Climate Exchange

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apacity

evelopment

Central Asia, which were part of the modernization of

hydrometeorological services in that region. Based on

estimated losses, the likely benefit will be high and in

line with estimates from similar countries (cost-benefit

on the order of 1:10). Communicating climate infor-

mation in an understandable form is a priority. In

preparatory workshops for the NFCSs, national and

local government and civil society participants in Nepal

and Yemen’s EPA, MAI and NWRA have all emphasized

the need to focus on translating climate information

into knowledge that informs local communities, espe-

cially farmers.

PPCR investment programme

Nepal is considered the world’s fourth, and Yemen one

of the top ten, most vulnerable countries to climate

and extreme events. The GoN, supported by the World

Bank, International Finance Corporation and Asian

Development Bank PPCR teams, undertook an exten-

sive consultation process involving over 850 people at

the national, district and local levels to identify a five-

project Strategic Programme for Climate Resilience

(SPCR). They identified, among other things, the

urgent need to strengthen hydrometeorological serv-

ices to build the country’s resilience to climate change

and weather extremes. In a similar process, the GoY

established an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate

Change, developed a National Adaptation Program of

Action (NAPA) and appointed the EPA to manage the

Government’s actions on climate change and to lead

the PPCR effort. A four-project SPCR was developed,

which also identified strengthening hydrometeorologi-

cal services to improve climate information systems as

a critical component.

In each country, to address these priorities, the

bank’s teams agreed to develop the Building Resilience

to Climate Related Hazards projects as a component of

each the SPCR. The bank’s PPCR teams then requested

assistance and support from the GFDRR Hydromet team

assess the capabilities of the NMSs of Nepal and Yemen

and help develop the technical design for the projects.

Both projects are currently in development. For

Yemen, the team is in the process of developing a

Concept Note for a US$19 million five-year project,

which will move to the pre-appraisal phase following

World Bank approval. Nepal is at this later pre-appraisal

stage. Building on the interactions of the earlier SPCR

activities, two large stakeholder consultations were

conducted in Nepal involving non- governmental

organizations, government ministries, development

partners, the private sector, academicians and civil

society organizations involved in water management,

disaster reduction, early warning and climate resilience.

Separate field trips were also conducted, during which

a number of stakeholders were consulted to review the

preliminary design of the project.

The Nepal project will be funded by the PPCR with

a total estimated budget of US$31 million. An agricul-

tural services component will be implemented by the

is being done in partnership other organizations responsible for

observation, collection and use of weather and climate data and

information, especially the Environmental Protection Authority

(EPA), Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation (MAI), Agricultural

Research and Extension Authority (AREA), and National Water

Resources Authority (NWRA).

Building resilience in Nepal and Yemen

The Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR) Building

Resilience to Climate-Related Hazards projects aim to strengthen

infrastructure, modernize observing and forecasting systems and

strengthen public weather, climate and hydrological services. The

new systems and services will target – and be measured by their

impact on – activities that affect the most vulnerable in the popula-

tion: farming, disaster risk management (civil protection), water

resource management, energy production, population health, and

the transportation sector.

Social and economic assessments are a key component of

the projects. In Nepal, the Finnish Meteorological Institute has

conducted preliminary assessments which indicate the potential

benefits to agriculture, electric power supply, public health and

safety, civil aviation and tourism, and road transport. Estimated

benefits of several hundred million Nepali rupees (more than

US$10m) can be achieved in agriculture by improving forecasts

for food staples such as rice and cereals, cash crops and livestock.

Efficient hydropower generation requires better forecasting, accru-

ing benefits of tens of millions of rupees annually and more if

hydropower generation expands. Forecasts and warnings of

extreme weather events and related health impacts such as vector-

and water-borne disease can, if managed, reduce loss of life and

livelihoods and economic disruption. The actual financial benefit

has not been quantified, but will be hundreds of millions of rupees

per year, given the frequency of extreme events. Better forecasting

will improve aviation safety and increase opportunities for tourism

with initial benefits of tens of millions rupees per year, and much

larger benefits as the industry expands. More detailed assessments

are required to quantify the benefits as a part of the development

of a National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS) within the

Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), which will be

piloted during each of the PPCR projects.

In Yemen, floods and droughts are frequent hazards. Recent

estimates from the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and

Recovery (GFDRR) at the World Bank indicate that losses from

flooding can be as high as 2.6 per cent of gross domestic product.

In 2008, for example, floods caused US$1.6 billion in losses in

three days. Rainfall is the major source of water in Yemen, and is

accessible from wadis, springs, shallow wells and rainfall harvest-

ing. Renewable water resources are well below the critical water

scarcity level of 130 m3 per person per year. New working rela-

tions are required and will take advantage of an NFCS to increase

exchange of data and introduce new climate services, includ-

ing better flood forecasts, agriculture management and water

resources, and sand and dust storm forecasting. While there is

extensive knowledge of the current social and economic impact

of climate related hazards on Yemen, more detailed assessments

are required to quantify the benefits as a part of the development

of an NFCS.

The template for conducting future studies in Nepal and Yemen

is similar to the World Bank and PPCR economic assessments in