Each part of the world faces specific vulnerabilities to climate change and has different opportunities to mitigate the effects and build resilience in the 21st century. With the Paris Agreement at COP 21, the global community has signaled its intent to act. Indeed, without climate action, decades of development progress are threatened, meaning that we are at a ‘make it or break it’ point in time. This course presents the most recent scientific evidence, explains the different regional impacts and divulge climate action strategies, and some opportunities for you to take action on climate change. About the Course This action-oriented MOOC gives you the opportunity to learn about regional climate change impacts and sector-specific strategies to increase resilience and move towards a low-carbon future. You will have the opportunity to explore these issues in depth and tailor your learning experience for one or more of the following regions: • Latin America and Caribbean • Sub-Saharan Africa • Middle East and North Africa • Eastern Europe and Central Asia • East Asia and Pacific • South Asia To do this, the MOOC brings together renowned scientists and policymakers to provide a synthesis of the most recent scientific evidence on climate change, regional low emissions and climate resilient development strategies across sectors, and an overview of the Paris Agreement and other outcomes of COP 21. Course Syllabus Overview Turn Down the Heat: From Climate Science to Action is divided into four weeks. The first two weeks will provide a comprehensive overview of the scientific evidence for climate change, followed by region-specific insights on the impacts of a warmer world in the 21st century. The last two weeks will focus on action strategies that are being undertaken in different regions and countries to meet the climate challenge, and on how individuals can take action. Week 1: Climate Change in the 21st Century • Historical and projected observed changes in the climate system, leading up to the end of the 21st century • The potential of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted at COP 21 from 187 countries to induce climate action • Trends in climate change impacts, including loss of Arctic sea ice, melting glaciers, increased heat waves and extreme temperatures, and drought and aridity • Possible responses from natural systems, explaining how warming could result in sea-level rise, heat waves and extreme temperatures, and ocean acidification Week 2: Sectoral and Regional Impacts • Impacts on key development sectors—from warming above pre-industrial temperatures and projected climate trends—across each of the world’s regions • Sectoral impacts focusing on agricultural production, water resources, ecosystem services, and coastal vulnerability for affected populations • Importance of risks with the potential to reverse hard-won development gains and potentially trap millions in poverty, illustrating the need for urgent action now Week 3: From Science to Action on Climate Change • Region-specific discussions on mitigation actions needed to reduce emissions while decreasing vulnerability to climate change impacts through adaptation and by building climate resilience • Perspectives from regional experts on their experiences in strategies and actions proposed in each region to help transition towards a low-emissions, climate-resilient development path Week 4: What You Can Do • Transformative impact of day-to-day changes when brought to a global scale • The rationale for acting now, acting together and acting differently • Examples and expected benefits of mitigation and adaptation policies, considering both contributions to global emission reductions and local development opportunities Course Format This MOOC has a week-by-week structure, with resources, activities and exercises for you to engage in during each of the four weeks of the course. Each week, you will find a variety of course material, including: • Interactive video talks by renowned climate scientists and practitioners • Resources: Core, optional (deep dive) and fun interactives on the week’s theme • Quizzes that check your knowledge, reinforce the lesson’s material and provide immediate feedback • Assignments that will sharpen your skills of analysis, reflection and communication • Discussion forums and social media that enable collaboration with others from around the world, enriching interaction among participants • A live interactive Google Hangouts on air with international experts, who will engage in a Q&A session on climate change • As a final project, you will create a digital artifact
Adaptation and Resilience in the Middle East and North Africa
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来自 世界银行集团 的课程
Turn Down the Heat: From Climate Science to Action
144 评分
从本节课中
From Science to Action on Climate Change
Week 3 will introduce you to a region-specific understanding of challenges on what mitigation and adaptation actions are needed to reduce emissions, at the same time decreasing vulnerability to climate change impacts and building climate resilience. The module will draw on key regional experts involved in the implementation of different policy instruments.
与讲师见面
Alan S. MillerPrincipal Climate Change Specialist
Claudia BarreraSenior Carbon Finance Specialist
Welcome to the Open Learning campus. brought to you by the World Bank Group.
