cc: B.Trewin@bom.gov.au, "acre-discussion@met-acre.org" , "'Rob Allan'" , "Walter E. Baethgen" , "catharine@aol.com" , "C.W.Wilkinson@uea.ac.uk" , "'Dennis Wheeler'" , "D.J.Nash@bton.ac.uk" , "'J.G. Guzman'" date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:08:35 +0200 from: David_Bresch@swissre.com subject: Economics of Climate Adaptation (ECA) - shaping climate-resilient to: David_Bresch@swissre.com Dear colleagues - this might be of interest, so I took the liberty to send this to my ACRE contacts - please disregard, if not interested. It is my pleasure to inform you about the launch of the report on Economics of Climate Adaptation (ECA), an important contribution to the debate in the run-up to Copenhagen. Societies need to understand how and where they must adapt to climate change. The ECA report introduces an approach and methodology to make this happen. Authored by the ECA working group, this report applies the methodology to 8 case studies (US-Florida, UK-City of Hull, India, Guyana, Tanzania, Mali, China and Samoa). In these locations studied, annualised losses of 1-12% of GDP result from existing climate patterns and are likely to rise to up to 19% of GDP by 2030. The report identifies significant potential for cost-effective adaptation measures. The methodology gives decision makers and their stakeholders the facts to design a climate adaptation strategy, combining risk avoidance, loss reduction, and risk transfer measures - following a pre-emptive approach to manage total climate risk. The ECA report found that, in order to foster climate-resilient development, one needs to apply a pre-emptive approach to manage total climate risk. 1. Despite much uncertainty, it is possible to provide a basis for decision-making, even in developing countries where historical climate data may be limited. 2. Market-based insurance solutions can contribute significantly and efficiently to locally adapt to a changing climate. 3. The methodology outlined in the report (and illustrated by the eight case studies) can be applied to other countries or regions to help develop concrete data for political decision-making on adaptation strategies and resource allocation. The project sponsor consortium consisted of Swiss Re, McKinsey, Global Environment Facility, European Commission, the Rockefeller Foundation, Climate Works, and Standard Chartered Bank. Swiss Re's role as a project partner was that of a lead contributor to the research, defining the assessment and risk modelling approach and providing overall risk assessment knowledge and tools. Please find the full study (pdf, 6 MB) and the executive summary here: [1]www.swissre.com/climatechange I am looking forward to learn about your thoughts on this - with best regards, David Bresch Dr. David N. Bresch | Director | Head Sustainability & Emerging Risk Management Swiss Reinsurance Company | Mythenquai 50/60, 8022 Zurich, Switzerland Direct: +41 43 285 6361 Fax: +41 43 282 6361 Mobile: +41 79 834 6959 E-mail: [2]David_Bresch@swissre.com [3]http://www.swissre.com Blair Trewin 21.09.2009 00:19 To "'J.G. Guzman'" , "Walter E. Baethgen" cc 'Dennis Wheeler' , "D.J.Nash@bton.ac.uk" , 'Rob Allan' , "acre-discussion@met-acre.org" , "C.W.Wilkinson@uea.ac.uk" , "catharine@aol.com" Subject RE: CHILEAN ACRE [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED] It might be of interest to know that a paper by a number of South American authors on 'Latitudinal position of the subtropical anticyclone along the Chilean coast' was recently published in the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Journal ([4]http://www.bom.gov.au/amm/docs/2009/minetti_hres.pdf). This used century-long Chilean pressure records; further data might provide scope for this analysis to be extended further back into the 19th century. Blair Trewin National Climate Centre Australian Bureau of Meteorology (also AMOJ editor) -----Original Message----- From: J.G. Guzman [[5]mailto:jgg29@hermes.cam.ac.uk] On Behalf Of J.G. Guzman Sent: Saturday, 19 September 2009 2:02 AM To: Walter E. Baethgen Cc: 'Dennis Wheeler'; D.J.Nash@bton.ac.uk; 'Rob Allan'; acre-discussion@met-acre.org; C.W.Wilkinson@uea.ac.uk; catharine@aol.com Subject: CHILEAN ACRE Dear colleagues, Many thanks indeed for your comments and your interest in supporting a Chilean chapter of ACRE. As mentioned in one of my previous emails, last April together with Rob, Julian, Catharine and Clive, we paid