resist the temptation of restating the book’s definition. But I will leave you with three propositions, which may give you a sense of what it might be about. (1) There is no singular objective truth that we could discover, if only we could set aside our subjective humanity for a moment. If you can be not-human and find that Olympian point from which to pronounce upon the truth and falsity of things then this book is not for you—you are already there with God. (2) Each human being is not just a receptacle of a different perspectives on a singular world out there, but rather lives in different worlds. Frankly that’s the way I will have it, every human being as a world unto him/herself, the human project then being to tour those worlds. If that be the case, then surely water has different attributes in those different worlds. So any water policy must take those different values and attributes of water in those different world’s into account. And (3) Our notions of normal conditions and normality are a cultural construct of modern times. Most local/indigenous resource management systems plan inwards from extremes while the modern resource management systems plan outwards from means. Under climate change that paradigm is a recipe for disaster.

If you are unconvinced by the above propositions, I congratulate you. You shouldn't be convinced so quickly. They are quite obviously bizarre on the face of it. Which is all the more reason you should allow me to take you on a tour of Pakistan, Central Asia, Central America and North America in the book and let me do a proper job of making the case. Surely I have convinced you here that I deserve a hearing!

 

Daanish Mustafa is Reader in Human Geography at King's College, London. He was previously Visiting Assistant Professor of Geography at George Mason University and Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of South Florida, St Petersburg. He has worked in Pakistan for the non-profit sector on donor-funded social development and environmental preservation projects. His research interests include critical water resources geography, environmental management, and approaches to terrorism. He can be reached at daanibahiATyahoo.com

 

WWF launched CCAP synthesis report implemented in partnership with LEAD Pakistan
01, March 2013

ISLAMABAD: WWF- Pakistan launched its Synthesis report on “Building Capacity on Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Areas of Pakistan” (CCAP) at a local hotel here. This is a European Commission funded project which is being implemented in partnership with LEAD Pakistan and WWF - UK.

The report is a composite of 11 scientific, social, economic, and political analysis studies conducted by CCAP during 2012. The event brought together local and regional experts, practitioners and relevant stakeholders in the field of climate change. They discussed key findings, next steps and collaborative efforts that can be drawn from this synthesis report.

Participants at the event included representatives of Indus River System Authority, Ministry of Climate Change, U.S. Geological Survey, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), United Nations Development Programme, Sindh Forest Department, PIEDAR, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Baluchistan Coastal Development Authority, among others.

The participants were welcomed by Rab Nawaz, Director Sindh of WWF-Pakistan, who appreciated the presence of so many stakeholders whose input would be used to strengthen the report contents. Ali Dehlavi, Manager of CCAP and Anam Zeb of LEAD Pakistan explained the concept behind the report, its methodology, and how LAPA (Local Adaptation Plan for Adaptation) were being developed for mainstreaming community inputs.
Urooj Saeed, head of the WWF GIS laboratory presented her findings of hazard mapping the coastal areas and showed areas where land loss had occurred. She also presented a comparative picture of how the plantation
of mangroves was changing the coastal areas over the years.

In a presentation delivered by Dr. Ghulam Rasul, Chief Meteorologist of Pakistan and author of CCAP’s Climate Data Modelling Analysis it was mentioned that they had used state of the art climate models to develop baselines and project future climate regimes in Pakistan at a scale of 25x25 km. Research findings included: temperatures in the Indus Delta are expected to rise by 4◦C within this century’
He continued to state, in this decade monsoon rains in Sindh would be concentrated over the month of August instead of July when the monsoon is generally expected. Dr. Ghulam Rasul also mentioned February of 2013 has been record breaking in terms of precipitation levels in Pakistan. He concluded saying that there is expected to be considerable variation in precipitation and temperature patterns in the future and emphasized the need for adopting better water management practices. He also cautioned about the instability of the Siachin Glacier.

Subject area specialist Fawad Ali Khan, Senior Economist at ISET- PK talked about his research on communities along the Indus River who had effectively managed to accept, adjust and bounce back from impacts of floods in 2010. In the study they found that communities in Dadu, Tharparkar, Mithi, Chitral, and Charsada responded to climate stimuli differently, the adaptation rates of each community varied based on their social, economic, political and geographic conditions.

Riaz Wagan Chief Conservator Forest, Sindh Forest Department talked about management of mangrove forests and their role in disaster risk reduction for coastal communities. He emphasized upon the need for better advocacy and awareness raising within communities as well as at the policymaking level so the importance of the mangroves ecosystem could be realized.

Kashif Salik, Research Associate at SDPI presented the community vulnerability assessment of the Indus Delta, and said that indicators like access to education, health and livelihood opportunities presented vulnerable communities with better coping mechanisms.

The question answer session was moderated by environmental journalist, Afia Salam, and threw up many points that were noted by the WWF and LEAD team to incorporate into the recommendations.

Dr. Ejaz Ahmad, Senior Director WWF, in his vote of thanks, acknowledged the valuable inputs from the authors and participants and said that both Lead-Pakistan and WWF would operationalize findings of studies included in the synthesis report at the ground level. These studies will feed directly into local adaptation action plans developed by the two organizations.


Education for Sustainable Development at SBK Women University, Quetta, 27 December, 2012
By Huma Batool, LEAD Fellow and Assistant Professor at Dept. of Plant Sciences, SBKW University Quetta

The clear turquoise water creating a beautiful amalgamation with the grey and brown mountains around Hannah Lake, which is the only lake in vicinity of Quetta city, fascinated me and every other person visiting the lake with their families. Once the lake accommodated lots of fish and different beautiful birds, unfortunately no fish can be found in the lake anymore. The lake has seen many changing environments; few years back one could walk through the lake floor which was dried up downright owing to the prolonged droughts in the region. But it gained its existence and reincarnated after the drought finally ended and endorsed it to recover.

Though no fish can be observed in the lake water but many unique birds species still visit the lake and can be noticed flying above the lake waters. This beautiful lake which has a small island in the center, and not only epitomize matchless beauty of nature but it can also serve as a habitat for wildlife. This is an indispensable resource of this region and the world. Regrettably our community has not yet recognized its significance and the lake has been imperiled to massive dilapidation due to visitors. The lake water has turned turbid and the clear blue color has worn to brownish color. The lake surroundings are littered and hundreds of plastic bags, wrappers, cans, bottles, even used syringes and what not, can be observed at a glance. Keeping in view the debauched condition of the lake, l arranged a litter picking campaign in December 2011 for the first time in the history of this province, last year a team of faculty and students from SBK Women University Quetta picked up litter at the shoreline and lake vicinity and collected over 40 kg garbage. The cans plastic bottles and other waste collected from the lake were transformed in to striking decoration pieces, bags and other useful items by the students and were put at display in an exhibition.

Last year’s campaign was effective, and in December 2012 to give our land a gift at the end of this year litter picking was planned at the lake. I was surprised to see the volume of rubbish this year was conspicuously much larger than the last year. This time students of MSc final, a faculty member and my daughter also joined me in picking litter from the lake vicinity and in a short duration of one hour we managed to fill 25 bags. The volunteers walked around the lake’s banks and collected waste material especially non-bio degradable. The activity continued for three hours. The lake is an imperative asset for the entire nation and efforts are desirable to preserve it from degradation.

Nevertheless it’s difficult to control littering but it can be easily monitored by the government if littering is charged. The main purpose of these campaigns is to convey message to people to value their land and resources. This gives one a great feeling of pride and accomplishment if one takes care of their national properties.

Shockingly the personnel at the lake and other visitors did enjoy girls picking litter but nobody lent a helping hand to clean the area free of rubbish. This activity can help improve the environment and beauty of lake and protect wildlife from trash. I hope to continue this activity not just as an annual event but intensify the number of actions quarterly. The support of Dean Life Sciences Dr. Rukhsana Jabeen and Vice Chancellor SBK Women University Ms. Sultana Baloch is appreciable in this concern. There is no requirement of such activities indeed if everyone behaves as a responsible citizen and realizes their duties as a human being and preserves the magnificence of Hannah Lake and other such places for future generations.
 

Negotiation on Loss and Damage: Key Issues are Lost, by Md Shamsuddoha, 03 December, 2012

It became obvious that the continued lack of mitigation ambition and inadequate resources to implement adaptation actions are causing increasingly suffering and significant loss and damages of assets and properties in the poor and vulnerable countries.

