Master Class (on invitation only)

Knowledge Network ‘Sustainability, Climate and Energy’

Water-related climate change adaptation: a South-North Dialogue on Knowledge

Subject: Climate information services

Chairman: Bob Su

Speakers:
Pavel Kabat (Wageningen University) – Global perspectives/ expectations for information users
Janette Bessembinder (KNMI) – Tailoring climate information
Bob Su – Quantifying climate change impacts in data-scarce environment
Hans van Leeuwen (Geocycli) – Integration of geo-information techniques into existing procedures, a chain approach

This masterclass is part of a thematic workshop that will be held from June 17-23, 2011

Convened by Hugo von Meijenfeldt (I&M+BuZa), Pieter van der Zaag (UNESCO-IHE), Danielle Hirsch (BothEnds), Wijnand van IJssel (DGIS) and Henk van Schaik (CPWC)

The Knowledge Network on Sustainability, Climate and Energy is an initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that aims to enhance the knowledge – policy dialogue and addresses knowledge questions and agendas in order to contribute to effective development cooperation. The network consists of a core group of 20 members that invites on an ad hoc basis additional experts from a variety of organisations to their thematic meetings. Different actors from academia, NGOs, government and the private sector are participating in this network since 2010.

The Knowledge Network will organise a South-North Dialogue on Knowledge on Water-related climate change adaptation.

Aim

1. To create an opportunity for a South-North dialogue on Knowledge and the role of knowledge on water-related climate change adaptation
2. To create a better understanding and match of supply and demand of knowledge on water-related adaptation, and
3. To contribute to building networks (Communities of Practice) on water-related climate change adaptation among young professionals and academics from developing countries and bring them in contact with professionals and institutes in The Netherlands.

Focus countries
A selection of Delta countries the NL co-operates with (Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mozambique, Egypt) plus two countries that have been key in the bilateral dialogue on environmental management and climate change. (Colombia and Ghana).

Background
A lot is happening in the knowledge field of climate change; the understanding of climate impacts upon the water cycle is deepening. A recent authoritative study of the WB, that was supported by DGIS, showed that 70 % of the estimated 100 billion US$ required for adaptation by 2020 is water related, e.g. coastal defence, floods and droughts, water services. The UNFCCC Chapter on adaptation calls for efforts to build the capacities to adapt, in particular for the more vulnerable societies in small island states, delta regions, arid areas and mountainous areas, and to be able to design appropriate adaptation strategies.

Yet many uncertainties of regional and local effects of climate change remain. Moreover, processes other than climate change may be more pressing for water and coastal management, like deforestation, changing land use or loss of mangrove. In such a dynamic environment smart targeting and programming of knowledge development is important – but do we know how to engage knowledge in actual innovation policies and implementation? Academics and practitioners from ‘the South’ are best equipped to identify the themes and questions they struggle with or would like to enhance their capacity on.

The Netherlands remains heavily involved in food security and water management around the world and these are increasingly conditioned by climate change. Dutch knowledge institutions, NGOs and companies have developed considerable knowledge in this area or are heavily involved in knowledge intensive programs. Dutch development cooperation will also be addressing these topics. Repeated reality checks on their relevance and their engagement in the most relevant networks is critical for achieving results and maintaining influence and effectiveness. Moreover, the Netherlands and other Northern countries stand to learn from practical solutions in the South for their own adaptation strategies.

The thematic workshop on Water-related climate change adaptation aims to make the exchange of knowledge and research interactions between the Netherlands and developing countries more relevant. It is build around a reflection on what The Netherlands can offer to partner countries in the South, and vice versa, what The Netherlands can learn from its partner countries in the South.

Increased understanding, better matching demand and supply of knowledge and strengthened networks are key to enhancing effectiveness of investments in knowledge and capacity building in both North and South.

For more information, contact Laura Oosterhold or Anke de Koning

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