Session 13_Jessica Mercer

DRR & CBA in Timor-Leste: Grassroots Realities

5th International Conference on Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change

24-31 March 2011

Photo Credit: Jessica Waite

Dr. Jessica MercerOxfam [email protected]@hotmail.com

Unpacking DRR and CCA .....Are we Reinventing the Wheel?

DRR BACKGROUND

CCA BACKGROUND

FORGOTTEN ISSUES?

LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FRAMEWORKS

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR TIMOR-LESTE?

See: Mercer (2010) Disaster Risk Reduction or Climate Change Adaptation: Are we reinventing the wheel? Journal of International Development Policy Arena Vol 22, 247-264

Photo Credit: Tom Greenwood

Community Climate Change Adaptation Consortium Program in Timor-Leste

What are we doing?

• Action Research• CCA/DRR Activities• Awareness Raising • Policy and practice.

Photo Credit: Tom Greenwood

DRR and CBA in Timor-Leste: Opportunities and Challenges in Scaling Up

New country (gained independence in 2002)

Just developed NAPA & currently developing INC to UNFCCC

Established NDMD, district and village level DMCs – network through which to address climate change issues.

Opportunity to influence and incorporate different knowledge bases.

Limited awareness of climate change and potential impacts.

Political will

Photo Credit: Tom Greenwood

Key PointsLearning from decades of vulnerability research and DRR approaches –

stress on need for a holistic approach incorporating all interrelated factors.

Embedding CCA within DRR utilising most effective & appropriate knowledge forms and tools as opposed to reinventing new ones.

Focus should be upon risk reduction.

Using political will power behind climate change to access funding for activities at the local level which address risk.

Climate change should not be used as a ‘scapegoat’

Listen and learn from those at the ‘grassroots level’ who should be at the forefront of any strategy developed to reduce their risk.