Many research reports and practical evidences on the impacts of climate change throughout the world suggests that the Loss and Damage, associated with the adverse effects of climate change, can no longer be avoided through mitigation nor can be avoided through adaptation. Therefore, we should undertake multiple approaches to address those damages and losses, some which may have synergies with adaptation efforts, while others will require taking action through new arrangements and stand-alone approaches, which could be referred as ‘beyond adaptation’ measures.

Following a proposal put forward by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) in 2008 the issue of Loss and Damage was included on the agenda of UNFCCC negotiations. The COP 16 in Cancun, in its decision 1/CP16, decided to establish a Work Programme to address the issues related to Loss and Damage in developing countries in a more comprehensive and actionable manner and SBI is mandated to do so. Further on the issue, the draft decision -/CP.17, adopted by COP 17 and CMP 7, invites Parties, relevant intergovernmental organizations, regional centres and networks, the private sector, civil society and other relevant stakeholders to take into account the three thematic areas when undertaking activities aimed at assisting Parties in enhancing their understanding of, and expertise that will help to address, loss and damage. The thematic areas include:

Thematic area 1: Assessing the risk of loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change and the current knowledge

Thematic area 2: A range of approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including impacts related to extreme weather events and slow onset events, taking into consideration experience at all levels

Thematic area 3: The role of the Convention in enhancing the implementation of approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change

Meantime four regional expert level workshops under the guidance of SBI, referred to in decision 7/CP 17, have been held to generate knowledge, opinion and views on the above thematic areas. These experts meetings have delivered progress in understanding the issues and challenges to be incorporated in developing Work Programme on loss and damage. Though loss and damage is relatively a new issue in UNFCCC negotiation process but it has progressed well so far, which raises expectation to achieve some tangible outcome in the COP 18. The expected deliverables of COP 18 on loss and damage are;

a) Finalization of ongoing work programme and comprehensive response to loss and damage.
b) Establish a mechanism under the COP to assess diverse risks (both rapid and slow-onset) and approaches for addressing loss and damage, including by rehabilitating and compensating the losses and damage.

c) Consider the concept of A Multi-Window Mechanism put forward by AOSIS to address Loss and Damage from Climate Change Impacts as a basis for future negotiation on the issues. This Multi-Window Mechanism consists of three inter-dependent components: a) Insurance, b) Rehabilitation/Compensatory payments, and c) Risk Management component. These three components play different and complementary roles and comprise necessary components of an integrated approach to risk reduction, risk transfer and risk management efforts.

d) Establishment of a second phase of loss and damage work programme at COP18 and elaborate function, institutional structure of international mechanism on loss and damage

Given the context and expectation on loss and damage negotiation the Subsidiary Body of Implementation (SBI) of the Convention proposed recommendations and draft decision for further discussion and negotiation by the country Parties. The text raised disappointment among many of the Parties and CSOs as the text ignored the critical issues should be considered to address loss and damage, but yet created scope of engagement of the Parties to deliver a best agreed outcome.

While it is important to undertake immediate measures on the three Thematic Areas to address loss damage, the negotiation at COP 18 is sidetracking towards merely on knowledge generation i.e. enhancing knowledge and understanding of comparative risk management approaches, strengthening dialogue, coordination, coherence and synergies among different stakeholders etc. and capacity building at the national and regional levels to collect and analyze relevant data for assessing the risk of loss and damage-all of these to be implemented through an invitation to the Parties and relevant institution outside of the Convention, as the US proposed. However, the key issues of addressing loss and damage like establishment of a compensatory mechanism in the context of the notion of ‘beyond adaptation ’and addressing the ‘residual losses’ caused by both sudden onset and slow onset events are complete missing points.

In the context of slow progress and detracted discussion on loss and damage negotiation it is really important to focus at least on three major issues;

First, understanding the risks that potentially will contribute to loss and damage: Climate change already has increased, and will intensify in future, risks mainly in two ways; firstly, global warming lead to change in precipitation and weather pattern leading agriculture and food security to enormous threat. And secondly, increased number of climate induced sudden onset disasters such as cyclones, floods, river bank erosion and increased tidal surge etc. and, slow onset disasters such as drought, salinity ingress, ocean acidification, increase of sea surface temperature etc. All of which will result both economic and non economic loss and damages in the form of destruction of infrastructure, habitat, loss of territories, crop production, natural resources and eco-system services, livelihoods, and eventually will lead to displacement and migration. Study suggests that climate change is causing increase in frequency and intensity of prevailing disaster events and triggering new form of disaster events. These events, both slow onset and sudden disasters, are not common everywhere, rather becoming unique and dominant for a particular region. Thus, the SBI takes the view that both extreme events and slow onsets will be considered as potential risks to loss and damage.

It is likely that the loss and damages resulted from slow onset events will be different from sudden onset ones while later will cause comparatively more indirect loss for a longer time period. It is more crucial to emphasize more on the slow onset event, while the current negotiation text gives little attention on this.

Second, Approaches to address loss and damage: The approaches to address loss and damage discussed so far could be framed under three broad categories; a) risk reduction by comprehensive disaster risk management and adaptation, b) risk transfer by introducing insurance mechanism and c) rehabilitation/compensatory mechanisms for unavoidable loss and damages. In line with the Second Thematic Area (i.e. to explore range of approaches to address loss and damage) the ongoing negotiation at COP 18 invites Parties to identify options and designing and implementing country-driven risk assessment strategies and approaches, including risk transfer and risk sharing mechanisms such as insurance, also invites implementing climate risk management approaches, while the approaches under third category (rehabilitation/compensatory) is grossly disregarded, especially by the developed country Parties .

Though there are wide ranges of approaches to reduce and address disaster risks but these are mostly sudden onset disasters centric, no approaches so far for addressing slow onset events like ocean acidification, salinity intrusion, loss of ecosystem services or loss of economic preferences etc. On the other hand insurance may not be helpful to transfer risks in many vulnerable countries; mere will create business opportunities for the insurance companies.

In fact approaches to address loss and damage would require an integrated approach of risk reduction, risk transfer, risk management and rehabilitation/ compensatory mechanisms to support unavoidable and un-insurable losses. Ignoring any category of the approaches may not be supportive to address loss and damage in a holistic manner.

Third, Establishment of an international mechanism under the convention: Currently there is no international stand-alone mechanism to address the issue in a holistic manner. G77 and China a decision under SBI ‘to establish an international mechanism to address adverse impacts of climate change, which complements existing arrangements for adaptation actions by developing country Parties, especially the least developed countries and small island developing States and other developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

In contrary, the US delegate wants to put all the loss and damage related issues under the Adaptation Committee and NAPs, while at certain point also agreed that ‘all the impacts of climate change could not be addressed only by adaptation and we have to send a strong signal to the global leaders to think beyond this’. US delegate also urged to make strong cases of ‘unavoidable’ and residual loss and damage of the impacts of climate change so that a stand-alone mechanism could be established.

This means that we really would require a different and stand-alone mechanism, which will be complementary to the national adaptation actions to that level to be compatible to reduce loss and damage by adaptation actions. But, still there are potential chances of loss and damage which could not be ‘avoided’ and, thus, we have to explore ‘adaptation plus’ mechanisms, institutions and opportunities to address unavoidable loss and damage.

The writer works for CDKN Asia as Country Director Bangladesh. He is also Chief Executive, Center for Participatory Research and Development-CPRD, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

LEAD Pakistan–PPAF ink MoU to strengthen resilience to climate change, 24 September, 2012

ISLAMABAD: Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan and Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) on Monday agreed to work more closely together to support their endeavors in strengthening local leadership to strengthen resilience to climate change.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has now been drawn up to reflect increased cooperation between the two, and was signed by LEAD Pakistan CEO Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and PPAF Chief Executive Qazi Azmat Isa during LEAD Pakistan’s 43rd Board Meeting held here in the capital.

The agreement will enable the organizations to work more closely together to strengthen resilience to climate change as well as enhancing information exchange in other relevant areas.

Under the agreement LEAD Pakistan agrees to strengthen PPAF’s understanding and operations related to climate change, and leadership development also assist in design and delivery of training and capacity building on climate change adaptation, development of Local Adaptation Plans of Action (LAPAs) whereas PPAF will enhance the outreach of LEAD Pakistan and help further its endeavors in strengthening local leadership to strengthen resilience to climate change through PPAF’s Partner Organizations (Pos) and LEAD’s National Alliance for Climate Action (NACA).

