Fwd: [EPG EnvTalk] Thematic Digest - Water and Hazard, Issue 29

[Ranjeev shrestha]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Basudev Upadhyay <basu...@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 8, 2012 at 3:29 PM
Subject: [EPG EnvTalk] Thematic Digest - Water and Hazard, Issue 29
To: Environment-...@googlegroups.com

FYI..

Might be of interest.

Best, Basudev

........

Dear Colleagues,

 

Please find below the periodic thematic digest on Water and Hazard - Issue 29   prepared for members of Mountain Forum and Mountain Partnership network. The complete list of digests is available here.

 

Regards,

 

Asia Pacific Mountain Network (APMN) team

 

 

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In this Issue

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News from ICIMOD Regional Member Countries (RMCs)

Global News

Events

Opportunities

Organisations

Relevant ICIMOD Publications

Resources

 

REGIONAL NEWS

1.       Flash Flood in Nepal Causes Loss of Life and Property

06 May 2012

On Saturday 5 May 2012, flash flooding in the Kaski district of northwestern Nepal resulted in the death of at least 10 people, left dozens more missing, and caused great loss of property including homes, businesses, crops, and livestock. The flood occurred in a tributary of the Seti River originating from the east of Mount Machhapuchhre. It is believed to be due to the outburst of a landslide-dammed lake. However, the exact location of the source of the flash flood has not yet been identified. The source of the flood water is considered to be located about 20 to 35 km from the city of Pokhara. Most of the damage and loss of life was near the confluence with the Sardi Khola. 

2.       Solve water Problems or Forget Growth, India Told 

30 Apr 2012

India's economic growth and political stability are at stake in coming years if it does not change its approach to water management, a member of its natural resources planning commission told Reuters on Monday.

3.       Pakistan: While Karachi Remains at Risk, Its Machinery is Unprepared for Climate Change

25 Apr 2012

Karachi cannot deal with existing climate risks, let alone those that could strike it in the future, was one of the direr messages delivered at a seminar, Climate change adaptation strategy for Karachi — a roadmap, as reported by The Express Tribune.

4.       Tripura to launch Disaster Management Project in Schools

23 Apr 2012

The government has launched an ambitious School Disaster Management Planning project from this academic session.Education ministers from eight northeastern states had emphasized the vulnerability of a great number of schools to natural disasters.

5.       Unplanned Growth in Hills, an Invitation to Disaster

18 Apr 2012

A Gujarat-based consultancy has been tasked with preparing a disaster risk related atlas following the collapse of a 4-story building in Jalandhar, claiming 8 lives and trapping 100 workers inside, due to violations in building laws.

6.       100,000 People in China's Three Gorges Dam area Facing Relocation

18 Apr 2012

Focus Taiwan reports that due to the high water levels, an additional 100,000 people living in the Three Gorges Dam reservoir area are facing relocation because of mounting geological hazards, according to an official with China's Ministry of Land and Resources.

7.       City Well-equipped to Tackle Natural Disaster?

12 Apr 2012

In India, Bangalore questions its disaster mitigation system's capacity to handle an earthquake after the panic and chaos which followed Wednesday’s mild tremors, as reported by IBNLive.

 

GLOBAL NEWS

1.       Study on Algiers City Vulnerability to Climate Change and Disasters

30 Apr 2012

The study is aiming to develop an adaptation plan to increase the resilience of the Algerian capital. It is the result of cooperation between the Deposit and Consignment Fund, the Centre for Mediterranean Integration, the World Bank and the Algerian authorities at all ministries in Algiers and local elected officials.

2.       Floods Becoming More Dangerous, More Costly, Says World Bank

27 Apr 2012

A new guide launched at the WMO HQ this week warns that urban flooding is becoming more dangerous and more costly to manage because of the sheer size of the population exposed within urban settlements.

3.       Predicted Damage Worsens for Expected Major Inland Quake in Tokyo Area

06 Apr 2012

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's disaster prevention council has updated damage predictions in case an inland earthquake hits the Tokyo metropolitan area following the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011.

4.       Prioritize Action on River Contaminants

02 May 2012

Most pathogens come from the fecal matter of humans and animals. This health hazard could lead to a major epidemic along the border. Downstream farmers irrigate crops with water pumped directly from the river.