a visit to Santiago and Valparaiso. We met a number of Chilean agencies and services; all of them ensured their interest in establishing cooperation with ACRE. Very important is that all entities depending of the Ministry of Defence ensured us open access to the data. This never happened before. No Chilean nor foreign team have ever obtained such access. We talked about funding with the Board for Science and Technology (CONICYT) and with the Commission (now Ministry) of Environment (CONAMA). We even made a formal presentation to the Chilean Ambassador in London, but after six month in waiting, no news has arrived from Chile. Te reason: the elections of next December. In my view, we will not able to obtain any answer until next June or July, when the next government could be settle. In the meantime, and if we really want to take advantage of the access to the data we presently have, we should proceed without waiting any news from Chile. Just go there and start working. If we wait for the next government and this is, as the polls indicate, from the present opposition, I fear that then we will have to start once again with the bureaucratic via crucis We need funding. How much? Of course it depends of how much we want to do. As Catharine and Clive could explain in detail, just in logbooks we have more than 7000. In terms of meteo stations, we have more than 100. In terms of Navy stations in oceanic islands, we have many If we want to include a chapter in glaciology or do something with Chilean Antarctic data and then combine it this with British and Argentinean info, then even more. I you all agree, we could try to get together in Cambridge, Exeter or London. Then we can analyse the subject in detail and, probably, find the way to go on with a Chilean ACRE. Best regards to you all, Jorge Guzman SPRI-University of Cambridge On Sep 18 2009, Walter E. Baethgen wrote: >Dear all, > >I strongly agree with Jorge Guzman's comments regarding the great >potential that exists in Chile to reconstruct long-term climate data. >I also agree that the Center for Global Change Research is a great >partner to involve in this effort. > >Furthermore, in my opinion, if efforts will be made to reconstruct the >long-term climatologies in Chile, I would like to suggest that you try >to expand the geographical scope to include other regions of the >Southern Cone of South America (i.e., Argentina, Uruguay, south >Brazil). These are areas where there is also a great potential to >reconstruct climatologies, and where many ongoing research projects could be contacted to contribute. > >As the leader of the Latin American program of the IRI (International >Research Institute for Climate and Society, Columbia University, NY), I >would like to offer my help to identify these research groups and to >help connecting with them. > >I believe that the additional efforts needed to expand the geographical >scope are probably low. Once that funds are identified to start this >work in Chile, I believe that little more would be needed to expand the >efforts to neighbor regions (and ACRE would greatly benefit from this expansion). > >Best regards, > >Walter > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: J.G. Guzman [[6]mailto:jgg29@hermes.cam.ac.uk] On Behalf Of J.G. >Guzman >Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 9:30 AM >To: Dennis Wheeler >Cc: D.J.Nash@bton.ac.uk; Rob Allan; acre-discussion@met-acre.org >Subject: Re: Research Fellow in Historical Climatology > >Dear Dennis, > >Many thanks for your comments. > >As you probably known from Rob, Clive and Catharine, the Chilean >records are really first class. > >A second relevant point is that we obtained access to the files, which >was > >not granted no anyone before. > >Thirdly, we found a partner in the Centre fro Global Change in >Santiago, certainly the best unit in Chile and probably in the region. > >What we need is funding. A couple of months ago I approached the Royal >Society and they said that, if there is another possible sponsor, they >could consider an application. > >Another possible funding could come from our Newton Fund, which is >something that our Director Julian Dowdeswell could consider to >sponsor, if we can match the requirements. > >If you need any specification on the kind of records available in >Chile, please let me know. > >Best regards, > > >Jorge Guzman >SPRI-University of Cambridge > >On Sep 18 2009, Dennis