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International Training Workshop on Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction
(ecoDRR)
Jointly organized by National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM),
Government of India, And the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR),
United Nations
12-15 December 2011, New Delhi
Course Report
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Background
Lately, it has been realized by the disaster managers that environmental degradation is a major driver
of disaster risks, whereas the ecosystems provide an efficient buffer against the disaster impacts.
Hazards, in particular those related with water and climate, are aggravated by the impacts of
environmental changes, viz. climate-change, land-use and natural resource degradation. Loss of
ecosystem services is responsible for increasing vulnerability by reducing livelihoods, health,
resources and economic sustainability of the communities. A Partnership for Environment and
Disaster Risk Reduction (UN-PEDRR) under the aegis of United Nations has been shaped during 2009
with a major goal towards ecosystem approach to disaster risk reduction for inducing the culture of
sustainability within the entire disaster risk reduction framework. Since the official launch of the
PEDRR Training Course on Ecosystem-based DRR at the Global Platform and the first pilot training
programme in Sri Lanka in May 2011. NIDM has been involved with the PEDRR since 2010, the
International Workshop on ‘Ecosystems, Livelihoods and Disaster Risk Reduction’ in Bonn, Germany
in September 2010, and also collaborated in delivering the first Pilot ecoDRR Training Course at
Colombo, Sri Lanka in May 2011. Following these initiatives, an International Training Workshop on
EcoDRR was taken up by NIDM in association with UN-PEDRR during December 12-15, 2011 at New
Delhi.
Aim and Objective of the Course
The PEDRR Training Course, entitled “Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable and
Resilient Development”, is a collaborative initiative of the PEDRR partners including UNEP, UNDP,
IUCN, ADPC, WWF, and Global Risk Forum (GRF). PEDRR has recently collaborated with global
partnership – the Ecosystems and Livelihoods Adaptation Network (ELAN) – to further develop
courses focusing on Ecosystem-based Adaptation and DRR linkages and leverage resources.
The Training Course aimed at
strengthening the capacities of
vulnerable countries and communities
to mainstream Ecosystem-based DRR in
national and local development
planning. It specifically targets
government officials, as well as National
Disaster Management Institutions (andtheir respective Training Divisions) and
National Public Training Institutions with
the mandate to provide trainings on
DRR-related issues in-country. Key thematic sessions include environment and disaster linkages,
ecosystem services for DRR, ecosystem management tools for DRR (e.g. integrated coastal zone
management, integrated watershed management, etc), linkages with Ecosystem-based Climate
Change Adaptation, mainstreaming Eco-DRR in Recovery and Reconstruction, etc. Additional details
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on the Training Course may be found on the PEDRR Training Course flyer and website www.pedrr.net
PEDRR_training_flyer_v2 (1).pdf
India National Training Workshop
National Institute of Disaster Management
(NIDM) and PEDRR delivered for the first
time its 4-day Training Course (“the full
package with all the modules”) at New
Delhi. The Training Programme was
developed in close consultation with NIDM
faculty members, and was focused on
establishing an interactive classroom
setting, combining technical /content
presentations with invited guest speakers,
case study analysis, small group
discussions, group work, dynamic learningexercises, and videos.
Both the opening and closing sessions were attended by high-level government officials. Dr. Rakesh
Hooja, Director of Indian Institute of Public Administration inaugurated the course. Dr. Anil Kumar
Gupta, Associate Professor, presented the welcome note focusing the course objectives and scope.
Introduction to course and PEDRR was done by Dr. Muralee Thumarkkudy, Senior Programme
Coordinator of UNEP. Special Address was delivered by Dr. Satendra, Executive Director of NIDM.
The Training included a field visit coordinated by Wetlands International to the nearby Yamuna
Floodplains where participants had the opportunity to analyze the local disaster risk context and talk
with vulnerable farming communities. The field study was used as the basis for undertaking groupwork that focused on Action Planning and resulted in proposed initiatives related to Ecosystem-based
DRR.
First day aimed at introducing the concepts of
Eco-DRR and linking Eco DRR with climate
change adaptation. Sessions include
Introduction to Eco-DRR, Enhancing Resilience
in Development, Linking Eco-DRR to Climate
Change Adaptation, Climate Change and
Ecosystem based Adaptation, Demonstratingthe links between Eco-DRR and EbA, ECO-DRR
and Recovery. Resource persons for this
session included UNEP (Ms Marisol Estrella,
Dr. Muralee Thummarukudy), Ms Ioana
Creitaru UNDP (CADRI), Ms Radhika Murti and Ms Kaia Boe from IUCN.
On Day 2, the forenoon session was focused on various ongoing projects or initiatives in the country
that integrate environment and DRR priorities. There were brief presentations followed by a panel
Dignitaries on the dais: Chief Guest Dr. Rakesh Hooja, Director, Indian
Institute of Public Administration, Dr. Satendra,IFS, ED NIDM and Dr.
Muralee Thumarakkudy, UNEP during Inaugural Session of the Eco- DRR Training Workshop
Radhika Murti of IUCN taking Technical Session 3 during day 1
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discussion with the resource persons, viz., Prof. R.B Singh, Department of Geography and Dr.
Shashikant Chopde, Institute of Social and Environmental Transition (ISET).
