Workshop on Coastal communities’ resilience facing environmental and climate changes

1. Workshop on Coastal communities’ resilience facing environmental and climate changes Presenters: Dr. Liette Vasseur, Brock University and Ms. Chantal Gagnon, Coalition-SGSL Salle 309 Université de Moncton, Campus de Shippagan Shippagan, NB June 15, 2012

2. Outline • Objective • Introduction to the method – V2R • Step by step activities • Wrap-up

3. Objective Help communities learn a simple method to help move forward regarding changes in their environment and become resilient. To improve resilience and/or to reduce vulnerability in coastal communities. Why is this important? Identifying vulnerabilities provides communities with the opportunity to plan to avoid or minimise the negative consequences of hazards (disasters). Conducting resilience assessments provides opportunities to highlight issues, needs and concerns and to work to effect change. Assessments are not an end in themselves.

4. V2R: a framework Vulnerability to resilience Community-centered approach Recognizes the need to build the capacity of community members and institutions Tools for the activities Presentation Workbook and pens Glossary Facilitator per table

5. V2R: a framework Definitions Vulnerability Resilience Coastal Risk Coastal Hazards Uncertainties Governance Adaptive Capacity

6. Future uncertainty Governance V2R: a framework Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience

7. Future uncertainty Governance V2R: a framework Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience

8. Future uncertainty Governance V2R: a framework Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience

9. Future uncertainty Governance V2R: a framework Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience

10. V2R: a framework What is vulnerability? • Vulnerability in essence is a measure of the propensity/susceptibility to suffer loss or damage. • Vulnerability can be measured by degrees (more or less vulnerable). • Time and scale matter – you may be vulnerable at different times in your life. • Vulnerability is NOT a permanent state. • Vulnerability can be in many areas: ecosystem, economy, social, status, health, etc. • Vulnerability is NOT physical/material only.

11. V2R: a framework What is resilience? Ability of a community or members or institutions to resist, absorb, cope and recover to the effects of hazards and to adapt in the long term (in a sustainable way). Property of the whole system and should include all components.

12. V2R: Step 1 –Vulnerability

13. Future uncertainty Governance Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience The integration of these elements enable you to assess your level of vulnerability and find where there are issues and needs to adapt, improve…

14. Future uncertainty Governance Activity 1 - Hazards and Consequences Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience

15. Hazards: any possible events that can have a negative impact on people, infrastructure, ecosystems, communities… Risk: a degree of exposure to a hazard where there is a potential for loss. Consequences: impacts or consequences of hazards. Activity 1 - Hazards and Consequences

16. Future uncertainty Governance Activity 1 - Hazards and Consequences Family highly exposed to a hazard on coast Livelihoods Resilience

17. Workshop workbook Activity #1: 15 minutes Work in small groups Use the scenario as a base for discussion Use your experience and knowledge to inform discussion Activity 1 - Hazards and Consequences

18. Future uncertainty Governance Activity 2 - Future Uncertainties Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience

19. Governance Activity 2 - Future Uncertainties Kids migrate to Shediac Family highly exposed to a hazard on coast Livelihoods Resilience

20. Workshop workbook Activity #2: 10 minutes Work in small groups Use the scenario as a base for discussion Use your experience and knowledge to inform discussion Activity 2 - Future Uncertainties

21. Health Break

22. Future uncertainty Governance Activity 3 - Governance Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience

23. Activity 3 - Governance Kids migrate to Shediac Family highly exposed to a hazard on coast Livelihoods Resilience Elderly parents left by themselves

24. Workshop workbook Activity #3: 15 minutes Work in small groups Use the scenario as a base for discussion Use your experience and knowledge to inform discussion Activity 3 - Governance

25. Future uncertainty Governance Activity 4 - Livelihood Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience

26. Activity 4 - Livelihood Kids migrate to Shediac Family highly exposed to a hazard on coast Elderly and poor parents Resilience Elderly parents left by themselves

27. Workshop workbook Activity #4: 15 minutes Work in small groups Use the scenario as a base for discussion Use your experience and knowledge to inform discussion Activity 4 - Livelihood

28. V2R: Step 1 –VulnerabilityBring it all together

29. Future uncertainty Governance Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience

30. Combination of skills, assets, networks and institutions, and policies that enable community to continually assess and improve with changing conditions. Figuring out whether or not you have the capacity to adapt will help you determine your vulnerability level. The purpose of figuring out the vulnerability level is to move towards actions that will strengthen your resilience. Adaptive Capacity