Wheeler wrote: > >>Hi All >> >>This is potentially such an important project that it cannot be >>allowed to slip by. I suggest that we discuss possible funding via >>Leverhulme Trust. I do not think that NERC are a useful source of >>funding for this sort of work, but maybe others have ideas also. >> >>regards >> >>Dennis >> >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: "J.G. Guzman" >>Date: Friday, September 18, 2009 9:54 am >>Subject: Re: Research Fellow in Historical Climatology >> >>> Dear David, dear Georgina, As Rob can inform you, since last year we >>> try to obtain some funding to do implement a project using >>> historical Chilean records. >>> >>> Last April we paid a visit to Chile and found an enormous amount of >>> data, which, in some cases, even cover the Southern Pacific and the >>> Southern Ocean since early XVII century...... >>> >>> After many months in waiting, everything point to say that the >>> Chilean will not commit any money, despite they look interested in >>> the >>issue....... >>> >>> >>> If you of any source of funding that could be interested in doing >>> some historical climatology in South America, the South East pacific >>> and the American sector of the Southern and Antarctic Oceans, please >>> let us know. >>> >>> Many thanks and best regards, >>> >>> Jorge Guzman >>> SPRI-University of Cambridge >>> >>> On Sep 17 2009, D.J.Nash@bton.ac.uk wrote: >>> >>> >Dear ACRE Discussion List members >>> > >>> > We are currently advertising for a postdoctoral researcher to >>> work on our >>> > Leverhulme Trust funded project examining climate histories in >>> southern >>> > Africa (see below). If you know of any suitable candidates I >>> would be >>> > grateful if you could forward this email to them. >>> > >>> >Many thanks >>> > >>> >David Nash and Georgina Endfield >>> > >>> >*** >>> > >>> >University of Brighton >>> > >>> >Research Fellow in Historical Climatology >>> > >>> >from £31,513 to £37,651 per annum >>> > >>> > The School of Environment and Technology wishes to appoint a >>> > post-doctoral Research Fellow to support the Leverhulme Trust >>> funded >>> > project 'Societal responses to El Nino-related climate extremes >>> in >>> > southern Africa during the 19th century'. The project and post >>> run for 36 >>> > months, starting 1 January 2010. The Principal Investigator on >>> the >>> > project is Dr David Nash, with Co-Investigators Dr Georgina >>> Endfield >>> > (University of Nottingham), Dr Dominic Kniveton (University of >>> Sussex) >>> > and Dr Jorgen Klein (Hedmark University College, Norway). >>> > >>> > You will be involved in lengthy periods of residential archival >>> research >>> > in locations across the UK and overseas. You should have a good >>> (1 or >>> > 2:1) degree, preferably in a subject area such as geography, >>> history, >>> > archaeology, meteorology or a related discipline. You will have >>> > completed, or to be close to completing, research for a PhD. >>> Fluency in >>> > spoken and written German is essential, as is competency in the >>> use of IT >>> > for data entry, storage and management. Experience of working >>> with >>> > historical documents in archives would be advantageous. >>> > >>> > Informal enquiries can be made to the Principal Investigator, Dr >>> David >>> > Nash (telephone: +44 [0]1273 642423; email: >>> d.j.nash@brighton.ac.uk).> >>> > For further particulars and an application form, telephone +44 >>> (0)1273 >>> > 642849 (24 hours) or visit [7]http://www.brighton.ac.uk/personnel. >>> Please >>> > quote reference number SV4057. >>> > >>> > The closing date for applications is 6 October 2009. Interviews >>> will be >>> > held in Brighton during the week beginning 26 October 2009. >>> >>> >>> >> > > This e-mail, including attachments, is intended for the person(s) or company named and may contain confidential and/or legally privileged information. Unauthorized disclosure, copying or use of this information may be unlawful and is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete this message and notify the sender. All incoming and outgoing e-mail messages are stored in the Swiss Re Electronic Message Repository. If you do not wish the retention of potentially private e-mails by Swiss Re, we strongly advise you not to use the Swiss Re e-mail account for any private, non-business related communications. Attachment Converted: "c:\eudora\attach\ECA Press Release_14Sept09.pdf"