DRM

Our new project is supporting the operationalization of climate change adaptation actions in the mountain states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation’s (SDCs) funded Global Programme Climate Change and Environment (GPCCE) India. Started in December 2020, this three year project aims especially at improving early warning and response systems. More precisely, the activities focus on the co-design of people centred early warning systems (EWS), including analysis of hazard processes, forecast models, susceptibility maps, technical assistance in EWS operation and integration in evacuation planning, need and capacity assessment, community training and guidelines development.  The project is expected to improve early warning systems and to provide relevant guidelines for policy frameworks, paving way for replication across the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) and other mountainous regions.

Within this framework, SDC has granted a project to our group at the University of Geneva, together with GEOTEST (coordinator), University of Zurich, and local consultants based in India.

Our group is responsible for the analysis of landslide and flood hazard processes in Kullu and Uttarakhand and for the implementation of the cross-cutting approach to training and capacity building, including an in-depth assessment of communities needs and capacities, the design of training modules, e-learning/online training courses and guidelines development targeted for EWS operators, first responders, scientific and administrative staff and the general public.