LEAD Pakistan is a non-profit organization working since 1995 to create and sustain a global network of leaders who are committed to promote change towards the patterns of sustainable development that is economically sound, environmentally responsible and socially equitable.

While LEAD Pakistan brings together network of leaders, the PPAF is one of the largest sources of pro-poor spending in the country, the PPAF is the lead agency for poverty reduction in Pakistan. It embodies the spirit of public-private partnership to address the multi-dimensional issues of poverty with a view to achieving social and economic change.

Speaking to the ceremony CEO LEAD Pakistan Ali Tauqeer Sheikh said that the MoU will see the two organizations adopt a more coordinated approach to their respective activities as well as enhancing information exchange.

He said that we are hopeful that this association will help our mission to create and nurture networks of people and institutions promoting change towards the sustainable development.

Chief Executive PPAF Qazi Azmat Isa said the agreement is an important step in strengthening cooperation and enhancing the flow of information on climate change. He said he is confident the agreement would help the organizations to jointly meet the challenges of climate change.
 

Applications for CDKN–LEAD Placement Programme are now open, 24 August, 2012

1. Overview:

The CDKN-LEAD placement programme gives LEAD Fellows and Associates the opportunity to undertake a paid placement with one of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) teams. Please note that only LEAD Fellows or LEAD Associates are eligible to participate in this programme.

Placement Roles available:

Head of Research – CDKN Research Team (UK)
Knowledge Management and Learning Coordinator – CDKN Asia team
Learning and Outreach Coordinator – CDKN Africa team
Learning and Capacity Building Coordinator – CDKN Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) team

Please note that you can only apply for one role.

2. CDKN:

CDKN supports developing country decision-makers to design and deliver climate compatible development (CCD). It does this by combining technical assistance advisory services, research and knowledge-sharing in support of locally owned and managed policy processes. CDKN collaborates with decision-makers in the public, private and non-governmental sectors at national, regional and global levels through an alliance of partner organisations in London, Asia, Latin America and Africa1. CDKN aims to become a global focal point for research, advice and understanding of the interface between climate change and human development. For further information on CDKN, please visit: http://cdkn.org/
1 CDKN is being managed by an alliance of partners led by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and comprising the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), LEAD International, INTRAC, and three regional partners – Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano (Latin America and the Caribbean), SouthSouthNorth (Africa) and LEAD Pakistan (Asia).

3. About the CDKN - LEAD placement programme:

The CDKN- LEAD placement programme provides career-building opportunities for LEAD Fellows and Associates within the world-renowned CDKN programme.
This unique initiative will give you the opportunity to use your skills, experience and leadership expertise to help advance the climate compatible development agenda. Working in a highly respected global climate change and development programme, you will have the chance to expand your skill-set, take on new challenges and build your professional network.
The pilot placement programme will open on 8th October 2012 (start date will be subject to the signature of the contract and, as applicable, receipt of a work visa) and placements will run for 6 or 12 months depending on your availability and the requirements outlined in the specific role.
The CDKN -LEAD placement programme offers placement opportunities with the following CDKN teams: 2


CDKN Africa team at South South North (SSN) in Cape Town, South Africa
CDKN Asia team at LEAD Pakistan in Islamabad, Pakistan
CDKN Latin American and Caribbean (LAC)team at Fundacion Futuro Latinomericano (FFLA) in Quito, Ecuador
CDKN Research team at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in London, UK

The role within the LAC team may be undertaken virtually. This means that you can stay in your own country and work on CDKN remotely, with the addition of regular visits to the CDKN team in Quito. The visits would probably be quarterly however the occurrence and the length of the visits would be open for discussion with the CDKN host team. For an exceptional candidate, the role within the Asia team may be able to be undertaken virtually. Please note that the virtual option is not applicable to the Research team role or the Africa team role.
Specific roles, activities and requirements for each placement role have been identified - please find further details in this document. Introductory training on CDKN will be provided as part of the CDKN-LEAD placement programme.

4. Reimbursement:

CDKN will reimburse your host institution for salary costs and the associated expenses of the placement, as follows (this will be commensurate on experience, qualification and placement location):
6 month placement: total salary + expenses would be between £15,000 - £30,000 GBP
12 month placement: total salary + expenses would be between £25,000 – £50,000 GBP

Your home institution (i.e. your employer) is required to provide CDKN with a quote for the cost of your services during the 6 or 12 month period. This quote should cover your time and salary costs and expected expenses2.

2 The day rate needs to factor in living costs (i.e. food and local travel cannot be separately charged as expenses) for the location where you would be hosted. Information is provided in the FAQ on estimated living costs. Expenses may be charged for travel to and from the placement (e.g. return flight to and from the placement and, for the 12 month option, 1 mid placement return flight) and for long term accommodation costs. Expenses need to be in line with the CDKN expenses policy. Any CDKN business related travel expenses will be covered separately by CDKN.

5. Application process:

If you are interested in applying for the CDKN-LEAD placement programme, please email Helya Mohit-Zadeh at CDKN Procurement (cdknetwork.procurement@uk.pwc.com) to request the Invitation to Tender (ITT) documentation. Helya will then send you the Invitation to Tender (ITT) and Bidders Response Documentation (BRD) which will outline requirements for the placement programme roles and how to apply. Please note that you can only apply for one role.

6. Note on application process:

Please review the Invitation to Tender documentation and complete the Bidder Response Document (BRD), in partnership with your home institution (i.e. your employer) to explain how you meet the 3

requirements of the role that you have decided to apply for. The BRD will be comprised of: a completed skills matrix, commercial proposal, Curriculum Vitae, Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA), and agreement of terms and conditions. Please submit the Bidder Response Document electronically to Helya Mohit-Zadeh at the CDKN procurement team. cdknetwork.procurement@uk.pwc.com .

7. Key Dates:

Deadline for submission of questions: by 12 noon GMT on Friday 31st August 2012.

Closing date for completed Bidder Response Document: 6pm GMT on Friday 7th September 2012 (please note that it is likely that additional rounds of the CDKN Placement Programme with the LEAD Network will take place).

Interview dates: Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed, usually via Skype, on Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th September 2012.

Click here to download the brochure of CDKN-LEAD Placement programme for further details.

Time to consider small and decentralized energy sources: Dr R.K Pachauri | 26, June, 2012

Chairman IPCC Dr. R.K Pachauri has said that the focus of the South Asia region should be a future with a mixed energy supply which can only be possible by considering small and decentralized energy sources.

He said this during a meeting between Energy department, LEAD Pakistan, Punjab Board of Investment & Trade (PBIT), energy stakeholders and investors.

Dr. R.K Pachauri, Chairman IPCC was the chief guest. The discussion revolved around the south Asian energy challenge.

In explaining and understanding the poverty energy and development nexus Dr. Pachauri stated that "Every economic activity is driven by energy".

He said that energy in India through renewable energy is less than 5% which will, in the next ten years, generate 20000 mega watts.

He gave example of Teri who established two solar thermal projects in Rajasthan and Gujarat. He said that Teri uses an energy efficient building outside Delhi using photo voltage bio mass gasified and earth end tunnel which provide average temperatures inside the building.

He said that Time has come to innovate ESP in infrastructure and buildings.

“We should have a rating system with incentives for buildings which can be cheaper. As the region shares the same problems across border collaboration will help solve them” he added.

In terms of public private partnerships a roadmap is needed to attract investments and forge partnerships. And a new set of Subsidies need to be provided for promoting renewable energy. For policy makers and investors ”low power is more expensive than no power".
 

Lecture on Climate Change in South Asia on 26th June 2012

Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan in collaboration with The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) will hold a lecture on Climate Change in South Asia on 26th June, 2012 from  15:30 to 17:00 at LUMS, Lahore. The lecture is part of the IPCC SREX National Outreach Event– Pakistan that is going to be held on 27th June at Islamabad.

The lecture will revolve around the role of Climate Change in augmenting disasters, increasing vulnerability and exacerbating risk factors in Pakistan and the South Asian region. Collaborating partners for the IPCC SREX National Outreach Event – Pakistan, include National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The key speakers at this lecture will be Dr Rajendra K Pachauri – Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Hon’ble Mr. M. Shashidhar Reddy - Vice Chairman, National Disaster Management Authority, India; Mr. Mihir Bhatt - IPCC S-REX coordinating lead author; and Dr. Adil Najam – Vice Chancellor, Lahore University of Management Sciences & Ali Tauqeer Sheikh - CEO, LEAD Pakistan.