The climate has shaped the cultures of the Middle-East and North Africa.
The first settlements in the world started in this region, namely farming communities and cities.
All of them changed in response to the variable climate.
The climate has been changing for thousands of years in MENA - so it is not new.
4000 years ago there was a prolonged drought of about 300 years in the Al Hasakah area in North East Syria.
That led to outmigration already at that time.
People left their agriculture and moved to pastoralism because of the changing climate.
Over the next century, the region will experience unprecedented extremes and
climate change is a threat to poverty reduction and economic growth in the region.
Moreover, it is likely one of the contributors to conflict and wars in the Middle-East and North Africa
as we are seeing it right now.
The current speed and intensity of climate change is new.
The existing coping mechanisms are increasingly becoming obsolete as climate change
affects all 355 million people in the region, and in particular the 100 million poor people.
MENA's population is projected to double by 2050, which together with projected climate impacts,
puts the region under enormous pressure; especially for water and food.
On top of this, today, millions of people have fled their homes and countries.
Globally, that has created the biggest refugee crisis since World War II.
Migration and climate‐related pressure on resources could increase the risk of further conflict.
The climate is getting hotter dryer and more variable,
and climate change is already felt in MENA as people are experiencing new and higher temperatures,
more droughts, more floods, reduced levels of precipitation, and overall increased climate variability
This put more pressure on the region's already scarce resources.
Already 14 of the world's 33 most water stressed countries are in the MENA region.
Water scarcity affects livelihood and economic development and is linked to food insecurity, social instability, and potentially to conflict.
As the pace of climate change accelerates, traditional coping mechanisms are becoming increasingly inadequate and climate adaptation is called for.
Climate change will likely reduce agriculture production in MENA countries.
Consequently, they will need to invest in agricultural innovation
and technology to effectively adapt to increasing climate variability and change,
while maintaining productive agriculture for both food security and livelihoods.
In MENA, agriculture is more than 75% rain-fed, and therefore very vulnerable to climate change.
Adaptation to increased unpredictability of rainfall is therefore needed in agriculture.
The farmers can adapt in many ways, for example by growing more drought-tolerant or shorter-cycle crops.
Farmers may use rainwater harvesting techniques.
They can also use conservation tillage, a method that leaves the previous year's
crop residue to reduce soil erosion to compensate for reduced soil moisture.
Another issue in the region is salinization because of rising sea levels and seawater intrusion into aquifers.
Growing salinization will prompt changes in cropping patterns, and in soil and water management.
To adapt to those changes, farmers can use more salt-tolerant crops, use freshwater to blend with saline sources
and use off-season freshwater sources to leach salt residues into the soil profile.
Urbanization in MENA is occurring rapidly,
so it is often unplanned or planned without consideration to climate change.
Rapid urbanization results in the creation and expansion of informal settlements,
which are highly vulnerable to climate events.
These settlements often damage the natural environments that act as buffers to climate impacts.
Cities can reduce vulnerability by implementing green building codes that reduce energy consumption and costs
They can also embark on urban greening projects, which typically include planting drought resistant vegetation, and updating irrigation systems.
which typically include planting drought resistant vegetation, and updating irrigation systems.
The planting of drought-resistant vegetation can reduce the urban heat island effect.
It can also decrease air pollution, and absorb excess rainfall and even CO2.
Water availability is a major issue.
Appropriate wastewater treatment and rainwater catchment can provide additional water sources.
For example, Egypt, has the capacity to treat nearly 1.6 billion cubic meters per year of municipal wastewater.
Many MENA countries rely on tourism for revenue, employment, and foreign currency.
Climate change will affect tourist attractions and facilities.
Adaptive responses can diversify and expand the tourism sector into less exposed destinations.
Climate change impacts men and women differently in MENA countries.
Gender-based vulnerability is an important consideration in adaptation.
In particular, the sociocultural gender dynamics make women particularly susceptible to poverty and lower adaptive capacity.
For example, men from rural areas often migrate and leave women behind in charge,
not only of the household and family matters but often also of farm and production.
Adaptation efforts should also consider gender at the national,.
institutional, and project level wherever efforts occur.