31. Future uncertainty Governance Adaptive Capacity Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience Disaster preparedness

32. Future uncertainty Governance Adaptive Capacity Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience E.g. climate change, globalization, resource overexploitation, environmental degradation, migration Long term trends

33. Future uncertainty Governance Adaptive Capacity Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience Enabling environment How people can access resources, skills, markets, support and act (not react) Can be decentralized, participatory, with linkages…

34. Future uncertainty Governance Adaptive Capacity Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience Diversity and security Resources (skills, technologies, organizations) and activities to sustain healthy and sustainable people and communities

35. Future uncertainty Governance Adaptive Capacity Hazards and consequences Livelihoods Resilience The integration of these components from a perspective of determining the capacity to adapt in each enables you to assess your level of vulnerability and find where there are issues and needs to adapt, improve…

36. Level of vulnerability Kids migrate to Shediac Family highly exposed to a hazard on coast Elderly and poor parents Resilience Elderly parents left by themselves These components show that as the couple ages and if the children leave, their level of vulnerability increases - unless local connections and resources are made available to them.

37. V2R: Step 2 – Resilience

38. Future uncertainty Governance Step 2, Activity 5 - Resilience Hazards and stress Livelihoods Resilience

39. In practice resilience is: Ability to manage risks: understand and reduce risks, strategies based on available skills and resources to face the risk, manage and recover in the short term. Ability to adapt over long term: pro-activity to maintain sustainable and healthy community. Ability to secure basic needs and maintain sustainable activities. Step 2, Activity 5 - Resilience

40. What you need to determine and discuss Community involvement Information Resources Knowledge Management Capacity Support Participation Step 2, Activity 5 - Resilience

41. Moving to resilience Kids migrate to Shediac Family highly exposed to a hazard on coast Elderly and poor parents Resilience Elderly parents left by themselves These components show that as the couple ages and if the children leave, their level of vulnerability increases - unless local connections and resources are made available to them.

42. Has the community included in its disaster preparedness plan a scenario for its elderly population with no family around? Does the elderly couple have access to information about coastal hazards and how to prepare for these? Does the community have a simple procedure to explain what type of financial assistance is available for repairing damages caused by hazards? Does the disaster preparedness plans include an understanding of how the elderly population may behave after a hazard severely damages their home? Does the community have it is disaster preparedness plan a list of volunteers specifically assigned to helping elderly people cope with a hazard? Are there grief counselors available in the region to provide psychological support to elderly residents impacted by a hazard? Has the elderly population of the town been included in consultations that informed the disaster preparedness plan? Step 2, Activity 5 - Resilience

43. Future uncertainty Governance Step 2, Activity 5 - Resilience Hazards and stress Livelihoods Resilience Ability to manage risks Ability to adapt to changes Ability to secure sustainable lives and activities (people, institutions and communities)

44. Workshop workbook Activity #5: 15 minutes Work in small groups Use the scenario as a base for discussion Use your experience and knowledge to inform discussion Step 2, Activity 5 - Resilience

45. Moving to resilience Kids migrate to Shediac Family highly exposed to a hazard on coast Elderly and poor parents Move to Shediac Elderly parents left by themselves These components show that as the couple ages and if the children leave, their level of vulnerability increases - unless local connections and resources are made available to them.

46. Details to make the decision on what can be done first: Social values Economic choices Timeliness Environmental importance Resilience is dynamic. Step 2, Activity 5 - Resilience

47. Taking it one step at a time Strengthening resilience is a puzzle. Start with a simple method. Get others to help you. Keep an open mind – things change. Stay flexible – multiple solutions. Choose a consensus approach to setting priorities.

48. References • Nelson, D.R., W.N. Adger and K. Brown. 2007. Adaptation to environmental change: contributions of a resilience framework. Annu. Rev. Environ. Resourc. 32: 395-419. • Pasteur, K. 2011. From vulnerability to resilience. A framework for analysis and action to build community resilience. Practical Action Publishing, Warwickshire, OK. 113 pages. • Buckle, Marsh & Smale, May 2001, Assessing Resilience & Vulnerability: Principles, Strategies & Actions.

49. Thank you! Ville de Shippagan Coastal Communities Challenges – CURA Government of Canada