The lecture aims to enhance the understanding, among academics, students and policy makers, of the impact of climate change and to contribute to the much needed mainstreaming of climate change discourse in Pakistan. The event also presents the opportunity to interact with some of the leading experts in the field who have received international acclaim for their work on climate change both in the South Asian and in the global context.

For those interested, please confirm your participation by Sunday 24th June 2012 to:
Ms. Shizza Khan
LEAD Pakistan
skhan@lead.org.pk

Waiting for a calamity?, 18 June, 2012
By Saleem Shaikh

Karachi, Asia’s fast growing city, is located in a disaster zone. Its feeble infrastructure, particularly in the coastal areas, has further increased its vulnerability towards natural disasters such as earthquakes, heavy rains, tsunamis, tropical and non-tropical storms.

The grave risks posed to the city by potential natural disasters are numerous and include the possibility of significant population segments being marooned. High winds can cause widespread damage and take a heavy human toll. The blockage of storm water drains, which if not kept properly maintained with encroachments removed, can deepen the post-cyclone flood impact and hamper relief operations due to flooding of essential communications infrastructure.

Breakdown of essential services like electricity and water can further aggravate the humanitarian impact of the disaster. Most importantly, lack of preparation of the city for cyclone response, for example the absence of shelters, evacuation plans and the poor state of emergency response services, makes Karachi increasingly vulnerable.

The city’s existing infrastructure — including high-rise commercial and residential buildings, hospitals, schools, water supply and drainage networks— combined with unsustainable land-use patterns, are very likely to suffer of enormous proportions should any disaster strike.

Fourteen cyclones, four of them ferocious, were recorded between 1971 and 2001 in the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan. The cyclone of 1999 in Thatta and Badin districts eliminated 73 settlements. It killed 168 people and 11,000 cattle. Nearly 0.6 million people were affected. It destroyed 1,800 small and large boats and partially damaged 642 vessels, causing a loss of Rs380 million. Besides, the damages to infrastructure were estimated at Rs750 million.

The city’s planners and managers hardly seem to have learnt any lessons from the narrow escapes the city has had in the form of passing cyclones and earthquake tremors of relatively higher magnitude in recent years. Apart from this, the densely populated coastal communities of the city are often blissfully unaware of the potential risks and may be caught unawares if any disaster strikes.

The Korangi, DHA, Saddar, Keamari and Lyari localities, all bordering the coastal belt and comprising a population of 3.65 million, are the areas most vulnerable to natural disasters, including cyclones and windstorms. While these localities are situated in the most disaster-prone area, any single natural calamity can cause a heavy death toll leaving their infrastructure devastated.

The coastline snaking along the Karachi district is about 135KM long, extending along the Gharo Creek westward beyond Cape Monze to the estuary of the Hub River.
During a recent visit to some coastal areas in Karachi, the scribe found most of the infrastructure including the water supply network, sanitation system, sewerage and wastewater disposal system to be in a dismal state. The condition of the existing schools and health facilities are unsatisfactory too.

“The communities residing along the Karachi coast are inadequately aware of the risks from a tsunami or any disaster that may hit their areas. Most of them never realise that a peacefully subsiding wave might turn into a devastating wave that could uproot every single structure and wipe out communities without giving them time to flee,” said Sameena Mirbhar, a local schoolteacher in Ibrahim Hydri, a coastal village on the outskirt of Karachi.

Because coastal communities, especially those on small islands and creeks, have no elevated ground. They are more vulnerable to the risk of being buried in a watery grave should be there any rise in the sea level or if a cyclone strikes.

“Absence of an integrated vision for the city has hampered the implementation of development plans. Unplanned and unsystematic growth has led to acute civic problems and environmental degradation has resulted in the deterioration of living conditions. Besides, grossly deficient infrastructure and utilities, the absence of unified town planning and building regulations, inadequate disaster and crises management has exposed the city and its dwellers to a host of potential threats from possible natural disasters,” said Mahjabeen Khan, head of environment programmes at the Karachi-based Society for Conservation and Protection of Environment (SCOPE).

There are four major faults around Karachi and along the southern coast of Makran in Balochistan province. An earthquake of over 8.0 on the Richter scale could generate a fatal tsunami in the area, resulting in heavy loss of the life and unleashing massive destruction to property and infrastructure.

Chief Meteorologist at the Pakistan Meteorological Department in Islamabad, Dr Ghulam Rasul, said with most current structures erected in breach of building codes, a jolt of such a magnitude could flatten a city like Karachi.

What adds more to the worries is that the coastal areas are bereft of gadgets to receive early warnings that can otherwise help local communities to respond to early warnings of any disaster in advance. Given the fact, community members will come to know about potential natural disaster when it is too late to react.

“No investment has been made ever in preparing these communities or those settled on the high, and so-called safe, ground in any part of the city to understand the signs of any impending disaster. Lack of this decipherment on the part of local people can intensify loss of the life or devastation further,” Mohammad Ali Shah, chairman of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum told Kolachi.

The government institutions prepared for disaster response are themselves yet to build up their capacities to respond to any disaster and hence are not capable enough to take care of disaster. The recent floods in Sindh exposed the capabilities of the provincial and district level disaster management bodies, he said.

Environmental experts have pressed on the need for investment in disaster risk mitigation and adaptation programmes, particularly those which are community-based.

“Creating awareness among vulnerable communities about how to decode the natural signs of any impending disaster and responding to it in a timely manner, by identifying and developing escape routes, building up elevated ground and producing volunteers trained for responding to disasters during evacuation, can be of great help,” said Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, chief executive of the LEAD – Pakistan, a non-governmental organisation engaged in climate change mitigation and adaptation activities in different parts of the country.

He also underlined the need for building disaster-resilient and earthquake-resistant infrastructures, which can help lower chances of a heavy death toll and massive damages to the infrastructure. Sheikh also urged the authorities concerned to ensure that building codes are strictly followed in the city and that every building and community has systems that can help in disaster mitigation.

Source http://jang.com.pk/thenews/jun2012-weekly/nos-10-06-2012/kol.htm#2

Bracing for the next monsoon

The warning of fast approaching monsoon should find proper place on the
government’s priority list before it is too late to act
By Naseer Memon

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned of another ominous monsoon this year. According to NDMA, some 29 million would be facing flood risk in the next monsoon. This warning may sound a bit early but the track record of previous two monsoons suggests a timely wake-up call for everyone. Any critical situation cannot be ruled out. After two consecutive disastrous monsoons in preceding years, people are on tenterhooks as next monsoon is approaching.

The government and humanitarian aid agencies are bracing for another possible extreme weather event. Astounding vagaries of climate, particularly during the past two years proffer ample reasons to stay alert. In 2010, the monsoon forecast suggested a moderate ten percent higher rains than normal but the baffling weather developments in Khyber Pakhutunkhwa dwarfed all estimates of precipitation. Parts of Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK received as high as 400 and 200 percent higher than normal rains in September.

Likewise, outlandish monsoon in 2011 derided all estimates when lower Sindh received record breaking rains. Parts of coastal areas received 300 mm rain within three days, twice higher than the average rainfall of the whole year in the area. Hence, the trajectory of monsoon in recent years had been dodgy. During the past two years, rain pattern manifested two key attributes of climate change; that is abnormal intensity and high degree of unpredictability.

Considering these two elements a completely new approach of monsoon handling is required in the country. Limited ability of only three to four days weather forecast makes it even more desirable. A normal flood season in Pakistan ranges from June 15 to October 15 every year. It means we have just enough time to gear up.

Affectees of the past two years’ floods, especially in lower Sindh, are yet to return to normal life. According to the latest update of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), some 10,000 people are still languishing in makeshift settlements in Sindh. The Emergency Response Fund (ERF) of UNOCHA is seeking millions to meet outstanding humanitarian targets in the country.

This sufficiently indicates the plight of the flood affectees forgotten within few months. Till the beginning of this year, less than half of the amount was received against the appeal of $356 million launched by the UN. Parts of lower Sindh are still under standing water. In brief, miseries are far from over for several thousand affectees.