5.       Napa River Rutherford Restoration Project Receives $750,000 Grant

01 May 2012

The grant review and selection process was a joint effort of the State Water Board, nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This funding will bring the Rutherford Reach Restoration Project to 70% completion by 2013.

 

EVENTS

1.       Global Water Security: The Intelligence Community Assessment

09 May 2012, Woodrow Wilson Center, 6th Floor, Joseph H. and Claire Flom Auditorium

Call for Participation; The National Conversation at the Woodrow Wilson Center series provides a safe political space for deep dialogue and informed discussion of the most significant problems and challenges facing the nation and the world. This session is done in collaboration with the Department of State and the National Intelligence Council.

2.       Water Resources and Water Security in the Middle East and the Mediterranean Region 

13 May 2012 - 17 May 2012, Amman, Jordan 

The Euro-arabiyha Organization for Research on Environment, Water and the Desert organizes this conference to bring scientists from all over the world together to discuss and maybe find solutions to the above mentioned issues. 

3.       ECFF 2012: International Conference on Ecology & Conservation of Freshwater Fish 

28 May 2012 - 02 Jun 2012, Vila Nova de Cerveira, Portugal 

The ECFF 2012 Conference will bring together the most recent researcher?s works on biology and ecology of freshwater fish, as well as their ecosystem functioning and threats. 

4.       Water Sustainability in Agriculture - NABC 24 

11 Jun 2012 - 13 Jun 2012, Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America 

Call for Abstracts; The conference will focus on water-related issues and solutions central to many themes within agriculture.  Join experts in the discipline as they present their views and lead discussions of biotechnological approaches to changing water needs, sustainable water use, the impacts of agriculture on water supplies, and future challenges.  A poster session will provide attendees an opportunity to present their own research work and spur additional discussion. Deadline for abstracts/proposals: 15th May 2012 

5.       International Conference on Earthquake Resistant Construction Practices (ICEQRCP 2012) 

27 Jul 2012 - 28 Jul 2012, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India 

Call for abstracts; To create awareness of various issues regarding seismic hazards, earthquake engineering education. To improve the ability of civil engineering professionals in analysis, design and construction of earthquake-resistant structures. Deadline for abstracts/proposals: 2nd June 2012 

6.       2012 International Conference on Green Building and Civil Engineering (GBCE 2012) 

18 Sep 2012 - 19 Sep 2012, Guizhou, China 

Call for papers; The Conference looks for significant contributions to all major fields of the Green Building and Civil Engineering in theoretical and practical aspects. The aim of the conference is to provide a platform to the researchers and practitioners from both academia as well as industry to meet and share cutting-edge development in the field. Deadline: 8 May 2012

7.       International Conference on Hazards & Disasters 2012 

20 Sep 2012 - 21 Sep 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka 

Call for proposals; The ICRD/ ICAS joint Conference  on Hazards & Disasters 2012 offers a valuable opportunity to network with colleagues from many countries who share the same goals. Scientists and experts in hazards and disaster risk management are invited to participate in this International Conference on Hazards & Disasters 2012. Deadline for abstracts/proposals: 31st May 2012 

8.       First International Conference on Geo-information and Communication 4 Disaster Management (GeoICT4DM) 

10 Oct 2012 - 11 Oct 2012, Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada 

Call for proposals; The Waterloo Institute Disaster Management and Dewey College are organizing a two days conference jointly with Association of Geo- information and Communication Technology (AGeoICT). Deadline for abstracts/proposals: 30th July 2012 

 

THEMATIC DIGEST - PAST ISSUES

1.       Water and Hazard - Issue 26

2.       Water and Hazard - Issue 27

3.      Water and Hazard - Issue 28

 

RELEVANT ICIMOD PUBLICATIONS

ICIMOD Publications in Hazards and Disaster

 

OPPORTUNITIES

1.       Disaster management planning officer (geographic information systems). Closing Date - 6 May 2012

2.       Consultancy on practitioner manual on participatory risk, capacity and vulnerability analysis. Deadline - 11 May 2012

3.       Climate change & disaster management officer. Deadline - 13 May 2012

4.       MSc Earthquake engineering with disaster management

5.       Master of advanced studies ETH in natural hazards management

6.       PhD in disaster and emergency health

 

FEATURED ORGANIZATIONS

1.       Gramalaya - Tiruchirappalli, India The ultimate goal of Gramalaya is to work for the amelioration of socially downtrodden people under the integrated rural development approach.

