Expert network and twinning institute on climate and societal change for Southeast Asia

The Franzius-Institute for Hydraulic, Waterways and Coastal Engineering, Leibniz Universität Hannover, the Institute for Environment and Human Security of the United Nations University and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences will analyze climate change effects and potential adaptation strategies in selected Indonesian regions. An expert network as well as a twinning institute in Southeast Asia will be established in cooperation with additional German research institutes and universities in order to systematically improve the German- Indonesian research and development cooperation in this field.

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Scientific Background

In order to systematically address climate change, sea level rise and resulting effects on coastal urban areas, innovative and sustainable strategies for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in coastal zones have to be developed. Thus, the project focuses on the analysis and evaluation of respective measures to identify best practice examples and low regret measures. Knowledge gaps in the understanding of processes as well as application and implementation obstacles of low regret adaptation measures will be addressed. They determine the adequacy of Working with Nature (WwN) strategies which can encompass bamboo breakwaters, artificial hydraulic sand fills or beach nourishments as well as the planting of mangrove forests and, thus, the implementation potential of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) strategies as an integral part of sustainable coastal protection solutions for urban areas.

Project and Objectives

The project aims at establishing an expert network as well as a twinning institute in Southeast Asia to improve DRR and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) strategies. It facilitates the visibility of German research in Southeast Asia and supports the mainstreaming of climate change-related DRR topics into regional research activities. Climate change-related impacts on natural hazard occurrence and intensity as well as social vulnerability will be examined. Vulnerability scenarios that take different development pathways of selected coastal areas into consideration will serve to evaluate DRR and CCA strategies.

Aspects of Research Structure

The transfer of knowledge generated by the research networks and the partnering institute will be ensured via e-learning material which can be used in teaching activities by the partnering universities. The results are also going to be presented at international events and to the national research institutes. Important framework conditions for the creation of the expert network are already in place since the FI has already signed partnering contracts with RISTEK. In addition, UNU-EHS and LIPI have signed a letter of intent in January 2012 to stress their interest in shared activities in the field of human security and environmental change such as climate change.

Funded in the context of the BMBF funding programme to establish joint research structures of German universities with partners in APRA. More information on APRA.