GECHS

GECHS cosponsored with UiO’s Department of Sociology and Human Geography a workshop on 18-19 December 2006 in Oslo on climate change adaptation in Nordic countries with the aim of developing collaborative research efforts and initiatives across the five countries. The workshop highlighted adaptation as a social process that requires not only an understanding of the sectorial and biophysical impacts of climate change, but also knowledge based in the social sciences of how the capacity to adapt is shaped by economic, political, institutional, and other social factors. The following downloads are available:

• Agenda
• Participant Profiles
• Review of adaptation research activities across the Nordic countries
• Denmark, coordinated by Jørgen E. Olesen
• Finland, coordinated by Timothy Carter
• Iceland, presented by Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir and Astrid Oglivie
• Norway, coordinated by Karen O’Brien
• Sweden, coordinated by Richard Klein
• European initiatives
• CIRCLE ERA-net, presented by Marianne Lilliesköld
• UKCIP, presented by Chris West

GECHS Associate Siri Eriksen and IPO staffer Kirsten Ulsrud, along with co-authors Jeremy Lind and Bernard Muok, have published a policy brief for the African Centre for Technology Studies on the “Urgent Need to Increase Adaptive Capacities”. The article presents new research on the interactions between conflicts and climate change adaptation, and makes recommendations for actions to assist the adaptation and development process of people in a constant state of crisis. The findings are derived from a three-year project on climate adaptation as a livelihood struggle among dryland populations in Kenya. [Download the policy brief]

GECHS is pleased to announce its endorsement of FAVAIA, a joint project of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).

The central concept of FAVAIA is vulnerability, which is one of the cross-cutting themes of GECHS. The interdisciplinary team has begun by analyzing vulnerability to climate change, but their research is also looking at vulnerability to natural hazards and vulnerability with respect to poverty. Building on a strong conceptual and theoretical basis, FAVAIA also develops tools for vulnerability assessment and investigates ways to strengthen policies for adaptation. The current project team of around twenty researchers includes geographers, mathematicians, computer scientists, geo-ecologists, an anthropologist, a sociologist, an oceanographer and several other disciplines.

For more information please visit the project web site and search for their series of Working Papers or complete list of publications.

GECHS SSC member Ken Conca has recently published “The New Face of Water Conflict” as part of a new series of policy-friendly briefs published by The Navigating Peace Initiative at the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program. The series examines how water can contribute to cooperation between states, while addressing water’s role in conflict within states. The briefs offer policy recommendations for using water resources management to head off conflict and to support sustainable peace among countries.

2006/2007 Call for Proposals:

Application - and all materials due by 15 August 2006

Announcement - The International START Secretariat announces this Call for Proposals for fellowships in support of outstanding young African scientists who are currently conducting research leading to the completion of a doctoral dissertation on global environmental change issues.  The fellowships are supported through a grant to START from the Norwegian Agency for Development (NORAD).

Following a peer review of applications, successful applicants will receive awards for up to two years of study and research leading to completion of a Ph.D. dissertation or for the final year of graduate study combined with one-year of post-doctoral research. Candidates must have completed at least one year of study toward a Ph.D. to be eligible for this award. Proposals should focus on some aspect of global environmental change in Africa.   Awards will provide for tuition, research materials, and a small living allowance.

For more information contact start@agu.org or visit www.start.org.