2.       WATERLOO INSTITUTE DISASTER MANAGEMENT (WIDM) - facilitates the organization, industries, universities and academicians to work together jointly with a flexible programs and smart geospatial solution services in educational and industrial forms.

3.       Global Disaster Alert and Coordination Systems - GDACS is a cooperation framework between the United Nations, the European Commission and disaster managers worldwide to improve alerts, information exchange and coordination in the first phase after major sudden-onset disasters.

4.       Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) - DEC is an umbrella organization for 13 humanitarian charities, whose mission is to bring together an alliance of the UK's aid, corporate, public and broadcasting sectors to collect funds and ensure that they go to DEC agencies best placed to deliver effective relief to people most in need in times of emergency.

5.       Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa (DiMTEC) - A centre in the university offering a masters program in disaster management. It also offers training in short courses and does cosultancy on DRR isuues.

6.       Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC) - The Water, Engineering and Development Centre is one of the world’s leading education and research institutes for developing knowledge and capacity in water and sanitation for sustainable development, DRR and emergency relief.

7.       Weather Research Center (WRC) - USA

 

RELATED RESOURCES

1.       Mikhail, M. Yoder, Robert (2008): Multiple-use water Service Implimentaion in Nepal and India ; Experience and Lessons for Scale up. IDE, CPWF, IWMI (2008)

2.       Commentary on landslide events occurring worldwide, including the landslides themselves, latest research, and conferences and meetings

3.       Hydro Nepal: Special Issue on Proceedings of National Conference on water, Food Security and Climate Change in Nepal

4.       India Water Portal

5.       Using GIS for disaster risk reduction By Vincent Fung

6.       Disasters: Be prepared regionally: TTR Weekly, Ross Publishing Ltd

7.       Disaster by the numbers - Experts discusses rise of climate-related catastrophes

8.       Southern Africa disaster risk reduction plan, 2012-2014

9.       Environmental hazards and disasters: contexts, perspectives and management

10.   Ecosystem approach to disaster risk reduction

11.   Evidence, monthly UNISDR newsletter: issue 07, April 2012

12.   Extreme weather, climate and preparedness in the American mind

13.   Toolkit for national platforms for disaster risk reduction in Africa

14.   International Disaster Response Laws, Rules and Principles (IDRL) programme: annual report

15.   Building the future of humanitarian aid: local capacity, partnerships in disasters and the future of emergency aid

16.   Maldives: Review of current and planned adaptation action

17.   Afghanistan: Review of current and planned adaptation action

18.   Bangladesh: Review of current and planned adaptation action

 

P.S:  The information provided in this thematic digest is collated from various discussion lists and is based on web research. The inclusion of information from sources outside ICIMOD does not imply endorsement of the content or of any products or services mentioned therein by ICIMOD/APMN.

 

Basudev Upadhyay

Consultant, Asia Pacific Mountain Network, Knowledge Management

International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

GPO Box 3226, Kathmandu, Nepal

Tel +977-1-5003222 Ext 104 Fax +977-1-5003277 Web www.icimod.org AND www.icimod.org/apmn/

Connect to ICIMOD:       

-- 

Basudev Upadhyay

--
Environment Professionals’ Group [EPG]: Water, Climate Change and Biodiversity Information Network <http://bit.ly/EnvTalk> was established by Mr. Tek Jung Mahat <http://realisingchange.blogspot.com/> in Nov. 2005 as a voluntary service function, to promote networking and knowledge exchange among concerned professionals at global, regional and local level. Since then, it has developed an alliance of over 650 environment professionals (individuals and institutions) from over 30 countries in Asia, Europe, Australia, Latin and North America. Group’s popularity and supporting activities eventually led to birth of ClimateHimalaya <www.climatehimalaya.org.np/>, an independent 'Himalaya regional initiative' on 5 June 2007.
 
Pls contact Mr. Laxman Belbase, Group Moderator at <l.be...@gmail.com> for more information or send suitable information directly to <Environment-...@googlegroups.com>

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Ranjeev shrestha