After initial response, most of the aid initiatives are gradually fading out.

International aid was simply less than enough to sustain humanitarian operations for a longer duration. Relief operation of the government of Sindh was mired in nepotism and political favouritism. Less than adequate resources were allocated for rehabilitation phase.

Adding insult to the injury, the government of Sindh diverted approximately four billion rupees originally earmarked for flood affectees to elected representatives’ fund. A year preceding the next general election was the obvious time to appease party comrades. This has left thousands of people in consternation. In such a situation, even a slight climatic upheaval can play havoc with the people who are already living on the margins.

Rickety infrastructure is another source of anxiety. For example, banks of left bank outfall drain that inundated large swaths of land in several districts in 2011 are largely left unplugged. Repair work has only just started and unrealistically targeted to finish by end of June. Quality of work with this execution could be everyone’s guess. In its present shape, the porous drain may not even transport normal storm flows safely, what to say about abnormal rains.

The rain has become a perennial source of devastation in adjoining districts of lower Sindh. Banks of River Indus were repaired on a war-footing after the 2010 flood, however, their strength is yet to be tested. Ironically, little concentration has been paid to confounding flows of hill torrents that actually turned Indus violent in 2010 which was erstwhile amenable carrying manageable flows in South Punjab and Sindh. In absence of early warning system, these hill torrents are potentially replete with horrendous floods and need watchful monitoring.

The most important element that has not received adequate attention is disarrayed institutional web when any disaster strikes. Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) are still bereft of sufficient resources. Trained and experienced human resource in PDMAs is a major deficiency that merits immediate attention.

The most important but equally ignored part is District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs). Since district administration is the first entity to reach people in the event of any disaster, their inefficiency would have serious ramifications for flood prone communities. In absence of elected local bodies, DDMAs have become the sole government face at local level.

These DDMAs are synonymous to the Deputy Commissioner’s office for all practical purposes. Because of their administrative priorities, they can hardly proffer any meaningful succor to disaster victims. More often than not, they swing into action only after a disaster has approached. Whereas disaster management is practically round the year job which is not restricted to administrative mania that often follows the disaster.

At times good at administrative functions, DDMAs are not institutionalised as disaster management entities and lack paraphernalia to manage disasters professionally. Their strings are often pulled by local oligarchy and hence sometimes end up with compounding the impact of disaster rather than assuaging the miseries of affectees.

The government has recently established Ministry of Climate that depicts sensitisation on part of the government. However, hydro-climatic disasters need more concrete measures to ensure timely warning of disasters, preparedness to forestall impacts and a well-coordinated mechanism to respond to disasters in a transparent and professional manner.

Coordination among various tiers of disaster management authorities was conspicuously absent during the past two disasters. Likewise, coordination of the government with national and international humanitarian agencies was also chaotic, particularly in provinces. The best time to commence this exercise is before the onset of next monsoon. While the government is grappling with several immediate priorities, fast approaching monsoon should also find some place on the priority order before it is too late to act.

The writer is fellow of LEAD Pakistan and Chief Executive of Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO). The article was first published in The News.

Ask questions from scientists & key Govt officials about climate extreme & disasters in Asia

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) and local partners are hosting an outreach event on ‘Managing the Risks of Climate Extremes and Disasters in Asia – What can we learn from the IPCC Special Report?’ at Le Meridien, New Delhi, India on 2 – 3 May 2012.

This event forms one of a series of outreach events taking place around the world in April and May 2012, which are designed to provide information about the possible impacts of climate extremes and disasters by region, and options for managing the potential risks arising from them, as assessed in the IPCC Special Report.

A press conference for the event will be held on Wednesday 2 May, 12.30 IST / GMT+4.30 and streamed online at http://cdkn.org/srex/

The Press Conference will be moderated by Robert Donkers, Minister Counsellor for Environment, Delegation of the European Union to India. A panel of regional experts, practitioners and policy-makers will make an initial 3-minute introduction on the findings of the IPCC SREX report and the implications for South Asia.

·         Dr R K Pachauri - IPCC Chairman

·         Hon'ble M. Shashidhar Reddy, Vice Chairman, National Disaster Management Authority, India

·         Mr Krishna Gyawali - Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Government of Nepal

·         Dr Zafar Iqbal Qadir - Chairman, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Pakistan 

There will then be 15 minutes available for questions from the press. Clare Goodess, IPCC SREX author, will also be available at the press conference to answer any technical questions related to the report.

For journalists in Islamabad, you are invited to watch the press conference from LEAD Pakistan’s office, LEAD House, F-7 Markaz, Islamabad. From here you will have the opportunity to ask questions to the panel. Please inform Abbas Mushtaq amushtaq@lead.org.pk (+92 (51) 265 15 11) if you would like to take up this opportunity.

Please find attached a media advisory, as well as two IPCC press releases and the agenda for the event. For more information, and to watch the entire event live, please visit http://cdkn.org/srex/.

Leadership Development Program (LDP) Cohort 16 & 17 to attend CBA-6 at Hanoi Vietnam

The Regional training session is an integral part of Leadership Development Program as it encourages learning from different countries. The Leadership Development Program understands that the challenges of sustainable development are growing day by day. The only way to begin to address these challenges is through the adaptation of sustainable models of development at the local, regional and global levels.

This year, as part of the Regional Training Session for Leadership Development Program Cohort-16 and Cohort-17 will be attending the Sixth International Conference on Community-based Adaptation (CBA 6) at Hanoi, Vietnam from 19 - 22 April 2012. LEAD Pakistan is also an official sponsor for this conference.

The four days of interactive conference focuses on communicating how communities are adapting to Climate Change. There will be different sessions focusing on different themes related to climate change. This conference holds great importance for our Associates in terms of learning and experience sharing with other participants (expected to have 200 participants from all across the world) from different countries and also to share knowledge on adaptation models being tested and applied.

The conference is planned to be held at the Melia Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam. The conference consists of a plenary session and a number of parallel, interactive discussions relating to the following thematic areas:

• Communicating about climate change at global, regional, national, and local levels

• Scaling up Community-based adaptation

• Water resources

• Biodiversity and forests

• Urban areas

• Coastal zones, dry lands, drought prone areas, mountainous areas and floodplains

• Food and agriculture

• Human health

• Disaster risk reduction/management

• Gender equality and integration

• Vulnerable communities (including indigenous people)

• Monitoring, evaluation and tools

• Economics

• Climate change and adaptation: information, knowledge, education and awareness

 

Framing Responses: Journalist Workshop on Climate Change Impacts and Challenges

20-22 March, 2012

LEAD Pakistan, Heinrich Boll Stiftung Pakistan

 

A three-day workshop titled "Framing Responses: Journalist Workshop on Climate Change Impacts and Challenges" being organized by LEAD Pakistan in collaboration with Heinrich Boll Stiftung Pakistan was held on 20-21 March, 2012 at local hotel.

The workshop organized for journalists (mid to junior level from print and electronic media) from India and Pakistan in Islamabad, will be facilitated by internationally recognized trainers and experts. Subject matter specialists as well as practitioners from the government, NGOs and civil society will be invited to have interactive discussion and presentations on the impacts of climate change and requisite responses. Through a participatory learning approach, the participants will be sensitized on various issues and challenges. Training will include activities such as interactive talks/discussions, presentations, group work, case studies, role plays, videos and field visits.

The proposed workshop will bring journalists from India and Pakistan together to discuss how climate change will affect their region and what can be done at a local and possibly a regional level through media awareness and action planning at micro and meso level.

At the end of the workshop, what we achieved was;

A set of recommendations developed by the participants on the effective role of journalism in raising climate change awareness;
A group of journalists in India and Pakistan sensitized on climate change issues, challenges and possible responses; and
An e-mail based network of participating journalists, policy makers, climate change negotiators, scientists/ subject News articles and blogs in the newspapers (English, Urdu or local languages) in India and Pakistan on the issues covered during the training workshop.
 

Climate Asia Communication20-21 March, 2012

BBC Media Action, LEAD Pakistan
 

A two-day workshop on Climate Asia Communication being organized by BBC Media Action in collaboration with Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan was held on 20-21 March, 2012 at the Islamabad Club.

The purpose of the workshop is to share key insights on climate change and communications more widely and to develop ideas for outputs that will benefit both audiences and communicators. The output from the workshops will directly impact the research and strategy process of the BBC Action's Climate Asia project as a whole. Participating organizations will be considered privileged partners in the communications strategy process.

