International Training Workshop on Strengthening Science Capacities for Sustainable Development and Disaster Risk Reduction
Oct 19, 2016
International Training Workshop on Strengthening Science Capacities for Sustainable Development and Disaster Risk Reduction
Digital Belt and Road Project (DBAR) – Disaster Theme
(27th November – 3rd December, 2016）
I．Background and Objectives
There is undisputable evidence to strong linkages between development, environment and disasters. Sustainable development (SD) can reduce pressure on the environment and results into less disasters and eventual impacts. In turn, a well prepared disaster risk reduction (DRR) approach and/or environmental management can reduce the impacts of disasters on development and can make the development sustainable. With climate change emerging as an important issue undermining the development and impact the disaster risks, finding synergies between Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and appropriate DRR measures have been called upon.
Keeping pace with the urgency for progress on the fronts of SD, CCA and DRR, the year 2015 has been a landmark year in the history of development, disaster and environment fields, where three major international frameworks have been formed. The year started with adopting a new DRR framework in March 2015 in Sendai, Japan, called Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) with a time frame of 2015 to 2030. Then, there was a new set of development goals called Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) with the same time frame of 2015 to 2030, which was adopted in the UN General Assembly in New Work in September 2015. Finally, the world leaders agreed on a new climate change agreement called Paris Agreement under the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), which needs to be ratified between 22nd of April 2016 to 21st April 2017.
Science and Technology for disaster risk reduction has always been there in some form in different countries. Through the advancement of scientific research, disaster risk reduction has been benefitted, especially in terms of early warning system, to identify risk in both spatial and temporal scale, strengthening of buildings and infrastructures for different types of hazards etc. There is a need for proper synergy of new innovations in terms of science and technology, knowledge development and business opportunity in terms of sustainable development and disaster risk reduction.
Belt and Road initiative will involve more than 60 countries, repressing more than one third of the world economy and more than half of world population. It is an initiative that creates vast opportunities for public and private sector to contribute to infrastructure development and trade and economic cooperation projects and to build “people to people” relationships through cultural and scientific exchanges and partnerships. Digital Belt and Road (DBAR) is an international research program for promoting cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road route to advocate and demonstrate the smart use and application of “Big Earth Data” in support of the sustainable development of people and economies at local, national and regional levels. DBAR is initiated by the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (RADI) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), be given the fullest support by over 20 countries along the Belt and Road. “Disaster management” is one of the key pillars of sustainable development in the DBAR, along with coastal zone management, agriculture and food security, environmental changes, urban development and heritage conservation.
In response to the needs of developing countries along Belt and Road in disaster risk reduction to tackle the natural and human-induced environmental disaster, “Digital Belt and Road” Initiative (DBAR), jointly with Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) International Programme Office (IPO), IRDR China National Committee (IRDR CHINA), Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (RADI) and CAS-TWAS Centre of Excellence on Space Technology for Disaster Mitigation (SDIM) will conduct international research program (DBAR-Disaster) to strengthen science capacities for sustainable development and disaster risk reduction under the Digital Belt and Road Initiative. In 2016, we will organize the International Training Workshop on Strengthening Science Capacities for Sustainable Development and Disaster Risk Reduction. With the objective of strengthening national research capacities to enable informed decision-making in different aspects of disaster risk reduction, the workshop will provide a scientific and practical guide on DRR to the participants from developing countries along Belt and Road.
II．Co-organizers
“Digital Belt and Road” Initiative (DBAR)
Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) International Programme Office (IPO)
IRDR China National Committee (IRDR CHINA)
Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (RADI)
CAS-TWAS Centre of Excellence on Space Technology for Disaster Mitigation (SDIM)
This workshop is also supported by: International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE), International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) under the auspices of UNESCO, ICSU World Data System (WDS), and Hainan Key Laboratory of Earth Observation.
III. Date & Place
Date: 27 November-3 December, 2016
Place: Sanya, Hainan, China
IV. Participants
- Young academicians and researchers in the field of disaster risk reduction
- Young practitioners from national/ local governments and civil society organizations
As the number is limited to 20 people, only those who are qualified can be selected as formal participants. Female applicants will be given priority.
V. Application:
(1) Applicants fill in the attached application forms and submit them to the SDIM Secretariat at sdim@radi.ac.cn or by fax +86-10-8217-8959. Application deadline is 15 September, 2016.
(2) The selection group will routinely examine the applications and notify the applicants of the decisions. Invitations will be sent to the selected applicants for visa formalities at the same time.
VI. Financial Assistance
Those applicants who have been selected will be provided round-trip international airfares between their home countries and Sanya (economy class), and the local expenses such as board and lodging, field tour, local transportation, etc. during the workshop.
VII. Language
The language of the workshop is English. Knowing or speaking some Chinese will be an advantage.
VIII. Workshop Awards
All workshop participants will receive a one-year membership to the International Society for Digital Earth.
We will track the performance of participants and ensure that the training is accomplishing its goals. The best workshop participants will have an opportunity to be provided travel grants for attending or presenting research at future seminars or conferences to be organized by DBAR.
Note
As is customary, all the participants are advised to take adequate insurance towards health, medical, accident or any other health related incidences/cases during their stay in China. We shall not be responsible for such expenses.
For more information please contact:
Ms. Ni Qingrong
E-Mail: sdim@radi.ac.cn
Tel. +86-10-82178104
Fax: +86-10-82178959
Web: http://www. castwas-sdim.org
Address: No. 9 Dengzhuang South Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100094, China
Disaster International Training Workshop Application Form