The landscapes of the future are changing, how will you adapt?
Global Climate Adaptation Partnership (GCAP)is an international
partnership of the world's leading climate and adaptation experts. It provides
a broad range of climate-related services to both government and commercial
clients. As the world of climate change matures, businesses and
governments are increasingly engaging in efforts to determine sound climate
adaptation solutions. These solutions are complex. They are set in a context of
tough environmental standards and low carbon targets and involve a wide range
of processes: transformations in risk, deployment of early warning and response
systems, achieving multi-stakeholder ownership and securing sustainable
finance.
The Partnership represents
a powerful new force in the field of climate adaptation, providing a wide
spectrum of solutions. Its distinctive approach is one which combines in-depth
knowledge and access to vast amounts of climate data with strong operational
and planning insight. Using this core method, GCAP develops solutions through
an expanding network of offices located in regions where adaptation services
are most in demand.
A timeline records our major developments since May 2010.
What's new?
Adaptation Academy's Foundation Course 2010:
Who needs to do what differently in order to tackle the complex challenges posed by climate change? Climate adaptation requires many professionals to develop a new and dynamic combination of knowledge and skills - utilising theoretical, methodological and empirical knowledge from both the natural and social sciences and applying it to foster collaborative learning and support organisational change at various levels. It is in response to this clear need that we are developing the Adaptation Academy and invite you to participate in this year's Foundation Course.
The Climate Systems Analysis Group, at the University of Cape Town, the Oxford office of the Stockholm Environment Institute, and the Global Climate Adaptation Partnership are offering a 4-week course to meet emerging professional needs in the areas of climate data and information use, risk and vulnerability assessment and communication, adaptation planning and decision-making, and monitoring and evaluation in policy and practice.
The course will be taught by leading climate scientists and adaptation experts, balancing seminar-style teaching with hands-on learning, and aims to provide an overview of the latest relevant science and professional experiences, including local, regional and sector specific case studies.
For more information on the Adaptation Academy's Foundation Course 2010 please see the Careers & Training page.
New partnership provides climate
adaptation services
Researchers, policy practitioners and
entrepreneurs team up to establish a new partnership to tackle climate risk
around the world
In the run-up to COP15, a new partnership was launched in September 2009 to bring together the strengths of research organisations and consulting
companies in generating and applying new knowledge to support climate
adaptation around the world.A focus on
developing countries includes pro-poor and safe growth in vulnerable
populations and low carbon futures. With an emerging market for climate
adaptation, set to reach $10 billion per year globally within five years, the
Global Climate Adaptation Partnership (GCAP) will cooperate with a range of
Knowledge Partners around the world to develop the knowledge and technical
basis for supporting climate adaptation experts and practitioners, delivering
robust solutions to clients.
Frontiers of Knowledge Management
Ideally positioned to provide a client-driven service, the partnership will
draw on the wide range on knowledge and expertise necessary to address the
complex climate challenges facing governments, development agencies, utilities
and private companies.
"We
have developed the Global Climate Adaptation Partnership to provide added value
services to meet the rising demand for sound strategy and action on climate
adaptation. Key features are our Adaptation Academy, Knowledge Management and Project Consulting services", says Dr. Tom Downing, President of GCAP.
Professional
training and certification courses
A
GCAP Adaptation Academy will develop training material and professional
certification courses, hosted by partners in developing countries and backed up
by online services. The Climate Systems Analysis Group at the University
of Cape Town is leading the redesign of downscaled climate change services. The
International Centre for Climate Change Adaptation in Dhaka will host the GCAP
training base camp.
Saleemul
Huq, the ICCCAD director and a leading expert on adaptation, supports the new
partnership: "Our first training course was in 2009, already a collaboration
with the team behind GCAP. We look forward to rapidly scaling up adaptation capacity to protect
the most vulnerable people in developing countries".
Tom Downing with the President of Kenya (Mwai Kibaki, seated) and Prime Minister (Raila Odinga)
National Leadership Forum - Kenya
November 13, 2009 - I was invited to the National Leadership Forum by the Government of Kenya on 13-14 November in Mombasa. The Kenya President, Prime Minister and many ministers and permanent secretaries were considering their options for a new constitution and parliamentary democracy. They took an hour from that packed agenda to hear my update on the economics of climate change in Kenya and the new opportunities for national policy, strategic objectives and priority projects. See my blog for a longer report: www.tomsblog.weadapt.org. Tom Downing