The Climate Asia project spans seven countries in Asia – Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and Vietnam – and has two goals: firstly- to create an evidence base for knowledge and attitudes on climate change across the region and secondly- to design communications solutions that can be used by vulnerable communities and influencers to deepen understanding and enable action.

For more details please contact Abbas Mushtaq at amushtaq@lead.org.pk.

Training course on Developing Local Adaptation Plans of Action for Climate Change Resilience concludes at LEAD house, February 18, 2012

ISLAMABAD: A three day training course on “Developing Local Adaptations Plans of Action for Climate Change Resilience” was concluded at lead house on Thursday where climate change experts and participants tested a training module and a toolkit of local adaptation plan of action for its efficiency and effectiveness.

The training was organized by LEAD Pakistan and it focuses on developing strategies and action plan as preventive measures for further damages if natural disasters occur in regions like Southern Punjab, Sindh and Swat.

The three days training was attended by seven participants belonging to international non-profit organizations where experts of climate change sensitized them on various climate change issues. The master trainers were trained on awareness raising issues regarding climate change and developed Model plans to help other community based NGOs design mitigation and adaptation strategies in their respective areas.

Activities in the training session included interactive talks/discussions between experts and participants, presentations from experts, group work between participants and video documentaries related to climate change and its impacts Globally, Regionally and Nationally.

Speaking to concluding ceremony the CEO LEAD Pakistan Ali Tauqeer Sheikh said that this training is a pilot project and in this regard, a dry run is planned to be conducted and it aims to enable the Master Trainers to plan, integrate and mobilize climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies at the local level. He emphasized the need of empowering grassroots communities to cope with climate change, based on specific, vulnerability Assessments, tools & analyses.

The Project Manager Umara Asim said in the ending remarks that adapting to climate change will entail adjustments and changes at every level. She said that the most appropriate approach in Pakistan can be a bottom up approach in form of an action plan which the master trainers have successful tested during the training. 

• Agenda
• Presentations
  › Science of Climate Change
  › Impact of Climate Change
  › Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies
  › Climate Change situation in South Asia
• Update
• Communications
• Media Coverage
  › Daily Times
  › The Frontier Post

Serious steps needed to protect child during disasters: DO PDMA February 09, 2012

MULTAN: Director Operations Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Ahmed Ranjwana has stressed the need for making serious steps for child protection in general and in disasters specifically.

He was addressing as chief guest at a one day training session on “Child Protection in Disasters” held on February 09, 2012 at a local hotel.

The training was organized by Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab in collaboration of UNICEF and LEAD Pakistan. 

Referring to recent flood disasters in Pakistan, Director Operations said that this aspect has not given due priority however frameworks and policies are being prepared to protect and mainstream child issues.

Training coordinator Jawad Ullah explained United Nations Convention on Rights of Child (UNCRC) to participants and linked relevant to issues during emergencies. While referring to his experience in recent emergencies, he sensitized participants with separated, accompanied and unaccompanied issues in local cultural and religious context. Issue of birth registration, distribution of relief items to under-age un-accompanied children were discussed in detail.

During briefing on Draft Policy document on child protection, he said that National consultation has been done and draft is in final stages of approval at provincial level.

The training Workshop was attended by more than 60 representatives of 10 districts in Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan. These included Representatives of district government, Rescue 1122, line departments, TMA, PHED and civil society.

Speaker series on mainstreaming on RH in social development held, February 13, 2012

LAHORE: Speakers at a seminar, titled ‘Mainstreaming Reproductive Health (RH) in Pakistan’, organised by LEAD Pakistan, emphasised on the need for concerted effort to help improve reproductive health indicators in the country.

They impressed upon the fact that without a cohesive strategy, including economic, health and environmental indicators, Pakistan’s current deplorable situation could not be improved.

The seminar, held at Kinnaird College (KC) for Women on Friday, aimed at creating awareness among leaders from non-reproductive health background about the concept of RH beyond a bio-medical approach, to enhance understanding of implications of RH on individuals, communities and societies and to develop ideas, through real-life examples, for non-RH professionals to incorporate RH initiatives into their organisational structure and circle of influence.

Among the notable speakers were renowned philanthropist and Adviser to Packages Limited Syed Babar Ali, former chancellor of Agha Khan University Shams Kassim Lakha, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) Vice Chancellor Adil Najam, Country Adviser of David and Lucile Packard Foundation Dr Yasmeen Sabeeh Qazi, KC Vice Principal Dr Nikhat Khan and CEO of Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan Ali Tauqeer Sheikh.

Speaking on the occasion, Ali Tauqeer said that LEAD had launched a new project “Our World” –Women Leadership in Reproductive and Health (WLRDH) in collaboration with David & Lucile Packard Foundation to assist in raising the profile of RH in social development sector by mainstreaming RH issues through public policy engagement and media.

Adviser Packages Ltd Syed Babar Ali said that one of the main problems of the country was uncontrolled population growth. He gave the example of Bangladesh, which at the time of partition was faced with numerous crisis but was able to reverse the situation to a great extent by controlling its population growth.

Meanwhile, Adil Najam said that the country was likely to face scarcity of clean drinking water and shortage of water resources in the days to come. He said that there was a direct relation between poverty, education, health and women empowerment. He also advised the youth to acquire leadership qualities, not the political or positional leadership found in government institutions but the real leadership qualities found in parents and teachers, who are the mainstream leaders of society.

In her concluding remarks, Dr Yasmeen Sabeeh Qazi stressed on the international significance of reproductive health as being essential for achieving all Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). She said that according to a recent study, the situation of reproductive health in Pakistan was not satisfactory because the government as well as society was not playing its required role. Courtesy Daily Times

 

Pilot Training on "Developing Local Adaptations Plans of Action for Climate Change Resilience"
14th, 15th and 16th of February 2012
LEAD House, Islamabad

LEAD Pakistan is introducing a training course on “Developing Local adaptations plans of action for Climate change resilience”. The training focuses on developing local adaption plans of action which can be used by the local community as preventive measures for further damages if natural disasters occur. This initiative tends to empower the provinces to respond to climate change. The area currently under our study is Sindh and Punjab.

Aims and Objectives:

This training is a pilot project and in this regard, a dry run is planned to be conducted and it aims to enable 10-15 Master Trainers (ideally two from each INGOs) to plan, integrate and mobilize climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies at the local level. Also, since this a pilot project, the selected master trainers will provide feedback on the learning outcomes of the training and how useful it is in terms of adaptation.

Learning Outcomes:

• Increased awareness about climate change issues at the regional, national and international levels and clear understanding of the science of climate change.

• Better understanding of predicted climate impacts and the associate risks

• Better understanding of strategies, policies and plans prepared at the global level, regional level and their implication/compliance at national level.

• Better understanding of the effects of climate change on human health and environment.

• Better understanding of the role of communities in climate change mitigation planning and implementation.

• Increased knowledge of best practice in terms of adaptation actions relevant to planning services.

• Increased knowledge of designing and executing plans for further trainings regarding climate change adaptation and mitigation at the local level.

Target group

The training course is designed for INGOs and the expected audience is mid level managers working closely with the community, Social organizers or professionals who aspire to link this with climate change adaptation. We would be requiring two participants each from different INGOs.

Length of the course: 3 days

Methodology

Through an interactive participatory learning approach, the participants will be sensitized on various climate change issues. The master trainers will be actively trained to raise awareness regarding climate change and make plans to help other community based NGOs design mitigation and adaptation strategies in their respective areas. Activities will include interactive talks/discussions, presentations, group work, and video documentaries. Relevant reading material will be provided to participants to broaden their perspectives and prepare them to make their final plans.

Outcome

The expected outcome from this pilot project is a practically more useable module and toolkit for implementing for ground level adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Certificate

Participants will be granted a Certificate of Attendance.
 

Seminar on LRH-Paradigm held in Lahore, December 20, 2011

LEAD Pakistan held a seminar entitled “ Leadership for Reproductive Health  (LRH)– Paradigm” to share the district leadership model of reproductive health of  Khairpur . The participants belonged to health department (population welfare department , directorate of health services Punjab, Planning & Development Department – Punjab ) , civil  society ( HANDS, Shirkat Gah,  Rahumna – FPAP, Marie Stopes Society , Agahe, Bunyad Foundation, DAMEN, AIDS -Awareness and  Prevention Society etc  ) ,  academia  (A llama Iqbal Medical College), Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Jinnah Hospital Lahore  ), research Institutions  (Phoenix Foundation for Research & Development ) etc.