The afternoon session was dedicated on the field visit
to the Wetlands site of the Okhla Bird Sanctuary in
Delhi area along river Yamuna, to understand the role
of ecosystems and ecosystem services in flood risk
mitigation. Resource team and the participants
interacted with the communities in the flood plains
near the Yamuna Bank near ITO and Akshardham
temple area, to understanding the challenges in
implementing ecosystem approaches and advantages
of protecting the ecosystems for livelihood of
the people.
Day 3 forenoon session was aimed at
understanding the policy framework for supporting ECO-DRR in global and national context in India
and role of strategic tools such as EIA. Resource persons for this session were Ms. Marisol Estrella, Dr.
Anil K. Gupta and Ms. Sreeja S. Nair.
Day 3 afternoon focused on the environmental management tools and their implication in DRR. Toolssession discussed in detail on the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (Prof. A L Ramanathan, JNU),
Integrated Water Resource Management (Dr. Ritesh Kumar, Wetland International), Protected Areas
Management for Disaster Resilience and Recovery (Dr Ram Boojh, UNESCO), and Integrating
environmental action plan and disaster management into the local development (G Padmanabhan,
DRR Unit, UNDP India). Other sessions in the afternoon of day 3 and day 4 was focused on situation
analysis and formulation of action plan under group exercise and guided assignments.
The concluding session of the training workshop was presided over by Dr. Muzaffar Ahmad,
Honourable Member of National
Disaster Management Authority,
Government of India. While deliveringthe valedictory address Dr. Ahmad
appreciated the significant of
ecosystem approach to disaster and
development in the present context
where environmental degradation and
decline in ecosystem services are
becoming a key challenge for DRR and
Experts from Wetland International explaining the advantages of
wetlands showing the example of wetland at Okhla Bird Sanctuary.
Dr. Muzaffar Ahmad, Honourable Member of National Disaster
Management Authority delivering valedictory address
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post-disaster recovery process. He recommended that NIDM shall conduct training programmes and
also in particular the Training of Trainers Courses on Ecosystem based DRR in the coming years at
NIDM and also at state level. Accepting the recommendation of he UNEP on behalf of the PEDRR,
Hon’ble Member further declared that NDMA will bring out a national guideline for Eco-DRR by
involving NIDM faculty members, UNEP, UNDP and IUCN. Prof. Santosh Kumar, Head of the Policy
Planning and Cross Cutting Division, in his address emphasizes the economic aspects of Ecosystem
approach and their multiple benefits towards sustainable development and called for a multifariouseffort to promote the environment based disaster management at all levels. Prof V.K. Sharma,
Coordinator of Climate-change and Drought Centre at the Indian Institute of Public Administration,
also addressed the session and reiterated the importance of establishing linkages between
Environment, Disaster Risk Reduction and development at various levels.
Participants’ Feedback
A total of 19 participants attended the National Training, coming from 8 states, specialist agricultural
research institutions (with sub-national offices), and 2 national NGOs. Representatives from the
region (ICIMOD, Nepal & Bhutan) also joined as observers to appreciate the value of replicating the
training in their countries. Overall, the training was regarded to be very successful based on
participant’s feedback, with much appreciation extended to PEDRR partners and NIDM.
Several state level officials and Disaster Management faculty members of Administrative Training
Institutes (ATI) expressed interest to conduct similar trainings in their states in collaboration with
PEDRR and NIDM. Overall, participants appreciated the Training and many showed interest to
replicate and utilize the Training Course materials in their own work and training programmes. The
interactive discussions, especially group work and field visit, were extremely valuable to participants’
learning. The training methodologies (e.g. open sessions/tutorials, games, energizers) used to keep
energy levels high, were also appreciated.
Participants suggested the following to further improve the Training:
- use of more case studies to illustrate and learn concepts
- allow more time for group discussions and group work
- focus on other hazards for group work, aside from floods
- allow more time and space for participants to share amongst themselves their own
knowledge and experiences on Eco-DRR related topics; utilize participants as resource persons
and get them to present their projects, case studies
- better focus in invited guest speakers’ presentations
All of the suggested improvements were welcomed by PEDRR partners and NIDM. PEDRR urged
participants and NIDM to collect Indian experiences and make case studies that can be shared in
global forums and incorporated into the training materials. PEDRR agreed to provide necessary
technical support for the same. During the Closing Session, Dr Muralee Thummarukudy outlined
three ways to move this initiative forward in India, based on the training outputs, which received
endorsement from the NDMA High-Level dignitary present in the session:
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(i) Publication of case studies on ecosystem-based DRR initiatives from across the country to pull
together the experiences and the knowledge base in India and to facilitate networking
amongst Indian practitioners;
(ii) Delivery of Training of Trainers package to bring the Training Course down to the state-level,
for accelerated take-up and implementation;
(iii) Development of National Guidelines on Ecosystem-based DRR tailored for India, which can
provide policy guidance for national and sub-national implementation.
Given the multiple demands on PEDRR to undertake national-level trainings and to maximize
multiplier effects in disseminating the Training Course materials, it was imperative for PEDRR to
develop a Training of Trainers (ToT) package which could be delivered at a regional level and would
target National Disaster Management Institutions, their Training Divisions/Units as well as
collaborating national institutions (which include universities) that provide DRR-related trainings in-
country. A ToT course was successfully piloted in Bangkok on 06-08 December 2011, attended by
national government representatives from 7 countries and 2 regional organizations from the Asia-
Pacific Region. This ToT can be customized for India and could be replicated for state level as well.
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