Science for Humanitarian Emergencies and Resilience (SHEAR) scoping study: Annex 5 - Workshop report, London, 9 December 2013

The aim of the workshop was to examine research on risk assessment and early warning systems for weather-related hazards

Abstract

As part of the Scoping Study for the Science for Humanitarian Emergencies and Resilience (SHEAR) Programme, a workshop was held on 9 December 2013 at the Wellcome Trust in London. The workshop was attended primarily by UK-based researchers working in Africa, South Asia and the Caribbean. The workshop was based around group-based discussions on:

  • Current relevant research, and identification of research gaps
  • Identifying research needs related to the integration of risk assessments and early warning systems into decision-making in low income countries
  • Recommendations for research priorities in the SHEAR programme.

Forty experts participated in 4 mixed-groups. The stakeholder groups represented were academics, research institutes, private sector specialists, international Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and staff from DFID; all of whom were represented by experts with direct interest in risk assessment and early warning systems in low income countries in the 3 regions. The discussions were run under the Chatham House rule.

The objective of the workshop was to gain a better understanding of what opportunities exist to make a significant difference to the progress and uptake of research on risk assessment and early warning systems for weather-related hazards. The workshop achieved this by assessing perceived gaps, needs and priorities, against an awareness of the large amount of existing initiatives already underway.

This report provides a synthesis of the main ideas and suggestions put forward by the workshop participants. These ideas were fed into the findings of the study’s final report.

This report has been produced by HR Wallingford Ltd for Evidence on Demand with the assistance of the UK Department for International Development (DFID) contracted through the Climate, Environment, Infrastructure and Livelihoods Professional Evidence and Applied Knowledge Services (CEIL PEAKS) programme, jointly managed by HTSPE Limited and IMC Worldwide Limited.

Citation

Pearce, G. Science for Humanitarian Emergencies and Resilience (SHEAR) scoping study: Annex 5 - Workshop report, London, 9 December 2013. Evidence on Demand, UK (2014) ii + 11 pp. [DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12774/eod_cr.june2014.pearce]

Science for Humanitarian Emergencies and Resilience (SHEAR) scoping study: Annex 5 - Workshop report, London, 9 December 2013

Published 1 January 2014