Building Awareness and Enhancing Human Capacity in Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction

Work Order 74

Building awareness and enhancing human capacity in Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction in the OECS. Training of Instructors (ToIs)

Work Order #74

Building awareness and enhancing human capacity in Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction in the OECS. Training of Instructors (ToIs)

Contacts:

Dr. Didacus Jules

Director General Organisation

Commission for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

Telephone 758- 455- 6317

E-mail *

Contact email:

Work Order 74

Building awareness and enhancing human capacity in Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction in the OECS. Training of Instructors (ToIs)

1. Context and Justification

Describe relevant background context for the proposed technical assistance support and the reason that it is needed. Explain alignment with one or more of the GCCA+ priority areas.[1]

Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) can be defined as the sustainable management, conservation and restoration of ecosystems to reduce disaster risk, aimed at achieving sustainable and resilient development. Well-managed ecosystems such as forests and coastal systems, act as natural infrastructure that reduce physical exposure to many hazards and increase the socio-economic resilience of people and communities by sustaining local livelihoods and providing essential natural resources such as food, water and building materials. Managing ecosystems also offers an opportunity to generate other social, economic and environmental benefits for multiple stakeholders that contribute to reduced risk (IUCN, 2015)[2].

In an effort to increase Eco-DRR in the OECS Region, this work aims to build awareness and empower disaster and environmental managers in the OECS Member States in mainstreaming ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation (Eco-DRR/CCA) in national development policies and programmes, through the Training of Instructors, focusing on climate-related hazards. The training will contribute towards Goal 13 and 14, of the Sustainable Development Goals and strongly support the SAMOA Pathway.

This work falls within priority 5 of the GCCA. The proposed activities will assist the OECS Region in building social, economic and environmental resilience to disasters and climate change, by promoting sustainable ecosystems management for reducing disaster risk and mainstreaming Eco-DRR/CCA approaches to support sustainable and resilient development.

The general expected output will be an expanded network of instructors teaching and promoting Eco-DRR/CCA and the establishment of an OECS /Caribbean working group on Eco-DRR/CCA.

This exposure will allow for better articulation, establishing synergies and mainstreaming of Eco DRR/CCA into policy and programme management. Building a cohort of trainers in the subregion will allow for greater and improved advocacy in promoting sustainable ecosystems management as an effective approach to managing and reducing risks.

In addition to the taught component, a one day field component is planned for this which will include visit to places in Dominica (country of training) to demonstrate the important role of the ecosystems in reducing disaster risk. This field work will serveto illustrate actual examples of the topics under study such as how ecosystems helps to reduce disasters risk in islands. projected globally. The latter being a greater visibility and usage of Caribbean best practices in Eco DRR to UNEP programme.

This training will allow for the first time in the OECS, a resident group of practitioners/trainers committed to promoting knowledge and practice of Eco-DRR.

Secondly, as a second phase outside this Work Order, the trainers will be used to conduct training at the national and community level thereby promoting and mainstreaming Eco-DRR/CCA nationally. The training can be extended to the wider Caribbean level.

Thirdly, by using existing Eco-DRR/CCA National training course on Eco-DRR and other training materials developed by UNEP and its partners will allow their customization to the realities and priorities of the OECS.

Fourthly, the output above will be used to support further capacity building efforts in the Caribbean and Latin American countries.

2. Description of the Assignment

This Description of the Assignment serves as the terms of Reference (ToR) for the proposed technical assistance mission.

The OECS/Caribbean region is vulnerable to many different natural hazards. Climate change resulting from global warming is ongoing with predicted rising temperatures, accentuated sea level rise, changing precipitation patterns, and more extreme weather events (including stronger hurricanes) for the Caribbean region. In this regard, the sustainable management of natural infrastructure to reduce risks are very important in building local and national resilience.

The workshop will be held over a period of 4 days and take the format teaching, group assignments and field work. Table 1 provides the working modality

Programme / Content / Customizing the Eco-DRR
module for local needs & didactics
Day 1 / Introduction to the workshop:
Making the case for Eco-DRR
- Formalities
- Introductions
- Safety briefing
- Participant expectations
- Introduction/ discussion of key concepts :
Ecosystems, resilience and climate change adaptation / - Applying systems thinking through learning games, interactive exercises, and innovative teaching methods
- Participatory risk mapping
Day 2 / Ecosystem management tools and approaches in DRR and CCA
- Participant case studies on Eco-DRR and CCA/EbA
- Integrating systems thinking – ridge to reef / - Presentation of case studies
- Choosing case studies for the
course
- Planning field visits (refer to Appendix 2)
Day 3 / Field Visit to visit a Mangrove/protected area/coral reefs in Dominica
Day 4 / Mainstreaming and the future of Eco-DRR in OECS member states
-Developing action plans for mainstreaming Eco-DRR/CCA intolocal and national institutions/ risk governance for Eco-DRR and training programmes on DRR and CCA / - Action planning
- Opportunities and challenges of mainstreaming Eco-DRR in OECS member state organizations strategic plans and training programmes
- Evaluation
- Certificates
- Feedback

2.1. Objective

Include the general and specific objective for the proposed technical assistance/training.

Deliver one regional training of instructors (ToI) course on Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction and Adaptation (Eco-DRR/CCA) to 36 persons spanning 10 countries in the OECS;

In this regard, the OECS is requesting Technical Assistance and support to undertake a training workshop, which will include development of training materials, facilitator and expert fees and travel, development of a localised training manual with supplemental case studies from the Caribbean region.