Dr. Suleman Qazi, Chief Technical Advisor LEAD Pakistan shared the theoretical framework of the project and explained the rationale and the theoretical underpinnings of LRH model. This project aims to address outstanding gaps in Reproductive Health (RH) by developing and enabling the leadership capacity of a cadre of key, multi-sectoral stakeholders. The project has provided training to a selected group of mid to senior level professionals on RH issues, Leadership, Strategic Planning, Management, Monitoring and Social Mobilization. This was followed by presentation by Waqas Sheikh, Project Coordinator who  spoke about the 2 pronged approach of the project, one aimed to being a change at policy level and the second at the c ommunity level. 

A video documentary was also shown that told the project journey, its purpose, important milestones and the impact at the community and policy level.

The review of  “Health Facility Management Team “  (HFMT) was given by Mr. Safdar Bhatti, Leadership for Reproductive Health Cohort Fellow. The innovative idea of HMTs have demonstrated that if residents or community are engaged  at the local level , they are much more productive than the District Health Management Team. (DHMT)

The review of Cohort Action Teams (CAT) was given by Aumir Mangi- Leadership for Reproductive Health Cohort Fellow. CAT is also a unique idea of multi layered engagement of the opinion leaders such as religious leaders , media , eminent political leaders and lady health workers. The experience of CAT identified the categories of religious figures , their potential, limitation and area of influence.  CAT has pointed out that there is a great need of sensitizing the local political leadership not only about the basic of RH and its implication in the development . CAT Media has been successful in demonstrating that media is receptive to RH issues and can be sensitized to report and educated masses on RH matters. 

The  cohorts unique initiative of engaging with out of school girls generated great interest.  There was a presentation on “Girl Leader Engagement “by Syeda Yumna Hasany, Program Assistant – LEAD Pakistan that focused on leadership and capacity building  of out of school girls. This was an innovative feature of the project , through which 22 young girls between the age of 18-22 underwent 6 months training on different aspects of basic hygiene, reproductive health, social mobilization and leadership and communication.  These girls were agents of change as they not only reached out to their peers but also to other members of the community. As a result the girls have become sensitized not only about RH issues but they are discussing issues like right to information and education, early child marriages and gender rights.

Climate Vulnerable Forum delivers powerful message to the world, November 21, 2011

Nineteen of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change delivered a powerful message calling unanimously for a legally- binding agreement for implementing the UNFCCC, in an impressive meeting held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on November 13-14, 2011.

The meeting was inaugurated by UN Secretary General, Ban-Ki Moon and attended by ministers of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF)– a body of counties facing major climate change challenges. The Forum Declaration is of particular significance in view of the fact that it has been issued days before COP 17 will be held in Durban.

The Declaration calls for urgent adoption of a comprehensive and legally-binding global agreement capable of fully attaining the objectives of the UNFCCC. It also reaffirms the commitment by climate vulnerable countries to focus on adaptation, particularly in the short term in order to minimise immediate danger, and calls on developed countries to support the implementation of schemes. Similarly, the declaration recognises an urgent need for technology transfer from the international community as a means of ensuring fuller and more pragmatic technological developments.

The forum reminded the world that the survival of people, and even countries, is at stake. As Sheik Hasina, Honorable Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Bangladesh, said in his address:

“Climate change caused over 300,000 additional deaths last year. We the vulnerable countries suffer the most for our limited coping capacities. Bangladesh and other vulnerable countries could not wait for international response to climate causes…we are implementing 134 climate change adaptation and mitigation action plans.”

CDKN is supporting developing countries, through the Climate Vulnerable Forum, the Advocacy Fund and other initiatives, to take a leadership role in the UNFCCC negotiations.

As the forum declaration itself proclaims, the CVF is not waiting for the industrialized world to act on climate change.

“We are resolved, as vulnerable states, to demonstrate moral leadership by committing to a low-carbon development path on a voluntary basis within the limitations of our respective capabilities, which are to a large extent externally determined by the availability of appropriate financial and technological support and call on all other nations to follow the moral leadership.”

CDKN supported DARA to provide assistance to the Government of Bangladesh as hosts of the 2011 CVF. Briefing Notes provided the most up to date evidence on the impact of climate change to delegates and will be a useful resource for the upcoming COP 17.

With CDKN support, the CVF received high-profile attention and participation. Coverage by Al Jazeera, BBC, The Washington Post and a lot more,guaranteed the forum’s message is heard around the world.
One World provided online coverage of the forum and interviewed some of the key players, including Ahmed Naseem, Maldives Foreign Minister, José MaríaFigueres, former President of Costa Rica, and SaleemulHuq CDKN Asia’ Climate Change Advisor.

The 19 signatory countries who adopted the declaration are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh (chair), Bhutan, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Nepal, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

Earthly matters: Less talk more action needed


The planet might be getting warmer and climate disasters might be more frequent, but it seems that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) talks are not making any headway..  Read More

 

 

Explosion of solar power in Bangladesh, July 08, 2011

Guest CDKN blogger, journalist Abu Rushd Md. Ruhul Amin, reports from Bangladesh on the extraordinary rise in solar power generation in the country, and the policy frameworks that have aided its growth. Read more

 

Harnessing media potential in the fight against climate change, July 08, 2011

CDKN's Fayyaz Ahmad Khan reviews the recent Climate Change Media Partnership report on why the media should matter more to policy-makers tackling climate change in the developing world. Read more

 

A new climate ‘order’

Nero played the violin while Rome burnt. World leaders these days are not as insensitive, so they play politics – an exercise of shifting blames and responsibilities. This is why the climate change negotiations — as the earth chokes — remains entangled in, well, politics. And the recently concluded session in Bonn was no exception, — much to the delight of the political scientists.

 

While academics can afford to gloss over theories, hegemonies, and orders in geopolitics, time for many countries is running out. Science of climate change is scaring the hell out of them. Others, not as scared, feel outright fatigued. There is little hope in their minds about any outcome in Durban CoP also later this year.

But amidst inordinate delays and inexplicably stretched debates that now threaten any meaningful reduction of green house gas emissions in the immediate future, there was one silver bullet – rightly directed science and research – that got the entire debate back on its ‘right’ track. In Bonn, quite a few research reports were published that pressed the panic button so hard that it got the negotiations back on the track that was deftly abandoned in Copenhagen in 2009 and further neglected in Cancun last year.

This piece of science, thanks to UNEP initially and now Ecofys and others, is now being used as the main tool of negotiations by developing countries – the ever widening gap between what kind of emission reduction is required and what we have got on the table from countries. Future of Kyoto Protocol was back in the negotiations again, countries including India made it clear during Bonn negotiations that it was non-negotiable. Though that does in no way ensure an extension of KP neither it implies that even with a legally binding commitment, countries would be ‘accountable’ (with ineffective punitive clauses in KP itself), it is at least the right move by the South in a time when voluntary pledges were all it was left to deal with climate change.

Weary and disgusted Southern countries should in fact take a leaf out of the book of the developed countries which seem so committed to their respective domestic pressures in not accepting any binding commitment. If George Bush can insist that the American way of life is non-negotiable, developing countries surely have a right to emphasise on development of the poorest of the poor as equally non-negotiable. The fate of climate negotiations must elicit an emission reduction regime that would not compromise development of billions of underdeveloped people across the world. India in fact has the lion’s share of them, about 650 million, and despite its belligerent claims of development and vertiginous growth, the country has failed miserably in improving upon excruciating poverty and human development indices which are often are poorer than many parts of the African continent.

Bonn did not throw up any surprises, and many of the negotiators felt that they were engaged in an unproductive exercise as they did not have the political mandate to take impromptu political decisions. In the corridors of Maritim Hotel in Bonn, hapless negotiators kept on discussing how unequipped they were in this round of negotiations as the deadlocks could only be solved politically.

Other aspects of negotiation, such as adaptation, technology and finance under AW-LCA track have progressed with mandatory hiccups, dictated by various obvious economic interests. Sources of long term financial cooperation remain unexplored still, thanks to the US. The political will seems lacking here as well, and decisions are pending still.