Specific objective is to train 36 instructors (drawn from key agencies in the Member States of the OECS and the OECS Commission- refer to annex one), in the fields of disaster and environmental management, to collectively build and share knowledge and practice on Eco-DRR/CCA for the OECS sub-region. The target will be an educator, and two technical experts drawn from disaster management and climate change agencies

2.2. Tasks

Describe each of the tasks that are proposed for the technical assistance/training mission. For each task, identify the expert needed as well as the number of days of work the expert will need to complete the task. Also include type of travel needed (national and/or international) and the number of travel days to be spent on site.

Specific tasks:

1. Review the existing materials and tools, assessing the procedures, methods, experiences and lessons learnt elsewhere from training with these tools in ecosystems-based disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation (Eco-based DRR and CCA). Some of the existing training tools to be assessed include: the Post-graduate Module on Eco-DRR, the National Training on Eco-DRR and Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) developed by UNEP1 and the Partnership on Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR). These will be provided to the experts by the National Coordinator.

2. Carry out a needs assessment, identifying , gaps and opportunities in the framework of mainstreaming Eco DRR/CCA into policy and programme management in OECS countries, in consultation with the OECS coordinator.

3. In collaboration with the OECS coordinator, revise the existing material and suggest ways to adapt the material, tools and methods, developing training modules for OECS trainers on ecosystems-based disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, with specifically defined templates for a similar training for each individual country in the OECS (OECS National Training Modules) taking into account the different country contexts.

4. 4.1. The training material will also focus on: identifying and analysing the conceptual and policy interlinkages between ecosystems, disaster risk reduction, resilience and climate change, highlighting opportunities, constraints and gaps for mainstreaming ecosystems based disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation into development policies, plans and strategies, using relevant OECS regional policies/strategies/action plans or relevant documents as illustrations. Organize a 4 day workshop and carry out training of trainers which will be 36 persons (see annex 1) drawn from the 10 member states of the OECS and the OECS Commission , on using the OECS National training modules; reflecting the results and lessons learned from the previous tasks above

5. Carry out an evaluation of the trained OECS trainers. Trained participants will be able to understand core concepts related to ecosystems for disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, resilience and sustainable development, and their interlinkages, specifically:

· key linkages between ecosystems, disaster risk reduction, and resilience;

· key linkages between climate change, disasters and ecosystem-based adaptation;

· ecosystem management approaches/tools in reducing disaster risk and adapting to climate change impacts; and

· mainstreaming Eco-DRR/CCA into development policies, plans and strategies.

5. Revise the draft materials above based on feedback/comments from the training workshop/consultations and prepare National training modules and tools for individual OECS countries, which will be used by the trainers for national training.

Below is a synopsis of the content and learning process:

2.3. Outputs to be delivered

Insert a list of each of the expected outputs that will be produced by the technical assistance/training. This could include all documents and materials to be created as well as the number of people trained.

2.3.1. Specific Outputs[3]:

• A short and concise report on identified training needs, opportunities and constraints, with a customized training program and modules for the training of OECS trainers on ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and how to mainstream these into regional development policies and programmes

• OECS training modules on ECO DRR, method and tools on ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and how to mainstream these into development policies and programmes

• A proposal and sample template, as agreed with the OECS coordinator, on how to adapt the above training material for training at national level for individual OECS countries

• A trainers’ guide, which will provide a detailed roadmap of steps guiding the trained OECS experts in using the OECS National training modules, method and tools for the trainings in their respective countries

• Produce relevant documentation from the training of trainers workshop, including presentations, list of participants; the main issues raised and conclusions / recommendations; participant feedback, and analysis of these comments

• Mission report with all the above in an Annex.

2.3.2. Outputs Required by the Programme

The programme requires that all experts submit a mission report to the programme. The mission report should include an abstract of the assistance mission (summary of the objective, implementation and results) with non-technical language and a maximum of 500 words.

In addition, the programme requires that copies of all materials created for the technical assistance mission (powerpoint presentations, studies, photos etc.) be submitted to the programme. Please keep file sizes low.

3. Organisational and Methodological Issues

3.1. Location

This training will be undertaken in Dominica, which is one of the Member States of the OECS. The field visit will be to a location in Dominica.

Duration and Indicative Planning

The mission will begin as soon as possible after approval of the Work Order and in consultation with the OECS coordinator. The overall implementation of the mission (from the start date until the debriefing) must not exceed two months schedule.

Preparatory phase (home / remote) (20 days)

During this phase, the documents mentioned in task 1 will be considered; all training courses and materials will be developed (Task 1 to 3). The finalized training materials should be shared with and approved by the OECS coordinator prior to on-site training.

In the field Roseau –Dominica (4 days)

In addition to conducting the training workshop of trainers (Task 4), the leading expert should analyze and finalize the proposal on task 5, in collaboration with the OECS coordinator.

Report writing (home / remote) and debriefing (Brussels) (6 days).On their return, the consultants will finalize task 5 (if not finalized while on mission) and produce a mission report. The report will focus on the different tasks performed and additional actions to take, if any. Expected results (training materials and training evaluation and monitoring of actions) will be attached to the mission report.

The debriefing will be held after the presentation of the report of the mission and in consultation with the ACP Secretariat. If the CSF expert is not based in Brussels, reporting-can be made by phone or via Skype.

International travel (2 days)

3.2. Inputs Needed

3.2.1. Provided by the Climate Support Facility

Indicate clearly the number of experts required, as well as the number of fee days each expert will need (from section 2.2 above). Also indicate travel for each expert. For workshops, provide the duration of the workshop and the number of participants.