India, owing to its might, must take a leadership role in safeguarding the interest of its people, and the underdeveloped in various parts of the world. A new global order, if indeed inevitable as suggested by the economists, must reflect itself in the climate negotiations as well. Now is the time.

The blog is written by Aditya Ghosh who is an Indian climate change expert and works for the centre for science and environment in Delhi.

Govt of District Khairpur lauds the efforts of LEAD Pakistan in LRH project, June 28, 2011

The District Government of Khairpur, Sindh has lauded the efforts made by LEAD Pakistan in one of its project titled “Enabiling Effective Leadership for Reproductive Health (LRH)” in District Kharpur, Sindh. In a message on the official website of District Khairpur, Sindh the cohort of the LRH project has been called the "most active cohort of the professionals in District". Read More

 

SCOPE fighting desertification, mitigating drought effects in Thar, June 28, 2011

Mithi, Tharparkar: Fast expanding desertification and drought in Thar, caused by unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, loss of vegetation cover and reduced rains, has gravely threatened survival of the livestock, local people and wildlife in the area. Read what Saleem Shaikh, a development journalist says about this.  Read More

 

 

 

Cancun to Durban via Bonn June 24, 2011

In an exclusive blog for CDKN, Dr. Saleem ul Haq, Senior Fellow Climate Change Group, the International Institute for Environment and Development, London, gives a detailed account of what happened in UNFCCC talks in Bonn. Read his insider's account of the progress of the talks along with a forecast for the results of CoP17 in Durban, South Africa. Read More

 

Policy Dialogue on Reproductive Health held in Lahore, June 21, 2011

A Policy Dialogue on Reproductive Health was organized by LEAD Pakistan in Lahore today. The basic objective of this Dialogue was to discuss and debate research conducted under “Enabling Effective Leadership for Reproductive Health”, a project of LEAD Pakistan in collaboration with David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and provide recommendations to the government for improvement of the Reproductive Health indicators of Pakistan. Read More

 

Deadlock likely at Bonn climate talks

In his exclusive write up for CDKN,  Mr. Navin Singh Khadka, a senior Nepali Journalists analyses the situation prior to the Bonn climate talks and believes that with the BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) and the G8 lining up on opposite sides of the fence, the prospects of any breakthrough at Bonn are unlikely. Read More... 

 

Fighting climate change is only possible with cheap renewable energy

Tariq Banuri, Director of the United Nations Division for Sustainable Development, argues that making renewable energy available to everyone at an affordable price is the only meaningful way to fight climate change. Read more...


 

Renewable energy to save planet Earth?
 

Syed Ayub Qutab, Executive Director of the Pakistan Institute for Environment & Development Action Research (PIEDAR), gives CDKN an analysis of the recent UNFCCC report on renewable energy. Find out what he has to say about the consequences of a large-scale shift to renewables. Read More

 

 

‘It’s impossible to separate climate from development,’ says UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres. Feb 09, 2011

Climate Change is a development issue and it is completely impossible to separate it from the development. If climate change continues unchecked, the estimation is, the development achievements that the world had made over the past 20 years will be threatened and we will go back in terms of health, agriculture, food security and water availability. The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for this intimate interlining between climate and development to be the focus of Rio+20 [20th anniversary of the 1992 Rio meeting]. And the entire world will be looking at this link between climate change and development, said Christina Figueres, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention [UNFCCC] in an exclusive interview with Mohammad Shehzad, editor http://www.pol-dev.com/ for Climate Development Knowledge Network [CDKN] and Leadership for Environment And Development [LEAD] Pakistan. more

 

Engaging Decision makers in Health Policy
Regional Training Session (RTS) - II, Leadership for Reproductive Health (LRH) - II
27th - 31st December 2010, BRAC University, Bangladesh

LEAD Pakistan, in collaboration with Institute of Governance Studies at BRAC University organized a second regional training session, in Bangladesh. The training  held at BRAC - CDM Savar from 27th to 31st December 2010 acted as a basis of comparative study of the reproductive health system and reproductive health service delivery between the two countries. This training provided insight of the ground realities regarding the problems and  obstacles faced by the health practitioners providing reproductive health care to the poverty stricken inhabitants of urban slums. It also highlighted the general attitude, behavior and trends in accessing and using knowledge & tools of improving their reproductive health status.  This training showed the practical approach at the policy and community level adopted by the specialists and experts of Bangladesh.

The training was quite beneficial as it provided an opportunity for the cohort members to study health structure &  model , reproductive health policies, health financing , role of public and private stakeholders of Bangladesh and most significantly the methodology , processes , tools and strategies of policy engagement. The cohort members learnt about the micro-finance models of institutions like BRAC  and Gonoshasthaya Kendra. Most importantly , the cohort members learnt the process of policy formulation. The cohort members learnt about the steps of devising polices to engage important stakeholders and it’s  practical implications on health , particularly on  reproductive health. The cohort members will now replicate these models and apply the lessons learnt in their districts of Kahirpur and Lodhran.

Pakistani High Commissioner in Bangladesh, H.E Ashraf Qureshi on a special invitation by LEAD, CEO was the chief guest at the certificate distribution ceremony held on December 30, 2010 together with Dr. Rizwan Khair of IGS – BRAC.

LEAD Pakistan also signed a MOU with the Institute of Governance Studies – BRAC University Bangladesh. Which is a great step towards establishing regional linkages and partnerships.

 

Population, Climate Change and Development - Challenges and Opportunities for a Sustainable Future
International Training Session (ITS)
October 31st - November 6th 2010, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Each year LEAD International arranges an International Training Session (ITS). The objective behind this is to bring together professionals in different areas from across the globe to learn, debate and share, through a combination of case studies, skills modules and interactive sessions. This year the International Training Session is being held at Port Elizabeth, South Africa from October 31st to November 6th, 2010.

The focus of the session will be on, ‘Population, Climate Change and Development’ and the relationship between climate change and health will be one of the thematic areas covered therein. Participation in this session will not only enable our cohort members to network with relevant stakeholders from around the world; but will also provide them with an opportunity to show case their research work to a much larger audience. Details of the said event are available on; http://southafrica2010.lead.org

 

Project kick-off and planning phase
Women Leadership in Reproductive Health (WLRH)
Oct - Nov 2010, Islamabad

LEAD Pakistan launches Women Leadership in Reproductive Health project with the support of Packard Foundation. The main purpose of the project is to create leadership at national level for Policy change impact so that reproductive health has a higher profile in the development sector, in terms of human rights issues, meeting national social development goals, international commitments and gender equality.

To read more about this project click here

 

Teacher’s training session
Bhit Rural Sustainability Program (BRSP)
30th - 31st October 2010, UC Jhangara, Bhit

Education is one of the core objectives of Bhit Rural Sustainability Program (BRSP). 18 primary schools (2 girls and 16 boys, compromises of 714 students) have been established so far to improve the level of education level in the community.

Every year BRSP arranges capacity building courses for all BRSP school teachers. In this regard, on October 30-31st, 2010, a two days training titled “The effective role of teacher, teaching methodology and lesson planning” was held at Civil Society Support Programme office, Hyderabad. BRSP school teachers expressed their delight and satisfaction regarding the session and expressed their resolve to implement the new skills & teaching tools learnt and improve the quality of education imparted.

 

The Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum 2010
21st - 22nd October 2010, Bangkok, Thailand

The Climate & Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) team from LEAD Pakistan attended the Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum in Bangkok. The forum provided opportunity to share practices, knowledge and experiences on mainstreaming adaptation to climate change into development planning in Asia and the Pacific.

The event attended by more than 500 development practitioners in the region, presented a venue through which tools and mechanisms that support the process of adapting to climate change were shared, and current findings from frontline development and adaptation challenges were showcased. The participatory format of the Adaptation Forum included plenary and keynote sessions, panel discussions, business roundtables, thematic side events, market place, photo and poster exhibitions. The sessions were facilitated by eminent climate scientists, adaptation experts and development planners from the region.

The Adaptation Forum was successful in stimulating regional knowledge sharing and facilitating networking among participants to maximize synergy. It was able to add value to existing country/regional level knowledge platforms and activities to enhance and support cooperation and coordination. Most importantly, it stressed on the link between local level adaptation initiatives with those at national and regional level.

Details of the said event are available on; http://www.asiapacificadapt.net/adaptationforum2010/

 

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(Last updated: April 19, 2012)